Journal of Accident Investigation
Journal of Accident Investigation
Journal of Accident Investigation
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
KRISTIN M. POLAND, LINDA McCRAY, AND AIDA BARSAN-ANELLI<br />
Table 2. Frontal crash test results.<br />
Dummy Nij HIC Chest G<br />
#1 (50th M) 0.91 244 26.0<br />
#2 (6 yo) 1.57 93 30.8<br />
#3 (6 yo) 1.06 251 30.9<br />
#4 (5th F) 1.15 105 No Data<br />
#5 (5th F) 1.38 330 22.6<br />
#6 (50th M) 0.84 150 22.3<br />
which represented the onset <strong>of</strong> serious injuries. The FMVSS<br />
No. 208 head injury criterion (HIC) based on a 1 -millisecond<br />
(msec) duration, was 700 for the 0th percentile adult male, th<br />
percentile adult female, and 6-year-old dummies. The FMVSS<br />
No. 208 pass/fail criterion for chest acceleration based on a<br />
3-msec duration was 60 g for the 0th percentile adult male,<br />
th percentile adult female, and 6-year-old dummies.<br />
HIC and chest injury values were low during the frontal crash<br />
test, but the neck injury criterion was exceeded in four <strong>of</strong> the<br />
six dummies.<br />
Side Impact Crash Test - The second crash test was conducted<br />
by towing a 2 ,26 -pound cab-over truck, at 4 mph and 90<br />
degrees, into the side <strong>of</strong> a stationary, transit style school bus.<br />
The impact point was chosen so that the left front edge <strong>of</strong> the<br />
truck was directly behind the front axle <strong>of</strong> the school bus to<br />
eliminate contact with rigid structures on the frame during the<br />
initial penetration <strong>of</strong> the truck into the bus body. (See figures<br />
Figure 11. Position <strong>of</strong> dummies during the frontal crash test.<br />
Figure 12. The heavy truck relative to the side <strong>of</strong> the<br />
school bus before impact.<br />
12 and 13.) During impact, the truck penetrated the bus side<br />
approximately halfway into the compartment and remained<br />
engaged while rotating 180 degrees before coming to a stop.<br />
The front axles were severed from both vehicles (figure 13).<br />
Accelerometers placed along the length <strong>of</strong> the school bus<br />
recorded a peak lateral acceleration <strong>of</strong> 72 g at the center <strong>of</strong><br />
impact. Acceleration levels dropped significantly with distance<br />
from the point <strong>of</strong> impact, largely because the deformation that<br />
occurred at the point <strong>of</strong> impact absorbed and dissipated much<br />
<strong>of</strong> the energy that would otherwise have been transmitted to<br />
the occupants <strong>of</strong> the bus. Unlike the frontal crash, no single<br />
pulse fully represented the range <strong>of</strong> vehicle responses observed<br />
in the side-impact crash. However, the overall pulse shape and<br />
pulse duration were similar for most <strong>of</strong> the measured locations<br />
along the length <strong>of</strong> the bus.<br />
62 NTSB JOURNAL OF ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION, SPRING 2006; VOLUME 2, ISSUE 1