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Development of A Generic Nearside Impact Test Fixture for Evaluating In-Vehicle Crashworthiness of Wheelchairs
Kyle Boyle1, Jingwen Hu1, Miriam Manary1
1University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute.
Stapp Car Crash Journal
|July 3, 2025
Summary
New sled test procedures simulate side impact crashes for wheelchairs, enhancing safety for occupants. This research addresses a gap in current voluntary standards, which only cover frontal and rear impacts.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanical Engineering
- Automotive Safety
- Rehabilitation Engineering
Background:
- Current voluntary standards for wheelchair crashworthiness lack side impact testing.
- Occupant safety in side impact collisions is not equitably addressed for wheelchair users.
- Vehicle intrusion during side impacts poses a significant risk to wheelchair occupants.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a sled test procedure simulating nearside impact loading for wheelchairs.
- To establish a relevant crash pulse based on real-world side impact data.
- To provide a method for evaluating wheelchair integrity under side impact conditions.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of public side impact crash data to define a crash pulse.
- Finite element modeling to approximate wheelchair loading during vehicle intrusion.
- Conducting validation sled tests with commercial wheelchairs and a surrogate fixture.
Main Results:
- A sled test procedure simulating nearside impact was successfully developed.
- The procedure accounts for vehicle intrusion and uses a relevant crash pulse.
- Validation tests demonstrated the procedure's applicability to various wheelchair types.
Conclusions:
- The developed sled test procedure and fixture can assess wheelchair integrity under side impact.
- This advancement aims to provide an equitable level of safety for wheelchair users in side impact crashes.
- The procedure ensures consistent loading for different wheelchair dimensions.
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