Improved Performance of Production Belt System Assembly for the Plymouth Horizon and Plymouth Reliant," Hereafter Referred to As the BSA Program, Are Delineated Below
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1 July 1982 DOT HS-806-323 Final Report Improved Performance of Production Belt System Assembly US Department of Transportation for the Plymouth Horizon National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Plymouth Reliant Robert A. Galganski Calspan Corporation Advanced Technology Center P. 0. Box 400 Buffalo, New York 14225 Contract No. DTNH-22-81-C-071 1 Contract Amount $200,000 This document is available to the U.S. public through the National Technical Information Service, Springfield, Virginia 22161 This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the Department of Transportation in the interest of information excnange. The United States Govern- ment assumes no liability for its contents or use thereof. 1 TECHNICAL REPORT STANDARD TITLE PAGE 2. Government Accession No. 3. Recipient's Catalog No. 1 . Report No. DOT HS 806 323 4. Title and Subtitle 5. Report Date Improved Performance of Production Bq dulv 1982 Assembly for the Plymouth Horizon anul department of j6. Performing Organization Code Plymouth Reliant 4T1A&NSPOBTAT10N 7. Author(s) 3. Performing Organization Report No. i iiV, l 1933 Robert A. Galganski JO-.l 6829-V-8 9. Performing Organization Name and Address 1)0. Work Unit No. library E37 Series Calspan Corporation Advanced Technoloj Centpj:— 11. Contract or Grant No. P.0. Box 400 DTNH22-81 -C-071 1 Buffalo, NY 14225 13. Type of Report and Period Covered 12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address Final Report: January U. S. Department of Transportation 1981 to July 1982 " 400 Seventh Street, S.W. TJ k Sponsoring Agency Code Washington, DC 20590 department of v 15. Supplementary Notes transportation - JUfl -1983 16. Abstract LIBRARY j This report summarizes the findings of an experimental research program intended to improve the front-seat occupant protection potential provided by two current-production Chrysler Corporation automobiles in nominal 35 mph frontal impact exposures. It was demonstrated conclusively in both developmental sled testing and in full-scale evaluation crash testing that this capability can be significantly enhanced by making relatively simple, production-type changes to selected occupant compartment interior systems, i.e., the standard-equipment belt restraint system, seats and steering column. Overall occupant performance as measured by FMVSS 208 injury criteria and dummy kinematic response was upgraded from highly unacceptable in baseline New Car Assessment crash tests to very acceptable in similar Belt System Assembly program tests. It is postulated that the same basic modification concepts successfully applied herein could also be effectively utilized in other selected vehicles which exhibit good front structure energy management and compartment integrity characteristics but still fail to provide satisfactory frontal impact occupant protection. 17. Key Words 18. Distribution Statement Restraint System Modifications Document is available to the U. S. public Seat Cushion Modifications through the National Technical Information Steering Column Modifications Service, Springfield, VA 22161 Sled Testing Crash Testing 19. Security Classif. (of this report) 20. Security Classif. (of this page) 21 . No. of Pages 22. Price Unclassified Unclassified 260 Form DO I F 1700.7 (8-69) 6829- V-S r1 • sicUi '.Vi s & S — «i It! ,.i i .it 1 * W a 1 u III! ill min | S-- .£• t- Ia- * 43 ^ V « •- © tfc) I* 8- S Z « si - „ o I 1 § s s III! i! If © -a ~2 lilt! in uni! « a k. o X ou • V »• I I Huai V."J 3 s "e 6 O&£ U it zz xz ST LI Zl III 01 © 1 1 «04 lUillll in lili l!il III! I!!i i ill! TIT ITI '|T U 8 8 s J 1 VTs J 3 ili-- - -"a "a <ca l&svt. fill. 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Ill Is mill!! ® utt^nnw, i ieojitlyt. 3.64 B wl «o *0 U*»fc» 1 jiii "«"*Vi 3 * i i TABLE OF CONTENTS Section Page No 1 INTRODUCTION 1 2 PRODUCTION VEHICLE CRASHWORTHINESS 5 2.1 Plymouth Horizon Responses 5 2.2 Plymouth Reliant Responses 7 3 VALIDATION AND DEVELOPMENTAL SLED TESTING 9 3.1 Phase I Plymouth Reliant Developmental Sled Tests 9 3.2 Phase II Plymouth Reliant Developmental Sled Tests 11 3.3 Plymouth Horizon Validation and Developmental Sled 13 Tests 4 FULL-SCALE CRASH TESTING 20 4.1 Plymouth Reliant Flat Frontal Barrier Crash Test 20 4.2 Plymouth Horizon - Ford Mustang Car-to-Car Head-On 33 Crash Test 5 CONCLUDING REMARKS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 46 6 REFERENCES 47 APPENDIX A ELECTRONIC CRASH TEST DATA: PLYMOUTH RELIANT VEHICLE- A-l MOUNTED SENSORS APPENDIX B ELECTRONIC CRASH TEST DATA: BARRIER LOAD CELL FROM B-l PLYMOUTH RELIANT IMPACT APPENDIX C ELECTRONIC CRASH TEST DATA: PLYMOUTH RELIANT OCCUPANT C-l AND RESTRAINT SYSTEM APPENDIX D