复合材料发动机罩的行人头部保护研究

为研究聚丙烯复合材料发动机罩的行人保护性能,应用ANSA软件建立发动机罩和行人头部冲击器的有限元模型;参照欧盟EC 78/2009行人保护法规要求,选取碰撞危险点;应用LS-DYNA有限元分析软件研究相同结构下聚丙烯复合材料发动机罩和钢制发动机罩的行人保护能力以及静态刚度,比较不同配比材料发动机罩的吸能特性和头部碰撞损伤的相关加速度值,并针对铰链处进行结构优化设计。研究表明:所设计的新的聚丙烯复合材料发动机罩在保证刚度的条件下,有明显减重效果,并在头部碰撞区域对行人头部有较好保护效果。     

铝质发动机罩的行人碰撞保护研究

应用HyperMesh建立发动机罩和行人头部的有限元模型,利用LS-DYNA有限元分析软件研究人的头部与钢质、铝质发动机罩相撞时的动态响应问题,并经试验验证。对头模撞击铝质发动机罩与钢质发动机罩作了比较,得出铝质发动机罩对行人头部具有更好保护效果的结论。对铝质发动机罩内、外板的厚度进行改进设计,得到综合轻量化、刚度及安全性3方面的要求都比较好的设计方案。最后对铝质发动机罩的内板结构进行拓扑优化设计,得到了在保证刚度的前提下减重效果最好、具有优异的行人碰撞保护性能的铝质发动机罩结构。     

我国(讨论稿)和欧洲关于行人保护法规的异同点

通过对欧洲和我国讨论稿关于行人保护法规的分析比较研究,在定义方面有着相同和不同;在下腿型冲击器对保险杠的试验、上腿型冲击器对保险杠的试验、儿童头型冲击器对发动机罩的试验、成人头型冲击器对发动机罩的试验等实验中,使用的实验仪器设备、实验手段和方法、实验程序、评价指标存在着相同和不同之处。与欧洲法规相比,我国讨论稿的一些评价指标值有待进一步完善,试验手段和方法需要进一步改进,通过比较分析来不断修订我国行人保护法规讨论稿,以利于我国未来正式颁布行人保护法规。     

ISO发布新的行人碰撞试验方法标准

国际标准化组织(ISO)最近发布的一项新的国际标准——ISO11096:2011《道路车辆-行人防护-对行人大腿、腿和膝盖碰撞试验方法》,定义了新的碰撞试验方法,这将降低由于危险的汽车设计而引起的大量的行人腿所受到的伤害。     

汽车行人碰撞接触中行人运动学规律仿真研究

基于交通事故模拟分析PC-Crash软件及其内嵌多体系统动力学分析MADYMO模块,建立并验证了车辆多体模型和行人多体模型;对汽车与行人碰撞接触阶段的行人运动学具有较大影响的因素展开广泛分析,并构建汽车行人碰撞仿真试验方案;通过选取对汽车与行人碰撞接触阶段具有较大影响的因素作为仿真试验的自变量,对不同碰撞环境下汽车与行人碰撞接触过程中的行人运动学规律(包括运动姿态和对应的碰撞车速阈值)进行深入研究;汽车行人碰撞仿真与真实事故以及碰撞试验对比具有较好的规律吻合性和一致性。研究表明,笔者采用的计算机建模仿真方法在汽车行人碰撞运动学研究中具有实用价值。     

行人与厢式客车碰撞后的运动形态及损伤研究

为研究厢式客车与行人碰撞后行人运动形态及其损伤机制,根据国家车辆事故深度调查体系(NAIS)中的一个真实案例,利用Madymo仿真软件,建立厢式客车的前部结构模型和中国50百分位的假人模型。在此基础上进行计算机模拟试验,以人体损伤指标为评价标准,研究不同车速和行人朝向对碰撞后的行人运动形态及损伤的影响。结果表明:车速和行人朝向是影响行人损伤程度的主要因素,行人朝向对碰撞后的行人运动形态影响较大;此外,行人先与厢式客车碰撞一侧的小腿损伤值明显大于后碰一侧,行人与地面二次碰撞造成的头部损伤是导致行人死亡的主要原因。     

