Sideswipe Impact Analysis Methodology Compared to Crash Testing with Anthropomorphic Test Device

Vehicle-to-vehicle sideswipe collisions are unique in their impact characteristics because the vehicles typically do not reach a common velocity at impact. To better understand the characteristics and dynamics of a sideswipe collision, vehicle-to-vehicle crash testing was performed to find the relationships between variables related to the impact, such as closing speed, relative angle, and overlap depth. This paper discusses data collected for three sideswipe (oblique) impact tests conducted at a testing facility in Buffalo, New York. The tests were conducted using a passenger vehicle as the sideswiping vehicle, which impacted a stationary cargo van. The passenger vehicle was towed into the van at relative angles ranging from 8 to 15 degrees and at velocities of 5 to 20 mph. Two different (but identical) passenger cars and two cargo vans were used during the testing series. Test results were then utilized to investigate a methodology of analyzing sideswipe collisions as a combination of low-speed lateral impact in conjunction with longitudinal sliding friction for application to accident reconstruction. One instrumented Hybrid III 5th percentile female Anthropomorphic Test Device (ATD) outfitted with a 15 pound weight vest was placed in the front driver designated seating position according to instructions specified in the TP-208 Test Procedure. For testing, the ATD and test vehicles were instrumented with accelerometers, which were used to record the accelerations to the occupant and vehicles throughout each sideswipe impact test. The ATD was additionally instrumented with force transducers to measure the forces experienced by the ATD during the testing. The speed of the passenger vehicle was measured with a laser trap system immediately prior to impact. The objective of this research was to examine the collision dynamics and the instrumented ATD responses for each sideswipe test performed to provide data relevant to accident reconstruction and biomedical analysis. The research also used the collected test data to validate a methodology for reconstructing sideswipe collisions.