A Simulation Study on the Efficacy of Advanced Belt Restraints to Mitigate the Effects of Obesity for Rear-Seat Occupant Protection in Frontal Crashes

Objective: Recent field data analyses have shown that the safety advantages of rear seats relative to the front seats have decreased in newer vehicles. Separately, the risks of certain injuries have been found to be higher for obese occupants. The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of advanced belt features on the protection of rear-seat occupants with a range of body mass index (BMI) in frontal crashes.

Methods: Whole-body finite element human models with 4 BMI levels (25, 30, 35, and 40 kg/m²) developed previously were used in this study. A total of 52 frontal crash simulations were conducted, including 4 simulations with a standard rear-seat, 3-point belt and 48 simulations with advanced belt features. The parameters varied in the simulations included BMI, load limit, anchor pretensioner, and lap belt routing relative to the pelvis. The injury measurements analyzed in this study included head and hip excursions, normalized chest deflection, and torso angle (defined as the angle between the hip–shoulder line and the vertical direction). Analyses of covariance were used to test the significance (P <.05) of the results.

Results: Higher BMI was associated with greater head and hip excursions and larger normalized chest deflection. Higher belt routing increased the hip excursion and torso angle, which indicates a higher submarining risk, whereas the anchor pretensioner reduced hip excursion and torso angle. Lower load limits decreased the normalized chest deflection but increased the head excursion. Normalized chest deflection had a positive correlation with maximum torso angle. Occupants with higher BMI have to use higher load limits to reach head excursions similar to those in lower BMI occupants.

Discussion and Conclusion: The simulation results suggest that optimizing load limiter and adding pretensioner(s) can reduce injury risks associated with obesity, but conflicting effects on head and chest injuries were observed. This study demonstrated the feasibility and importance of using human models to investigate protection for occupants with various BMI levels. A seat belt system capable of adapting to occupant size and body shape will improve protection for obese occupants in rear seats.     

大客车正面碰撞乘客约束系统仿真分析

为探究约束系统在全承载客车正面碰撞事故中对乘客损伤的影响,利用有限元分析软件LS_DYNA建立某大客车正面碰撞仿真模型,并开展整车50 km/h 正面100%重叠碰撞固定刚性壁障试验;从车身变形、加速度曲线和乘员损伤等3方面验证仿真模型;基于已验证的仿真模型,开展不同座椅间距、车厢位置及安全带类型的乘员运动响应和损伤等综合分析与评价。研究结果表明:不同位置车身加速度波形整体趋势相似,但具体峰值和出现时刻存在差异;增大座椅间距和主动预紧安全带能够有效降低降低头部损伤值,而颈部损伤则随之增大;乘客胸部损伤值和大腿力受主动预紧安全带、座椅间距和车厢位置影响不大。     

Some determinants of possible injuries in crashes at signalized intersections

INTRODUCTION: This paper identifies some determinants of possible injuries from crashes that occur at signalized intersections using a conditional probability model. METHOD: It uses longitudinal data for one city and calculates the marginal effects of these determinants. RESULTS: Among its findings, an airbag deploying in a crash reduces the conditional probability of sustaining possible injury. The size of this decrease is similar for the front airbag or both side airbags deploying. When crashes occur because a driver suddenly falls ill, or because a driver has an existing medical condition that flares up, the results show that the conditional probability of sustaining possible injury increases by 0.1414 and 0.1217, respectively. In comparison the conditional probability of sustaining possible injury increases by 0.0706 when the crash is because of impairment from drugs or alcohol. Additionally, the probability of sustaining possible injury in the event of a crash is 0.0435 and 0.0459 higher in passenger cars and vans respectively than in other vehicles. CONCLUSIONS: Comparing these results to those in the traffic safety literature, the marginal effects from national data are similar to those from local level data.     