校车儿童安全气囊安全性仿真分析

为提高校车乘员约束系统在正面碰撞中对儿童乘员的保护效果,提出一种新型主动式校车儿童安全气囊。运用多刚体动力学分析软件MADYMO建立包括地板、前后排座椅、安全带与第5百分位女性假人在内的校车乘员正面碰撞仿真模型,通过台车试验结果验证模型的准确性。在此基础上,建立主动式安全气囊模型,研究其对12岁和6岁乘员的保护效果。用正交试验方法,分析气囊设计参数,针对12岁乘员进行气囊优化。结果表明:头部气囊的厚度及排气孔大小对乘员伤害影响最大。与原始约束系统相比,经优化后的气囊使12岁乘员的头部、胸部和颈部伤害分别下降84.5%,19%和84.3%,同时加装气囊对6岁儿童也有一定的保护效果。     

人车碰撞事故中行人动力学响应及损伤研究

为研究行人与车辆碰撞后的抛距、运动姿态及其损伤机制,根据国家车辆事故深度调查体系(NAIS)中的2起真实案例,针对事故中常见的厢式客车和普通轿车车型,基于MADYMO多刚体仿真软件,建立符合中国人体形特征的人车碰撞多刚体模型。在此基础上进行计算机模拟试验,研究2种车型不同车速和碰撞角度对碰撞后行人动力学响应及损伤的影响。结果表明,车型和车速是影响行人抛距和损伤程度的主要因素,而碰撞角度对行人碰撞后的运动姿态有较大影响。     

使用安全气囊 未必高枕无忧

轿车安装安全气囊已经相当普遍。但安全气囊是否对乘员的安全有绝对的保障,专家指出,未必可以高枕无忧。安全气囊作用于车辆受撞、乘员生命受到威胁的紧急关头充气打开,以有效保护乘员。但气囊须在车辆中等至严重程度的正面碰撞或接近正面碰撞的情况下,才能充气打开。如若车辆非此种受撞,气囊     

基于Pc-Crash软件的人-车碰撞事故仿真规律研究

以Pc-Crash软件为平台,仿真分析两例实际的人-车碰撞试验。通过对比仿真结果与试验的吻合情况,并结合其他学者所提及的现象,总结了仿真中人-车接触部位、行人终止点位置及抛距、行人被车辆抛出后的运动情况等与实际情况的耦合程度的规律。发现利用Pc-Crash软件实现对人-车碰撞事故仿真时,人-车接触部位与实际情况可以耦合得很好,行人终止点位置一般总体抛距与实际情况差不多,而行人被车辆抛出后的运动情况则与实际不符,针对这些现象提出一些建议。对更好地利用Pc-Crash软件实现对人-车碰撞事故的仿真分析有一定的意义。     

A study on chest injury mechanism and the effectiveness of a headform impact test for pedestrian chest protection from vehicle collisions

