Injury potential to the neck has been studied extensively for rear-end impacts. The capacity for injury to other body regions, such as the lower extremities, has not been previously explored. The objective of the current study was to characterize the forces and motions experienced in the lower extremities during moderate-to-high speed rear-end impacts.The current study utilized publicly available rear-end crash tests. Forty-two 50 km/hour, 20% offset, 180° barrier rear-end impacts were used. The occupant lower extremity behavior was analyzed for 63 ATDs, and included 42 driver's seats, 8 front passenger seats, and 13 right-rear seat scenarios.Three consistent events were identified during each test, in the following sequence; 1. initial compressive femur force, 2. secondary tensile femur force, and 3. rearward pelvis acceleration peak. In addition to pelvic contact with the seatback, in some cases the loading in the femur was influenced by contact between the seat pan and the back of the tibia just below the knee. The larger, male occupants experienced higher magnitudes of femur compression as the vehicle was impacted from the rear. The smaller, female occupants experienced predominately femur tension. Pelvic acceleration data corroborated these findings. Femur forces were consistent between both legs, indicating that there was little torsion applied to ATDs during the rear-end crash tests.The current study indicates that occupant anthropometry and seat pan geometry play a significant role in loading of the lower extremity in a rear-end impact.


    Access

    Check access

    Check availability in my library

    Order at Subito €


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    Characterization of Occupant Lower Extremity Behavior During Moderate-to-High Speed Rear Impacts


    Additional title:

    Sae Technical Papers


    Contributors:

    Conference:

    SAE 2013 World Congress & Exhibition ; 2013



    Publication date :

    2013-04-08




    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    Print


    Language :

    English




    Characterization of occupant lower extremity behavior during moderate-to-high speed rear impacts

    Rundell,S. / Guiang,A. / Weaver,B. et al. | Automotive engineering | 2013


    Characterization of Occupant Lower Extremity Behavior During Moderate-to-High Speed Rear Impacts

    Rundell, S. / Guiang, A. / Weaver, B. et al. | British Library Conference Proceedings | 2013


    Occupant Dynamics during Moderate-to-High Speed Rear-End Collisions

    Atarod, Mohammad | British Library Conference Proceedings | 2020



    Occupant Dynamics during Moderate-to-High Speed Rear-End Collisions

    Atarod, Mohammad | British Library Conference Proceedings | 2020