A SYSTEM FOR SIMULATING STRUCTURAL INTRUSION IN AUTOMOBILE FULL-FRONTAL AND FRONTAL-OFFSET CRASHES IN THE LABORATORY SLED TEST ENVIRONMENT

A sled system capable of producing structural intrusion in the footwel l region of an automobile has been developed. The system couples the h ydraulic decelerator of the sled to actuator pistons attached to the t oepan and floorpan structure of the buck. Characterization of the foot well intrusion event is based on developing a toepan pulse analogous t o the acceleration pulse used to characterize sled and vehicle deceler ations. Sled tests with the system indicate that it is capable of accu rately and repeatably simulating toepan/floorpan intrusion into the oc cupant footwell. Test results, including a comparison of lower extremi ty response between intrusion sled tests and no intrusion sled tests, indicate that this system is capable of repeatable, controlled structu ral intrusion during a sled test impact. Test results also suggest tha t lower extremity forcing during footwell intrusion is significantly l arger than such forcing with no intrusion, and that response and risk of injury for occupants in frontal or frontal-offset crashes are more severe.