This study was aimed at investigating the injury mechanism of pedestrian chests in collisions with passenger vehicles of various frontal shapes and examining the influence of the local structural stiffness on the chest injury risk by using the headform impact test at the chest contact area of the vehicle. Three simulations of vehicle to pedestrian collisions were conducted using three validated pedestrian finite element (FE) models of three pedestrian heights of 177 (AM50th), 165 and 150 cm and three FE vehicles models representing a one-box vehicle, a minicar and a medium car. The validity of the vehicle models was evaluated by comparing the headform acceleration against the measured responses from headform impact tests. The chest impact kinematics and the injury mechanisms were analyzed in terms of the distribution of the von Mises stress of the ribcage and in terms of the chest deflections. The chest contact locations on the front panel and the bonnet top were identified in connection to the causation of rib fractures. The risk of rib fractures was predicted by using the von Mises stress distribution. The headform impact tests were carried out at the chest contact area on the front panel and bonnet to examine the safety performance with respect to pedestrian chest protection. In simulations of the one-box vehicle to pedestrian collisions, the chest was struck directly by the frontal structure at a high velocity and deformed substantially, since a shear force was generated by the stiff windshield frame. The acceleration of the headform was related to the rib deflections. The injury threshold of the ribcage deflection (42 mm) corresponded to the headform average acceleration of 68 G. In the minicar collision, the chest was struck with the bonnet top and cowl area at a low velocity, and the deformation was small due to the distributed contact force between the chest and the bonnet top. Besides, the ribcage deformation was too small for bridging a relation between the headform accelerations and rib deflections. In the medium car collision, the deformation mode of the chest was similar to that in the minicar collision. The chest collided with the bonnet top at a low velocity and deformed uniformly. The deflection of the ribs had an observable correlation with the headform accelerations measured in the headform impact tests. The frontal shape of a vehicle has a large influence on a pedestrian’s chest loadings, and the chest deformation depends on the size of the pedestrian and the stiffness of the vehicle. The one-box passenger vehicle causes a high chest injury risk. The headform impactor test can be utilized for the evaluation of the local stiffness of a vehicle’s frontal structure. The reduction of the headform acceleration is an effective measure for pedestrian chest protection for specific shapes of vehicles by efficacy in modifying the local structural stiffness.     

Fast Calculating Surrogate Models for Leg and Head Impact in Vehicle–Pedestrian Collision Simulations

Objective: In previous research, a tool chain to simulate vehicle–pedestrian accidents from ordinary driving state to in-crash has been developed. This tool chain allows for injury criteria-based, vehicle-specific (geometry, stiffness, active safety systems, etc.) assessments. Due to the complex nature of the included finite element analysis (FEA) models, calculation times are very high. This is a major drawback for using FEA models in large-scale effectiveness assessment studies. Therefore, fast calculating surrogate models to approximate the relevant injury criteria as a function of pedestrian vehicle collision constellations have to be developed.

Method: The development of surrogate models for head and leg injury criteria to overcome the problem of long calculation times while preserving high detail level of results for effectiveness analysis is shown in this article. These surrogate models are then used in the tool chain as time-efficient replacements for the FEA model to approximate the injury criteria values. The method consists of the following steps: Selection of suitable training data sets out of a large number of given collision constellations, detailed FEA calculations with the training data sets as input, and training of the surrogate models with the FEA model's input and output values.

Results: A separate surrogate model was created for each injury criterion, consisting of a response surface that maps the input parameters (i.e., leg impactor position and velocity) to the output value. In addition, a performance test comparing surrogate model predictions of additional collision constellations to the results of respective FEA calculations was carried out. The developed method allows for prediction of injury criteria based on impact constellation for a given vehicle. Because the surrogate models are specific to a certain vehicle, training has to be redone for a new vehicle. Still, there is a large benefit regarding calculation time when doing large-scale studies.

Conclusion: The method can be used in prospective effectiveness assessment studies of new vehicle safety features and takes into account specific local features of a vehicle (geometry, stiffness, etc.) as well as external parameters (location and velocity of pedestrian impact). Furthermore, it can be easily extended to other injury criteria or accident scenarios; for example, cyclist accidents.     

Comparison of steel,aluminum and composite bonnet in terms of pedestrian head impact

Material selection for automotive closures is influenced by different factors such as cost, weight and structural performance. Among closures, the automotive bonnet must fulfill the requirements of pedestrian safety which is evaluated by child and adult headform impactors. The mechanisms of injury are complex, therefore; the Head Injury Criterion (HIC) which shows a measure of the likelihood of head injury arising from an impact is developed. HIC includes the effects of head acceleration and the duration of the acceleration.In this paper a new finite element model has been developed which is capable to simulate head impact phenomenon between headform impactors and composite bonnet. Then the behavior of three identical bonnets made of steel, aluminum and composite have been investigated by the developed model. It is shown that the energy absorption of aluminum bonnet is smaller than steel and composite ones and for keeping the aluminum bonnet at the same level of stiffness, it is necessary to increase the thickness. Therefore, the aluminum bonnet needs a larger space between the bonnet and the parts in the engine compartment. It is shown that although the displacement of headform for composite bonnet is more than that of steel and aluminum ones, but the amount of HIC’s, which are measured at the collision points are much less than those measured at the same collision points for steel and aluminum bonnets.In addition the comparison of three bonnets of the different materials has been done to highlight cost, weight, and structural performance issues.     

