WHILE TEST PROCEDURES ARE BEING DEVISED TO CHECK THAT SIDE IMPACT PROTECTION IS BEING PROVIDED TO SOME PREDETERMINED STANDARD, IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHAT LEVEL OF PROTECTION IS PRACTICALLY ACHIEVABLE. EARLY WORK HAS SHOWN THAT PROTECTION DEPENDS ON THREE DESIGN FEATURES - THE PADDING OF COMPONENTS LIKELY TO BE STRUCK BY OCCUPANTS - THE STRENGTHENING OF THE SIDE STRUCTURE TO REDUCE THE SPEED OF IMPACT OF THE SIDE INTO THE OCCUPANTS - THE SHAPES OF THE SIDES OF THE CAR AND OF THE CAR FRONTS WHICH STRIKE THE SIDE. THE MARINA SRV OF 1974 SHOWED THAT SIDE IMPACT PROTECTION COULD BE PROVIDED. FURTHER TESTS ARE REPORTED ON THIS DESIGN WHICH SHOW HOW THE PROTECTION VARIES WITH SPEED OF SIDE IMPACT AND INDICATE HOW IMPORTANT ARE PADDING, STRENGTH AND SHAPE. TESTS ARE ALSO REPORTED ON THE FRONTS AND SIDES OF TWELVE MODELS OF CAR WHEN IMPACTED BY A MOBILE BARRIER WITH LOAD CELLS ON ITS RIGID FACE. ANALYSIS OF THESE RESULTS SUGGESTS HOW SOME COMPATIBILITY BETWEEN THE FRONTS AND SIDES OF ALL FUTURE MODELS OF CAR CAN BE ACHIEVED AND WHAT SORT OF IMPACT TEST MIGHT BE REQUIRED TO CHECK THE DESIGN OF BOTH THE FRONTS AND THE SIDES OF CARS. SOME VERIFICATION OF THESE IDEAS IS BEING ARRANGED.(A) FOR THE COVERING ABSTRACT OF THE CONFERENCE SEE IRRD 802816.
Samenvatting