Development of Sub System Sled-Based Lateral Pole Impact Test

Gustavo Maturana･Alba Marquez･Jordi Vinas･Genis Mensa･Carles Vidal･Victor Garcia (Applus+ Idiada)

During the vehicle development, the full-scale testing is one of the most timing and resources consuming part of the process. A solution has been proposed where full-scale Lateral Pole tests can be simplified to subsystem sled tests, requiring less resources in terms of BiW while allowing to reproduce impact tests conditions, where vehicle deceleration and intrusion are applied in a controlled way to reproduce crash kinematics. This paper explores the development of this sub-system setup, which can be applied afterwards for restraint system development. It presents CAE activities, component characterisation tests, sub-system validation and methodology definition involved in the process.

A Comprehensive Approach to Hydrogen Vehicle Crash Testing Challenges

Victor Garcia Santamaria･Miguel Angel Gallego Ruiz･Genis Mensa Vendrell･Carles Vidal Aguado (Applus+ IDIADA)

Crash testing of hydrogen-powered vehicles presents unique challenges compared to its other clean alternatives such as electric vehicles. Main challenges in security and quality involve preventing and containing leaks, managing hydrogen's high flammability and flame invisibility. Crash safety regulations also present its own challenges, since it is required to be able to test at nominal tank pressure with hydrogen to fulfill them. This paper goes through all the challenges mentioned and how an experienced crash test laboratory faces them by developing new methodologies, procedures, protocols, and tools, and using possible alternative gases to prepare and test those vehicles.

Raising the bar for heavy quadricycles safety in urban mobility
-Structure and occupant protection assessment of a L7-e vehicle through Euro NCAP tailored crash test protocols-

Carles Vidal Aguado･Jordi Salvat Pamies･Emilia Romero Tienda･Genis Mensa Vendrell･Victor Garcia Santamaria (Applus+ IDIADA)

Euro NCAP 2014-2016 testing campaign results for heavy quadricycles revealed safety concerns. The EU-funded REFLECTIVE project aimed to enhance the safety perspective for this category vehicles by developing a safe, compact, zero-emission L7-electric vehicle for urban use and last-mile deliveries. This paper evaluates the vehicle's passive safety through various crash tests: subsystem test, frontal crash, frontal sled, and lateral crash. By implementing adequate restraint systems, validating deformation and occupant interaction through simulations, and employing appropriate design, the REFLECTIVE vehicle was successful in raising safety standards for heavy quadricycles after applying the Euro NCAP testing protocols for this type of vehicles.

Evaluation of ATD and Human Body Model Responses in Rear Impact Scenarios

Simona Roka･Pablo Lozano (IDIADA Spain)･XuFeng Li (IDIADA China)･Sergio Crespo (IDIADA Spain)

This study compares the BioRID II anthropomorphic test device and THUMS version 6.1 human body model in Euro NCAP Whiplash assessment conditions, addressing the critical issue of rear-impact collisions which represent 27.8% of passenger vehicle crashes. Using an open-source environment with VIRTUAL project components, the research analyzed head, T1, and pelvis excursions, along with moments, forces, and accelerations at key anatomical landmarks. Results revealed significant differences between ATD and HBM responses, while seat adjustments improved BioRID II's T1 acceleration. Biofidelity assessment showed favorable correlation at the cervical vertebrae level, validating both tools for whiplash injury evaluation.

A Study of Lower Extremity Injuries of Seat Position in Frontal Collisions.

TOSHIMITSU NEGISHI･YUUTA KASUYA･SHOGO NAGANO･SHIGEKI HAYASHI･HIROAKI IMAI･YUUJI NAKANE (Toyota Motor)

The introduction of diverse evaluation conditions (crash speed, dummy type, seating position) is under discussion by various new car assessment programs. This study aims to investigate lower extremity injuries of passenger occupant at fully rearward seat position in frontal collisions. The increase of lower extremity movement caused the ankle to lock and the increase of moment at the ankle joint. The range of ankle joint motion for plantarflexion in the dummy differs from human body. The result indicated that the necessity of more research for lower extremity injuries in various seat position and biofidelity.

Investigation of the Effects of Muscle Activation in Pedestrian Crashes Using THUMS

Takuma Miyazaki･Yojiro Iizuka･Yoshiki Takahira･Hiroshi Miyazaki･Shigeki Hayashi･Hiroaki Imai･Yuji Nakane (Toyota Motor)

The number of pedestrian fatalities accounts for 36% of traffic accident deaths in Japan, indicating a high proportion. To reduce pedestrian injuries and fatalities,understanding the mechanisms of injuries is still important theme. This study investigates the effect of pre-crash pedestrian postures on behavior during crashes using the human body FE model THUMS. Previous research proposed a model modification to match the rotational range of the trunk of THUMS with that of humans during muscle activation. Different behaviors were observed depending on the presence of muscle activation.