Investigation on the effect of impact location height on pedestrian safety using a legform impactor dynamic model

Because of rapid increase in the urban population and hence road traffic, the vehicle–pedestrian crashes are more frequent and have become a major concern in road traffic safety. Though the bumper of a vehicle plays an important role to protect the vehicle body damage in low speed impacts, many bumpers particularly in larger vehicles are too stiff for pedestrian protection and safety. To prevent lower extremity injuries in car–pedestrian collisions, it is important to determine the loadings that car front structures impart on the lower extremities and the mechanisms by which injuries are caused. In the present work, a dynamic legform impactor model is introduced and validated against EEVC/WG17 criteria. The collision mechanism between a GMT bumper and the legform impactor model is investigated numerically using LS-DYNA software. The effect of the height of the impact point of bumper assembly to lower extremity injuries is also investigated. In this paper, it is shown that changing the local stiffness of bumper assembly due to the change in the height of the bumper and distribution of stiffness from upper parts of the bumper assembly to lower parts are the most important parameters in the pedestrian’s leg injuries. As lower extremity injuries are related to the lower bumper height, developing special legform impactors for different countries with different average person height seems essential in investigating the effect of people’s height on lower extremity injuries.     

The field performance of frontal air bags: a review of the literature

This article presents a broad review of the literature on frontal air bag field performance, starting with the initial government and industry projections of effectiveness and concluding with the most recent assessments of depowered systems. This review includes as many relevant metrics as practicable, interprets the findings, and provides references so the interested reader can further evaluate the limitations, confounders, and utility of each metric. The evaluations presented here range from the very specific (individual case studies) to the general (statistical analyses of large databases). The metrics used to evaluate air bag performance include fatality reduction or increase; serious, moderate, and minor injury reduction or increase; harm reduction or increase; and cost analyses, including insurance costs and the cost of life years saved for various air bag systems and design philosophies. The review begins with the benefits of air bags. Fatality and injury reductions attributable to the air bag are presented. Next, the negative consequences of air bag deployment are described. Injuries to adults and children and the current trends in air bag injury rates are discussed, as are the few documented instances of inadvertent deployments or non-deployment in severe crashes. In the third section, an attempt is made to quantify the influence of the many confounding factors that affect air bag performance. The negative and positive characteristics of air bags are then put into perspective within the context of societal costs and benefits. Finally, some special topics, including risk homeostasis and the performance of face bags, are discussed.     

Pedestrian head impact conditions depending on the vehicle front shape and its construction--full model simulation

For the evaluation of pedestrian protection, the European Enhanced Vehicle-Safety Committee Working Group 17 report is now commonly used. In the evaluation of head injuries, the report takes into account only the hood area of the vehicle. But recent pedestrian accident data has shown the injury source for head injury changing to the windshield and A-pillar from the hood. The head contact points are considered to fall on a parallel to the front shape of the vehicle along the lateral direction, but the rigidity of the outer side construction is different from the center area. The purpose of this study is to consider the reason for the change in injury source for recent vehicle models. The head contact points and contact conditions, speed and angle, are thought to be influenced not only by the vehicle's geometry, but also its construction (rigidity). In this study, vehicle-pedestrian impact simulations were calculated with a finite element model for several hitting positions, including the outer side areas. Full dummy sled tests were conducted to confirm the simulation results. These results show that, for impacts at the outer sides of the vehicle, the head contact points are more rearward than at the vehicle center. In addition, the speed and angle of the head contact were found to be influenced by the pedestrian height.     