航空器内人员应急疏散仿真模型研究

详细分析了航空器内人员应急疏散模型中人的行为和运动过程、事故场景的危险性对人的行为影响、机组和舱内设施对人员疏散的影响等方面的特点,并全面讨论了这些模型的仿真与事故场景和全尺寸实验的验证对比结果.提出了航空器内人员应急疏散模型应该包括航空器几何模型、人员特征模型、人员行为模型、火灾模型和人员运动模型等5个子模型,以及备子模型的研究内容.同时,提出了人的行为描述和人的运动过程的计算机实现方法是影响紧急状况下人员疏散模型准确性的两个关键问题.研究结果表明:模型仿真在航空器的辅助设计、乘客的疏散优化和机组的应急程序开发等方面有应用价值,但模型的有效性验证困难限制了其更进一步的应用.     

正面碰撞事故中大客车乘员损伤影响因素分析

为研究乘客在大客车正面碰撞事故中的损伤机理,建立某全承载大客车有限元模型,并通过试验验证有限元模型的仿真精度。基于验证模型对不同碰撞速度条件下大客车车身结构力学响应、生存空间、座椅固定件强度、乘员运动响应和损伤等进行综合分析及评价。结果表明:高速碰撞条件下,驾驶员生存空间容易被侵入,座椅固定件强度存在失效的风险;乘员头部、颈部和胸部的损伤值受碰撞速度、安全带类型和乘员位置影响较大;三点式安全带保护效果明显优于两点式安全带。     

Severity of motorcycle crashes in Dar es Salaam,Tanzania

Objective: Motorcycles are a common mode of transportation in low- and middle-income countries. Tanzania, in particular, has experienced an increased use of motorcycles in the last decade. In Dar es Salaam, motorcycles provide door-to-door travel and often operate where more conventional services are uneconomical or physically impossible to maneuver. Although motorcycles play a crucial role in improving mobility in the city, they have several safety issues. This study focuses on identifying factors influencing the severity of motorcycle crashes.

Method: A multinomial logit analysis was conducted to identify factors influencing the severity of motorcycle crashes in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The severity categories were fatal, severe injury, minor injury, and property damage only (PDO). The analysis was based on a total of 784 motorcycle crashes that occurred from 2013 to 2016.

Results: The following factors were found to increase the probability of a fatality: Speeding, driving under the influence, head-on impact, presence of horizontal curves, reckless riding, off-peak hours, violations, and riding without a helmet. The results indicate that crashes occurring on weekdays, during peak hours, at intersections, involving a rear-end impact, in daylight, on street roads, and under clear weather conditions decrease the probability of a fatality. However, minor injury and PDO crashes were found to be associated with crashes occurring during peak hours, at intersections, and on street roads, as well as failure to yield right-of-way.

Conclusions: Several countermeasures are recommended based on the study findings. The recommended countermeasures focus on the holistic safety improvement strategies constituting the three Es of highway safety, namely, engineering, education, and enforcement.     

A Multi-body Integrated Vehicle-Occupant Model for Compatibility Studies in Frontal Crashes

Vehicle acceleration and passenger compartment intrusion primarily determine car occupant injury risk. A new integrated vehicle-occupant model was developed and validated to predict these vehicle responses in offset, concentrated or full-width impact with various objects. The multi-body mathematical model consisted of a compartment, dash-panel and toepan-area and a front structure. The front structure was subdivided in 12 segments and a power-train, which were connected to the firewall by kinematic joints. The joints used local stiffness obtained from load-cell barrier crash-tests, and enabled local deformation of the vehicle front Similarly, the dash-panel and toepan were connected to the compartment, which enabled local intrusion into the compartment. A vehicle interior was modeled to enable contact-interactions with occupants, and the firewall geometry was included for interactions with the power-train.

The vehicle-model was validated with full frontal and 50% offset data and predicted vehicle acceleration, crush profile and local intrusion well. The validity of the model indicates its applicability in a wide range of frontal (non-distributed) collisions. Due to the use of local stiffness data, the model can greatly improve accident reconstruction research especially in frontal offset and pole impacts at both high and low speeds. The vehicle-model can be easily adjusted by changing vehicle-mass, size, or local stiffnesses of the front structure, and is a useful tool in compatibility research to estimate trends in car crash compatibility.     

