A Component Test Methodology for Simulation of Full-Vehicle Side Impact Dummy Abdomen Responses for Door Trim Evaluation 2011-01-1097

Described in this paper is a component test methodology to evaluate the door trim armrest performance in an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) side impact test and to predict the SID-IIs abdomen injury metrics (rib deflection, deflection rate and V*C). The test methodology consisted of a sub-assembly of two SID-IIs abdomen ribs with spine box, mounted on a linear bearing and allowed to translate in the direction of impact. The spine box with the assembly of two abdominal ribs was rigidly attached to the sliding test fixture, and is stationary at the start of the test. The door trim armrest was mounted on the impactor, which was prescribed the door velocity profile obtained from full-vehicle test. The location and orientation of the armrest relative to the dummy abdomen ribs was maintained the same as in the full-vehicle test. An aluminum honeycomb of a pre-determined crush strength and cross-sectional area attached to the base of the assembly of two abdominal ribs was used to simulate the lumbar shear force, to capture the effect of lower torso loading on the upper torso. The test methodology was developed and validated to a full-vehicle test and the sensitivity of the methodology to different armrest designs was also evaluated. The results show good correlation to full-vehicle test, thus indicating that this component test methodology has good potential to evaluate different armrest design alternatives across various vehicle programs.