• International Journal of Automotive Technology
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• 제5권1호
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• pp.33-46
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• 2004

A finite element model development of a 50th percentile male cervical spine is presented in this paper. The model consists of rigid, geometrically accurate vertebrae held together with deformable intervertibral disks, facet joints, and ligaments modeled as a series of nonlinear springs. These deformable structures were rigorously tuned, through failure, to mimic existing experimental data; first as functional unit characterizations at three cervical levels and then as a fully assembled c-spine using the experimental data from Duke University and other data in the NHTSA database. After obtaining satisfactory validation of the performance of the assembled ligamentous cervical spine against available experimental data, 22 cervical muscle pairs, representing the majority of the neck's musculature, were added to the model. Hill's muscle model was utilized to generate muscle forces within the assembled cervical model. The muscle activation level was assumed to be the same for all modeled muscles and the degree of activation was set to correctly predict available human volunteer experimental data from NBDL. The validated model is intended for use as a post processor of dummy measurement within the simulated injury monitor (SIMon) concept being developed by NHTSA where measured kinematics and kinetic data obtained from a dummy during a crash test will serve as the boundary conditions to "drive" the finite element model of the neck. The post-processor will then interrogate the model to determine whether any ligament have exceeded its known failure limit. The model will allow a direct assessment of potential injury, its degree and location thus eliminating the need for global correlates such as Nij.

• 한국자동차공학회논문집
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• 제24권4호
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• pp.432-438
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• 2016

Whiplash injuries in low-speed rear-end collisions are the most common injuries and has been a social issue in insurance industry, such as excessive medical claim costs along with exaggerated injuries of victims and treatments from hospitals. According to the Korea Insurance Development Institute reports, the number of claims by rear-end collision was approximately 703,000, which accounts for 53.6 % of the total car-to-car collisions in 2014. Part of the neck injury claims in the Korea car insurance was approximately 28.3 %. Furthermore, approximately 98.4% of the injured persons in rear-end collisions sustained minor injuries under AIS2. In order to improve this situation as well as find out the severity of neck injuries from rear-end collision, the Korea Automobile Insurance Repair Research and Training Center conducted car-to-car rear-end crash tests that striking vehicles(SUV) collided into different sizes of struck-vehicles(small, middle, and large sedan) at the impact speeds of 8 km/h ~ 16 km/h. In order to analyze the whiplash injury, the BioRID-II was seated in each struck-vehicles, and the neck injury criteria(NIC), head contact time, maximum vehicle accelerations, and mean vehicle accelerations were calculated from values from the accelerations of the dummy and the struck-vehicles.

• 한국자동차공학회논문집
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• 제13권6호
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• pp.84-92
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• 2005

This paper is concerned with optimum design of a center-pillar assembly induced by the high-speed side impact of the vehicle. In order to simulate deformation behavior of the center-pillar assembly, simplified finite element model of the center-pillar and a moving deformable barrier are developed based on results of the crash analysis of a full vehicle model. In optimization of the deformation shape of the center-pillar, S-shaped deformation is targeted to guarantee reduction of the injury level of a driver dummy in the crash test. Tailor-welded blanks are adopted in the simplified center-pillar model to control the deformation shape of the center-pillar assembly. The thickness of each part which constitutes the simplified model is selected as a design parameter. The thickness of parts which have significant effect on the deformation mechanism are selected as design parameters with sensitivity analysis based on the design of experiment technique. The objective function is constructed so as to minimize the weight and lead to an S-mode deformation shape. The result shows that the simplified model can be utilized effectively for optimum design of the center-pillar members with remarkable saving of computing time.

