Citation

Niehoff P, Gabler HC. Annu. Proc. Assoc. Adv. Automot. Med. 2006; 50: 70-86.

Affiliation

Rowan University, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Glassboro, New Jersey.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

16968630

PMCID

PMC3217484

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to investigate the accuracy of WinSmash delta-V estimates as a function of crash mode, vehicle body type, and vehicle stiffness. The accuracy of WinSmash delta-V estimates was evaluated for 121 NASS/CDS 2000-2003 cases for which direct measurements of delta-V had been retrieved from an Event Data Recorder on the case vehicle. WinSmash was found to underestimate delta-V by 23% on average. WinSmash was found to be most accurate in crashes involving full frontal engagement of the vehicle structure. When using categorical stiffness coefficients, the accuracy of delta-V estimates was found to be a strong function of vehicle type. WinSmash underestimated delta-V for pickup trucks by only 3%, but underestimated delta-V for front-wheel drive cars by 31%. The use of vehicle-specific stiffness coefficients improved the accuracy of the longitudinal delta-V estimate. The single most important factor in improving WinSmash accuracy was the inclusion of restitution. After adjusting for restitution, WinSmash underestimated delta-V in frontal crashes by only 1% on average.

Language: en