Evaluation of adaptive belt restraint systems for the protection of elderly occupants in frontal impacts

Paper in proceeding, 2018

© CURRAN-CONFERENCE. All rights reserved. The effect of belt configuration, load limiting and pretensioning on the protection of elderly occupants was evaluated using the THOR ATD and the human body model THUMS TUC in frontal impacts at 35 km/h and 56 km/h. In total, 18 sled tests were carried out in a generic buck, which comprised of a seat-belt, a rigid seat and a generic driver airbag. The multipoint injury criteria Rmax and PCA score were derived from THOR IR-TRACC deflections and used to assess the thoracic injury risk for elderly occupants. For a 65-year-old occupant in 35 km/h, a reduction in Rmax-based AIS3+ chest injury risk from 62% to 2% was obtained for the criss-cross belt compared to a 4 kN load limited belt, and a reduction to 14% for a two-retractor belt and to 17% for a split-buckle belt. In 56 km/h, reduction in AIS3+ chest injury risk from 96% to 23%, 76% and 43% was obtained for the corresponding belt systems. Similar reductions in chest injury risk were obtained for the PCA measure. For the THUMS model, risk of fractured ribs reduced from 74% to 0% for the criss-cross system compared to a 4 kN load limited belt in 35 km/h.