• 자동차안전학회지
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• 제8권1호
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• pp.31-37
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• 2016

The Child Occupant Safety Assessment was first introduced and carried out by Euro NCAP in 2003, with the goal of ensuring manufacturers to develop safe vehicles for passengers of all ages; the objective was to evaluate the safety and protection offered by different Child Restraint Systems (CRS) in the event of a crash. In 2013, the formerly used P child dummy series was replaced by newer and more biofidelic Q1.5 and Q3 child dummies, representing 1.5 and 3 year old children respectively. The frontal and side impact dynamic performances of the Q1.5 and Q3 were tested within all classes of vehicles assessed by Euro NCAP at the time. As an extension to that initiative, Q6 and Q10 child dummies were later developed representing children of 6 and 10 years old. Since the protection of larger children during vehicle crashes relies greatly on the interaction of vehicle restraint systems such as seat belt and the CRS, instrumented Q6 and Q10 dummies will be used to assess the protection offered in the event of front and side impact crashes. In this paper, we focused on injury criteria of Q6 and Q10 child dummies at 64 kph 40% offset frontal crash test. The whole procedure was designed with DFSS analysis. The full vehicle sled test results of both dummies were conducted with different restraint systems settled through previous sled test. It showed that several injury criteria and image data were collected as the result of the full vehicle sled test. Based on the results of these investigations, this paper describes which factor is most important and combination shows the best performance when evaluating rear seat occupant protection for Q6 and Q10 child dummies.

• 한국자동차공학회논문집
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• 제14권6호
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• pp.112-119
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• 2006

This paper is concerned with the light-weight design of a center-pillar assembly for the high-speed side impact of vehicle using advanced high strength steels(AHSS). Steel industries continuously promote the ULSAB-AVC project for applying AHSS to structural parts as an alternative way to improve the crashworthiness and the fuel efficiency because it has the superior strength compared to the conventional steel. In order to simulate deformation behavior of the center-pillar assembly, a simplified center-pillar model is developed and parts of that are subdivided employing tailor-welded blanks(TWB) in order to control the deformation shape of the center-pillar assembly. The thickness of each part which constitutes the simplified model is selected as a design parameter. Factorial design is carried out aiming at the application and configuration of AHSS to simplified side-impact analysis because it needs tremendous computing time to consider all combinations of parts. In optimization of the center-pillar, S-shaped deformation is targeted to guarantee the reduction of the injury level of a driver dummy in the crash test. The objective function is constructed so as to minimize the weight and lead to S-shape deformation mode. Optimization also includes the weight reduction comparing with the case using conventional steels. The result shows that the AHSS can be utilized effectively for minimization of the vehicle weight and induction of S-shaped deformation.

• 자동차안전학회지
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• 제7권3호
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• pp.7-13
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• 2015

Occupant protection performance in frontal crashes has been developed and assessed for mainly front seat occupants over many years, and in recent years protection of rear seat occupants has also been extensively discussed. Unlike the front seats, the rear seats are often occupied by children seated in rear-facing or forward - facing child restraint systems, or booster seats. In the ENCAP, child occupant protection assessments using 18-month-old(P1.5) and 3-year-old(P3) test dummies in the rear seat have already been changed to new type of 18-month-old (Q1.5)and 3-year-old(Q3) test dummies. In addition, ENCAP are scheduled with the development and introduction of test dummies of 6-year-old (Q6) and 10.5-year-old children(Q10) starting 2016. In KNCAP, Q6 and Q10 child dummies will be introduced in 2017 as well. Automobile manufacturers need to develop safety performance for new child dummies closely. In this paper, we focused on Q6 and Q10 child dummies sitting in child restraint system. Offset frontal crash tests were conducted using two types of test dummies, Q6 and Q10 child dummies, positioned in the rear seat. Q6 and Q10 were used to compare dummy kinematics in rear seating positions between Q6 behind the driver's seat and Q10 behind the front passenger's seat. The full vehicle sled test results of both dummies were conducted with different restraint systems. It showed that several injury and image data was collected as the result of the full vehicle sled test. Based on the results of these investigations, this paper describes which factor is most important and combination is the best performance when evaluating rear seat occupant protection for Q6 and Q10 child dummies.