ELECTRONIC CRASH TEST DATA: PLYMOUTH HORIZON VEHICLE- D-l MOUNTED SENSORS APPENDIX E ELECTRONIC CRASH TEST DATA: PLYMOUTH HORIZON OCCUPANT E-l AND RESTRAINT SYSTEM APPENDIX F ELECTRONIC CRASH TEST DATA: FORD MUSTANG VEHICLE- F-l MOUNTED SENSORS APPENDIX G ELECTRONIC CRASH TEST DATA: FORD MUSTANG OCCUPANT AND G-l RESTRAINT SYSTEM iii 6829-V-8 ; 1, 1ST 0I [ I 0IJRLS Figure No. Page No. 1 Takata Kojyo Webbing Clamp 22 2 Plymouth Reliant Webbing Clamp Mounting Bracket 23 3 Plymouth Reliant B-Pillar/Roof Rail Modifications 24 4 Plymouth Reliant Webbing Clamp System/Belt 25 Configuration 5 Pre-Test Belt Configuration: Modified Plymouth 26 Reliant Restraint System 6 Plymouth Reliant Modified Seat Cushion Assembly 28 7 Takata Kojyo Retractor/Webbing Clamp Assembly 34 8 Plymouth Horizon Rectractor at Roof Rail Mounting 36 Location 9 Plymouth Horizon Test Vehicle: Takata Kojyo 37 Restraint System Belt Configuration 10 Plymouth Horizon Retractor Mount Structure 38 11 Modified Plymouth Horizon Seat Cushion Assembly 39 12 Plymouth Horizon Lower Steering Shaft Assembly 41 13 Plymouth Horizon Lower Steering Shaft Configuration 42 LV 6829-V-8 8 LIST OF TABLES Table No. Page No. 1 Plymouth Reliant and Plymouth Horizon Occupant 4 Performance in Nominal 55 mph Frontal Crash Tests 2 Phase I Plymouth Reliant Developmental Sled Test 10 Results 5 Phase II Plymouth Reliant Developmental Sled Test 12 Results 4 Plymouth Horizon Sled Test Results: Driver Occupant, 14 Sled Tests 2807-2810 5 Plymouth Horizon Sled Test Results: Passenger 16 Occupant, Sled Tests 2807-2810 6 Plymouth Horizon Sled Test Results: Driver Occupant, 18 Sled Tests 2953-2955 7 Plymouth Horizon Sled Test Results: Passenger 19 Occupant, Sled Tests 2953-2955 8 Plymouth Reliant Driver Responses in 35 mph Flat 29 Frontal Barrier Crash Tests 9 Plymouth Reliant Passenger Responses in 35 mph Flat 31 Frontal Barrier Crash Tests 10 Plymouth Horizon Driver Responses in 70 mph Closing 43 Speed Head-On Frontal Impacts with a Ford Mustang 11 Plymouth Horizon Passenger Responses in 70 mph Closing 44 Speed Head-On Frontal Impacts with a Ford Mustang v 6325-V- PREPACK This final report is submitted in partial fulfillment of the documentation requirements of Contract No. DTNII22-81-C-071 1 1 . It presents an overview of the research effort previously documented in technical reports 6829-V-l through V-7 and in eighteen progress reports. The author gratefully acknowledges the contributions of Messrs. Sheridan Smith and Saverio Pugliese, both of Calspan ATC. Mr. Smith supervised the construction of the Reliant sled body buck and was responsible for the detail design and preparation of engineering drawings of mounting hardware for the Takata Kojyo webbing clamp assembly and the Ca lspan-deve loped breakaway steering shaft used in the compartment-modified Reliant and Horizon, respectively. He also assisted ir high-speed film data analysis of the two New Car Assessment crash tests and the Phase I and Phase II Reliant sled test series. In addition to providing valuable advice and constructive review of all technical reports, Mr. Pugliese suggested that the author investigate the concept of seat cushion stiffening to help control occupant head rotation/acceleration. This concept proved to be instrumental in the successful completion of this program. The author would also like to thank the following individuals for their help during the program: Mr. T. Albert Yamada of Mike Masaoka Associates, Mr. David J. Romeo of Romeo Kojyo Co.. Inc., and Mr. Robert Simpson of the Chrysler Corporation. Messrs. Yamada and Romeo provided reliable Takata Kojyo restraint system hardware used in developmental and evaluation testing while Mr. Simpson supplied the author with essential information regarding production Chrysler belt restraint system design. The NHTSA Contract Technical Monitor for this program was Mr. Lee Stucki of the Occupant Packaging Branch of the Vehicle Engineering Research Division. Mr. Stucki 's interest in the program and willingness to accommodate several changes in the original work plans were an integral part of this highly successful program. vi 6829-V-8 The opinions, findings, and conclusions expressed in this publication are those of this author and not necessarily those of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. This report has been reviewed and approved by: rg Anthony L. HRusso, Head Transportation Research Department Calspan Advanced Technology Center vi 1 6829-V-8 1.0 INTRODUCTION Many different small domestic and foreign cars have been evaluated in nominal 55 mph frontal impact crash tests as part of the NHTSA's ongoing New Car Assessment (NCA) program. Test results have indicated that while many of these cars provide generally satisfactory crash energy management and occupant compartment integrity, they still fail to offer adequate protection from injury to one or both of their front-seated occupants.