Initial damageability evaluation of a pedestrian-compatible bumper system.

AS PART OF AN ON-GOING NHTSA/BATTELLE RESEARCH PROGRAM*, A PEDESTRIAN-COMPATIBLE PROTOTYPE BUMPER SYSTEM WAS RECENTLY FABRICATED AND SUBJECTED TO A VARIETY OF EXPERIMENTAL EVALUATIONS. ONE OF THESE SERIES OF EXPERIMENTS WAS FOCUSED ON ASSESSING THE DAMAGEABILITY PERFORMANCE OF THE PROTOTYPE BUMPER IN REFERENCE TO THE PART 581 PENDULUM TEST REQUIREMENTS. ANOTHER SERIES OF EXPERIMENTS INVOLVED DAMAGEABILITY ASSESSMENTS FOR VARIOUS CAR/CAR COLLISION MODES AND INCLUDED COMPARATIVE TESTS OF BOTH MODIFIED AND UNMODIFIED VEHICLES. THE PROTOTYPE BUMPER (AND HOOD) MOUNTED ON THE MODIFIED VEHICLE FEATURES A SOFT FASCIA BACKED BY AN ENERGY ABSORBING FOAM. THE RESULTS INCLUDE (A) AN INITIAL ASSESSMENT OF TEMPERATURE AND VELOCITY SENSITIVITY AND (B) ACTUAL VEHICLE DAMAGE REPAIR COST ESTIMATES. (A) FOR THE COVERING ABSTRACT OF SECTION 5 SEE IRRD 266063. FOR THE COVERING ABSTRACT OF THE CONFERENCE SEE IRRD 266046.