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Factors that influence chest injuries in rollovers
Kennerly Digges1, Ana Eigen, Fadi Tahan
1a National Crash Analysis Center , The George Washington University , Washington , D.C.
Traffic Injury Prevention
|October 14, 2014
Summary
Rollover crashes cause serious chest injuries in belted drivers due to vehicle pitch and occupant interactions. A dynamic test with at least 4 quarter-turns and initial pitch/yaw is recommended for developing effective countermeasures.
Area of Science:
- Automotive safety engineering
- Biomechanics
- Crashworthiness
Background:
- Serious chest injuries in belted occupants during rollover crashes remain a significant safety concern.
- Understanding rollover dynamics and occupant kinematics is crucial for developing effective injury mitigation strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To define rollover environments and occupant-vehicle interactions causing chest injuries in belted drivers.
- To inform the design of effective countermeasures and test conditions for rollover crashes.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of National Automotive Sampling System - Crashworthiness Data System (NASS-CDS) data for rollover crashes with serious chest injuries.
- Examination of vehicle rollover tests with dummies and computer simulations using finite element models (FEM) of vehicle and human (Hybrid III and THUMS) models.
Main Results:
- Increased vehicle pitch (positive or negative) in rollovers up to 6 quarter-turns correlated with higher dummy chest loadings.
- Far-side occupant chest loading was exacerbated by belt/side interactions and center console contact.
- The THUMS human model provided more realistic kinematics and detailed insights into chest loading compared to the Hybrid III dummy.
Conclusions:
- Dynamic rollover tests should involve at least 4 quarter-turns to effectively evaluate chest injury reduction countermeasures.
- Incorporating initial vehicle pitch and/or yaw in test protocols is essential to simulate realistic rollover scenarios and improve countermeasure effectiveness.
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