汽车正面碰撞中驾驶人坐姿对其损伤影响研究

为研究汽车正面碰撞时驾驶人坐姿对其损伤的影响,根据实车碰撞试验数据,建立车辆驾驶舱-驾驶人-约束系统的MADYMO仿真模型,并予以验证。利用仿真模型开展车速为56 km/h的100%正面碰撞试验,将假人定位并调整其参数,分析驾驶人碰撞前的8种典型姿态对其碰撞后损伤风险的影响,并对比头部损伤值(HIC)、胸部连续3 ms损伤值、胸部压缩量以及颈部、腿部的受力情况。结果表明,碰撞时驾驶人的坐姿对身体各个区域的损伤风险有较大影响;驾驶人碰撞时的纵向位置对其损伤风险影响最显著。     

Driver Injury Risk Variability in Finite Element Reconstructions of Crash Injury Research and Engineering Network (CIREN) Frontal Motor Vehicle Crashes

Objective: A 3-phase real-world motor vehicle crash (MVC) reconstruction method was developed to analyze injury variability as a function of precrash occupant position for 2 full-frontal Crash Injury Research and Engineering Network (CIREN) cases.

Method: Phase I: A finite element (FE) simplified vehicle model (SVM) was developed and tuned to mimic the frontal crash characteristics of the CIREN case vehicle (Camry or Cobalt) using frontal New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) crash test data. Phase II: The Toyota HUman Model for Safety (THUMS) v4.01 was positioned in 120 precrash configurations per case within the SVM. Five occupant positioning variables were varied using a Latin hypercube design of experiments: seat track position, seat back angle, D-ring height, steering column angle, and steering column telescoping position. An additional baseline simulation was performed that aimed to match the precrash occupant position documented in CIREN for each case. Phase III: FE simulations were then performed using kinematic boundary conditions from each vehicle's event data recorder (EDR). HIC15, combined thoracic index (CTI), femur forces, and strain-based injury metrics in the lung and lumbar vertebrae were evaluated to predict injury.

Results: Tuning the SVM to specific vehicle models resulted in close matches between simulated and test injury metric data, allowing the tuned SVM to be used in each case reconstruction with EDR-derived boundary conditions. Simulations with the most rearward seats and reclined seat backs had the greatest HIC15, head injury risk, CTI, and chest injury risk. Calculated injury risks for the head, chest, and femur closely correlated to the CIREN occupant injury patterns. CTI in the Camry case yielded a 54% probability of Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) 2+ chest injury in the baseline case simulation and ranged from 34 to 88% (mean = 61%) risk in the least and most dangerous occupant positions. The greater than 50% probability was consistent with the case occupant's AIS 2 hemomediastinum. Stress-based metrics were used to predict injury to the lower leg of the Camry case occupant. The regional-level injury metrics evaluated for the Cobalt case occupant indicated a low risk of injury; however, strain-based injury metrics better predicted pulmonary contusion. Approximately 49% of the Cobalt occupant's left lung was contused, though the baseline simulation predicted 40.5% of the lung to be injured.

Conclusions: A method to compute injury metrics and risks as functions of precrash occupant position was developed and applied to 2 CIREN MVC FE reconstructions. The reconstruction process allows for quantification of the sensitivity and uncertainty of the injury risk predictions based on occupant position to further understand important factors that lead to more severe MVC injuries.     

Using latent class clustering and binary logistic regression to model Australian cyclist injury severity in motor vehicle–bicycle crashes

