Abdominal response to high-speed seatbelt loading

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Occupant Safety
• Injury Biomechanics

Background:

• Seatbelt pretension enhances occupant restraint during frontal impacts.
• Out-of-position lap belt loading on the abdomen can cause injuries.
• Understanding abdomen response is crucial for evaluating seatbelt pretensioner safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess injury risk from high-speed lap belt loading on the abdomen during seatbelt pretension.
• To characterize human and dummy abdomen responses to dynamic loading.
• To provide data for improving occupant injury risk evaluation in vehicle safety systems.

Main Methods:

• Six human cadavers were subjected to lap belt loading at velocities from 11 m/s to 23 m/s.
• Belt forces, kinematics, and injury outcomes were measured; autopsies were performed.
• Tests were replicated on a THOR dummy to compare responses.

Main Results:

• Load-penetration characteristics and injury data were obtained and compared to existing literature.
• A spring-damper model for the abdomen was developed with stiffness of 12.9 kN/m and damping of 765 Ns/m.
• The THOR dummy exhibited excessively high static stiffness and four times lower viscous response compared to cadavers.

Conclusions:

• Cadaver data provides essential insights into abdomen response to dynamic seatbelt loading.
• The developed model aids in evaluating dummy performance for seatbelt pretensioner testing.
• Discrepancies in the THOR dummy's biomechanical response highlight areas for improvement in occupant simulation.