Reducing primary and secondary impact loads on the pelvis during side impact

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Automotive Safety Engineering
• Injury Prevention

Background:

• Pelvic fractures are a significant concern in side impact collisions.
• Understanding vehicle factors contributing to these injuries is crucial for safety improvements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify specific vehicle characteristics associated with pelvic injuries in side impact crashes.
• To inform the design of safer vehicle structures to mitigate occupant injuries.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 113 side impact crashes from the Crash Injury Research and Engineering Network (CIREN) database.
• Utilized multibody MADYMO modeling to simulate crash dynamics and assess injury mechanisms.

Main Results:

• Occupants with pelvic fractures experienced greater door intrusion and were more likely to have a center console.
• The presence and stiffness of the center console significantly influenced pelvic acceleration patterns.
• Lateral seat movement reduced peak pelvic accelerations, mitigating injury risk.

Conclusions:

• Modifying center console stiffness and enabling lateral seat translation are promising strategies for reducing pelvic injuries.
• Vehicle design modifications can directly address biomechanical factors leading to pelvic trauma in side impacts.