Frontal-Crash Occupant Protection in the Rear Seat: Submarining and
Abdomen/Pelvis Response in Midsized Male Surrogates 2023-22-0005
Frontal-crash sled tests were conducted to assess submarining protection and
abdominal injury risk for midsized male occupants in the rear seat of modern
vehicles. Twelve sled tests were conducted in four rear-seat vehicle-bucks with
twelve post-mortem human surrogates (PMHS). Select kinematic responses and
submarining incidence were compared to previously observed performance of the
Hybrid III 50th-percentile male and THOR-50M ATDs (Anthropomorphic Test Devices)
in matched sled tests conducted as part of a previous study. Abdominal pressure
was measured in the PMHS near each ASIS (Anterior Superior Iliac Spine), in the
inferior vena cava, and in the abdominal aorta. Damage to the abdomen, pelvis,
and lumbar spine of the PMHS was also identified. In total, five PMHS underwent
submarining. Four PMHS, none of which submarined, sustained pelvis fractures and
represented the heaviest of the PMHS tested. Submarining of the PMHS occurred in
two out of four vehicles. In the matched tests, the Hybrid III never underwent
submarining while the THOR-50M submarined in three out of four vehicles.
Submarining occurred in vehicles having both conventional and advanced
(pretensioner and load limiter) restraints. The dominant factors associated with
submarining were related to seat pan geometry. While the THOR-50M was not always
an accurate tool for predicting submarining in the PMHS, the Hybrid III could
not predict submarining at all. The results of this study identify substantive
gaps in frontal-crash occupant protection in the rear seat for midsized males
and elucidates the need for additional research for rear-seat occupant
protection for all occupants.
Citation: Guettler, A., Bianco, S., Albert, D., Boyle, D. et al., "Frontal-Crash Occupant Protection in the Rear Seat: Submarining and Abdomen/Pelvis Response in Midsized Male Surrogates," Stapp Car Crash Journal 67(1):112-170, 2024. Download Citation
Author(s):
Allison J. Guettler, Samuel T. Bianco, Devon L. Albert, David M. Boyle, Andrew R. Kemper, Warren N. Hardy
Affiliated:
Virginia Tech, Center for Injury Biomechanics
Pages: 59
Event:
67th Stapp Car Crash Conference
ISSN:
1532-8546
e-ISSN:
2993-1940
Also in:
Stapp Car Crash Journal-STAPP2023-EJ
Related Topics:
Anthropomorphic test devices
Impact tests
Occupant protection
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