F2008-08-015
A Study of SRS Side Airbag Performance in Chest Protection in a Pole Side Impact Using a Human FE Model
Car to pole side impact accidents dominate most proportion of serious injuries of car occupants. Chest injuries of occupants were often observed in these accidents. Car to pole test was introduced to Euro-NCAP in 2000 and will be introduced to FMVSS214 in 2009. SRS side air bags and SRS curtain shield air bags become popular occupant protection systems. How SRS side air bags and SRS curtain shield air bags help reduction of the risk of rib fractures should be analyzed. This paper describes how effectively SRS side air bags and SRS curtain shield air bags will help reduce risk of injuries such as chest rib fracture. Human FE model "THUMS" (Total HUman Model for Safety) was combined to full vehicle FE models and it was calculated in the cases that two full vehicle FE models were collided into a pole at 29 km/h. First calculation model was equipped with SRS side air bags and SRS curtain shield air bags and another one was without them. By comparing these two analysis results, equipment of SRS side air bag and SRS curtain shield air bag was found that it could reduce the number of chest rib fractures. The reasons why the number of chest rib fractures was reduced were as follows; The upper arm of THUMS contacted to upper ribs of THUMS and the ribs were fractured due to contact force by the upper arm. SRS side air bag and SRS curtain shield air bag can contact to the ribs before the upper arm and the contact force by the upper arm was reduced, The armrest of door trim contacted to lower ribs of THUMS and the ribs were fractured due to contact force by the armrest. SRS side air bag can contact to the lower rib before the armrest contacts to the ribs and the contact force by the armrest was reduced. Authors reconstructed two types of car to pole accidents by a human FE model "THUMS" and clarified how SRS side air bags and SRS curtain shield air bags can help reduction of the risk of chest rib fractures at first in the world.
Session: Occupant & Pedestrian Protection I