An analysis of motorcycle injury and vehicle damage severity using ordered probit models

Problem: Motorcycles constitute about 19% of all motorized vehicles in Singapore and are generally overrepresented in traffic accidents, accounting for 40% of total fatalities. Method: In this paper, an ordered probit model is used to examine factors that affect the injury severity of motorcycle accidents and the severity of damage to the vehicle for those crashes. Nine years of motorcycle accident data were obtained for Singapore through police reports. These data included categorical assessments of the severity of accidents based on three levels. Damage severity to the vehicle was also assessed and categorized into four levels. Categorical data of this type are best analyzed using ordered probit models because they require no assumptions regarding the ordinality of the dependent variable, which in this case is the severity score. Various models are examined to determine what factors are related to increased injury and damage severity of motorcycle accidents. Results: Factors found to lead to increases in the probability of severe injuries include the motorcyclist having non-Singaporean nationality, increased engine capacity, headlight not turned on during daytime, collisions with pedestrians and stationary objects, driving during early morning hours, having a pillion passenger, and when the motorcyclist is determined to be at fault for the accident. Factors leading to increased probability of vehicle damage include some similar factors but also show some differences, such as less damage associated with pedestrian collisions and with female drivers. In addition, it was also found that both injury severity and vehicle damage severity levels are decreasing over time.     

Evaluation of pedestrian subsystem test method using legform and upper legform impactors for assessment of high-bumper vehicle aggressiveness

In accidents involving sports utility vehicles (SUVs), injuries to pedestrian leg, knee ligaments, and femur are likely to occur. Therefore, the European Enhanced Vehicle Safety Committee proposed two subsystem test methods for evaluation of SUV bumper aggressiveness. Such evaluation can be conducted by means of either a legform impactor (evaluation of risk of knee and tibia injury), or an upper legform impactor (evaluation of risk of thigh and pelvis injury) test. Each of these two test methods has its own injury criteria and injury acceptance levels. Therefore, the first objective of this research is to clarify any differences between the test results obtained when evaluating SUV bumper aggressiveness by means of these two impactors. The second objective is to determine whether or not a legform impactor can be applied to estimate the risk of femur fracture, and if an upper legform impactor can be used to estimate the risk of knee ligament injury. The present results indicate the test method using an upper legform impactor yields higher ratios of injury criteria to the relevant EEVC/WG17 injury acceptance levels than by using a legform impactor. Thus, the upper legform impactor test rates an SUV bumper as more aggressive than the legform impactor test. The present study suggests the lower leg acceleration obtained by the legform impactor can be used to adequately assess the risk of femur fracture, when evaluating the aggressiveness of an SUV bumper using proposed injury acceptance levels reported in the literature. Similarly, the impact force obtained by the upper legform impactor can be used to assess the risk of cruciate ligament injury.     

Effects of Vehicle Impact Velocity and Front-End Structure on Dynamic Responses of Child Pedestrians

To investigate the effects of vehicle impact velocity and front-end structure on the dynamic responses of child pedestrians, an extensive parametric study was carried out using two child mathematical models at 6 and 15 years old. The effect of the vehicle impact velocity was studied at 30, 40, and 50 km/h in terms of the head linear velocity, impact angle, and head angular velocity as well as various injury parameters concerning the head, chest, pelvis, and lower extremities. The variation of vehicle front-end shape was determined according to the shape corridors of modern vehicles, while the stiffness characteristics of the bumper, hood edge, and hood were varied within stiffness corridors obtained from dynamic component tests. The simulation results show that the vehicle impact speed is of great importance on the kinematics and resulting injury severity of child pedestrians. A significant reduction in all injury parameters can be achieved as the vehicle impact speed decreases to 30 km/h. The head and lower extremities of children are at higher injury risks than other body regions. Older children are exposed to higher injury risks to the head and lower leg, whereas younger ones sustain more severe impact loads to the pelvis and upper leg. The results from factorial analysis indicate that the hood-edge height has a significant effect on the kinematics and head impact responses of children. A higher hood edge could reduce the severity of head impact for younger children, but aggravate the risks of head injury for older ones. A significant interaction exists between the bumper height and the hood-edge height on the head impact responses of younger child. Nevertheless, improving the energy absorption performance of the hood seems effective for mitigating the severity of head injuries for children.