Introduction: In recent years, Australia is seeing an increase in the total number of cyclists. However, the rise of serious injuries and fatalities to cyclists has been a major concern. Understanding the factors affecting the fatalities and injuries of bicyclists in crashes with motor vehicles is important to develop effective policy measures aimed at improving the safety of bicyclists. This study aims to identify the factors affecting motor vehicle-bicycle (MVB) crashes in Victoria, Australia and introducing effective countermeasures for the identified risk factors. Method: A data set of 14,759 MVB crash records from Victoria, Australia between 2006 and 2019 was analyzed using the binary logit model and latent class clustering. Results: It was observed that the factors that increase the risk of fatalities and serious injuries of bicyclists (FSI) in all clusters are: elderly bicyclist, not using a helmet, and darkness condition. Likewise, in areas with no traffic control, clear weather, and dry surface condition (cluster 1), high speed limits increase the risk of FSI, but the occurrence of MVB crashes in cross intersection and T-intersection has been significantly associated with a reduction in the risk of FSI. In areas with traffic control and unfavorable weather conditions (cluster 2), wet road surface increases the risk of FSI, but the areas with give way sign and pedestrian crossing signs reduce the risk of FSI. Practical Applications: Recommendations to reduce the risk of fatalities or serious injury to bicyclists are: improvement of road lighting and more exposure of bicyclists using reflective clothing and reflectors, separation of the bicycle and vehicle path in mid blocks especially in high-speed areas, using a more stable bicycle for the older people, monitoring helmet use, improving autonomous emergency braking, and using bicyclist detection technology for vehicles.     

A Methodology for Assessing Blast Protection in Explosive Ordnance Disposal Bomb Suits

To reduce human casualties associated with explosive ordnance disposal, a wide range of protective wear has been designed to shield against the blast effects of improvised explosive devices and munitions. In this study, 4 commercially available bomb suits, representing a range of materials and armor masses, were evaluated against 0.227 and 0.567 kg of spherical C-4 explosives to determine the level of protection offered to the head, neck, and thorax.

A Hybrid III dummy, an instrumented human surrogate [1], was tested with and without protection from the 4 commercially available bomb suits. 20 tests with the dummy torso mounted to simulate a kneeling position were performed to confirm repeatability and robustness of the dummies, as well as to evaluate the 4 suits. Correlations between injury risk assessments based on past human or animal injury model data and various parameters such as bomb suit mass, projected area, and dummy coverage area were drawn.     

Integrated model of simulated occupant injury risk and real medical costs

Introduction

The purpose of this study was to develop an integrated methodology that links occupant injury risk functions, estimated in the laboratory, with real world medical treatment costs by using the abbreviated injury score (AIS). Using our model, the expected medical treatment costs for crash injuries to various body regions and of different severities can be investigated.

Methods

First, the simulation results are compared with NHTSA crash data. We used a modified kinematics simulation model that incorporates an F = E^b function as a supplement to the previous Steffan's model to obtain a more accurate acceleration history a(t). Second, head injury criteria HIC₃₆ can be calculated from a(t), and we use the injury probability P as a function of HIC_36, as proposed by Kuppa, to obtain the injury risk function for various AIS values. Third, medical treatment cost models for various AIS values can be calculated by using a regression cost model with real world data. Finally, the injury risk function and medical treatment cost models are linked through AIS values. We establish an integrated methodology and predict medical costs and car safety data using real world police reports, medical treatment costs, and laboratory simulation results.

Results

Using head injuries in frontal crashes as an example, we focus on simulation parameters for different vehicle models, with and without airbags. We specifically examine impact closing speed, Delta-V, and impact directions.

Conclusion

Simulation results can be used to supplement insufficient real crash data, in particular ΔV, and injury risk results from police crash reports.

Impact on industry

The proposed integrated methodology may provide the vehicle industry with a new safety assessment method. Real crash data coupling provides consumers with more realistic and applicable information.     

重气泄漏扩散事故后果评估系统研究

分析重气扩散过程和影响因素,对目前主要应用的唯象模型、箱及相似模型、三维流体力学模型、浅层模型等4类模型进行比较分析并介绍基于浅层模型发展而来的SLAB模型.根据重气浓度划分致死区、重伤区、轻伤区和吸入反应区等4个等级的事故后.果评估区域.以Visual Basic和Fortran为开发工具,通过TECPLOT进行图形可视化输出,建立基于SLAB模型的重气泄漏扩散事故后果评估系统和重气理化参数信息库.该系统通过重气理化参数和重气泄漏的初始状态和气象条件,以可视化方式直观表现不同等级的事故后果评估区域.