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Published on: September 21, 2017
Methods to mitigate injury to toddlers in near-side impact crashes
Tanya Kapoor1, William Altenhof, Andrew Howard
1Department of Mechanical, Automotive and Materials Engineering, University of Windsor, 410 Sunset Avenue, Windsor, Ontario, Canada N9B 3P4.
Insights
This study investigated child safety seat injury risks in near-side impacts. Rigid ISOFIX systems and energy-absorbing foam significantly reduced head displacement and potential injuries for children in forward-facing car seats.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanical Engineering
- Automotive Safety
- Pediatric Injury Prevention
Background:
- Children in forward-facing child safety seats are vulnerable in near-side impacts.
- Existing research needs to address specific injury potentials in these scenarios.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the injury potential of children in forward-facing child safety seats during near-side impacts.
- To assess the effectiveness of different ISOFIX configurations and energy-absorbing materials in mitigating injuries.
Main Methods:
- Conducted dynamic sled tests using Hybrid III 3-year-old child dummies in forward-facing seats.
- Developed and validated a finite element model of a child restraint system (CRS) using LS-DYNA.
- Performed numerical simulations with Hybrid III and Q3s child dummies, varying ISOFIX types and incorporating energy-absorbing foam.
Main Results:
- Validated numerical models showed good agreement with experimental sled test data.
- Rigid ISOFIX systems reduced child restraint system lateral displacement and injury parameters.
- Energy-absorbing foam further decreased dummy head lateral displacement, with significant reductions observed (up to 68 mm for Hybrid III).
Conclusions:
- Rigid ISOFIX systems and energy-absorbing foam are effective in reducing head excursion and injury risk for children in forward-facing seats during near-side impacts.
- Optimized CRS design with these features can enhance child safety in side-impact collisions.
Abstract:
This research focuses on the injury potential of children seated in forward-facing child safety seats during side impact crashes in a near-side seated position. Side impact dynamic sled tests were conducted by NHTSA at Transportation Research Center Inc. (TRC) using a Hybrid III 3-year-old child dummy seated in a convertible forward/rearward child safety seat. The seat was equipped with a LATCH and a top tether and the dummy was positioned in forward-facing/near-side configuration. The test was completed using an acceleration pulse with a closing speed of 24.1 km/h, in the presence of a rigid wall and absence of a vehicle body. A fully deformable finite element model of a child restraint seat, for side impact crash investigations, has been developed which has also been previously validated for frontal and far side impacts. A numerical model utilizing a Hybrid III 3-year-old dummy, employing a similar set-up as the experimental sled test was generated and simulated using LS DYNA. The numerical model was validated by comparing the head and the chest accelerations, resultant upper and lower neck forces and moments from the experimental and numerical tests. The simulation results were observed to be in good agreement to the experimental observations. A numerical model of the near-side laboratory tests, utilizing a Q3s child dummy, was also created for parametric studies regarding different ISOFIX configurations. Further, numerical simulations were completed for both the dummy models with rectangular and cross-shaped sections of rigid ISOFIX systems. In addition, studies were conducted to confine lateral movement of the dummy's head by adding energy absorbing foam on the side wings in the vicinity of the contact region of the CRS. It was observed that the use of rigid ISOFIX system reduced the lateral displacement of the CRS and different injury parameters. Addition of energy absorbing foam blocks was effective in further reducing the lateral displacement of the dummy's head. The lateral displacement of the head was reduced by 68 mm by using cross-shaped section ISOFIX with energy absorbing foam near the vicinity of the head of the Hybrid III 3-year-old dummy compared to the flexible LATCH configuration without foam. For the Q3s dummy, the lateral displacement of the head was reduced by 48 mm by utilizing a cross-shaped section rigid ISOFIX system with the addition of energy absorbing foam compared to the flexible LATCH configuration.
