Citation

Carroll J, Been B, Burleigh M. 27th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV); April 3-6, 2023; Abstract #: 23-0132, pp. 19p. Washington, DC USA: US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2023 open access.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023 open access, US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)

Abstract

27th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV)

https://www-esv.nhtsa.dot.gov/Proceedings/27/27ESV-000132.pdf

Powered Two and Three-Wheelers (PTWs) are a popular means of transport. Fully electric PTWs can be operated locally emission-free and, therefore, may support sustainable transport options. However, in terms of the safety offered to PTW riders there is still a long way to go compared with other means of transportation. As such, PTW riders are a vulnerable road user group that stands to benefit from improved protection. Primarily, this paper provides a detailed description of the work-in-progress regarding a new crash test dummy, an ATD (Anthropometric Test Device), intended principally for use in testing PTWs. The question posed was if a new dummy can facilitate evaluations of PTW protective systems. The end goal being to promote more widespread evaluation of protective systems for PTW riders. Importantly, the development of the PTW riding dummy has paired physical and finite element models together, from the start, to support both physical and virtual testing in the future.

The ATD development is based on collision (and injury) statistics of PTWs worldwide, a brief summary of previous research is presented. As with the development of the Motorcyclist Anthropometric Test Device (MATD- ISO 13232- 3) an updated modification of the Hybrid III pedestrian is proposed as the principal solution. To this base dummy a small set of modifications are made to allow simple and yet adequate representation of a PTW rider. Demonstration of the dummy in use as a PTW rider is provided by performing full-scale crash tests. Finite element crash simulations are compared with the physical tests, demonstrating the suitability of using the finite element dummy model in virtual PTW tests.

Details of the PTW dummy anthropometry are provided as well as the rationale for design updates in comparison with the MATD.

An overview of testing with the dummy is provided and the results from two full-scale reference tests (without protective system) are given. Injury predictions based on dummy measurements are compared with an injury statistics summary.

Differences between the outputs from the physical and finite element models are discussed in the context of the injury statistics and additional validation of the tools is suggested. The paper also indicates potential areas where the dummy could be improved in the future, depending on injury prediction needs and application, such as to include additional instrumentation in the abdomen region, for example.

Worldwide road traffic statistics suggest that the number of deaths of PTW riders form an equally large group as deaths among drivers and passenger of four-wheeled vehicles. In contrast, the former group has not benefitted from the advancement of protection systems as implemented in the latter. The availability of new tools in the form of a hardware ATD and its finite element model representing the PTW rider, will support development and evaluation of protective systems for PTW riders.