Title: Development of a precision welded impact sled test track

Authors: Haibin Chen; Zhengguo Wang; Zhiyong Yin; Sanhong Li; Xiaoyan Li; Xin Ning

Addresses: State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burns, and Combined Injury, Institute of Surgery Research, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400042, China. ' State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burns, and Combined Injury, Institute of Surgery Research, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400042, China. ' State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burns, and Combined Injury, Institute of Surgery Research, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400042, China. ' Automobile Safety Laboratory, National Automobile Quality Supervision Test Center (Xiangfan), Xiangfan 441004, China. ' State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burns, and Combined Injury, Institute of Surgery Research, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400042, China. ' State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burns, and Combined Injury, Institute of Surgery Research, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400042, China

Abstract: Finding an appropriate test track, especially suitable for higher velocity impacts, has become increasingly important in today's sled testing environment. This paper describes the design and development of a new sled test track recommended for evaluating the crash safety performance of vehicle components and injury characteristics of impact biomechanics experimental samples. The extensive development programme considered the track foundation stability, rail grinding and welding techniques, track alignment procedures, and track precisions while meeting or surpassing the requirements of ECE R94 and higher velocity impacts. This facility was finally developed to be a continuously welded, high-precision, 82 metre impact test track. In order to examine its experimental precisions, the linearity, parallelism and flatness of this sled track were evaluated by means of precise surveying and mapping instruments, and six dummy 30 mph frontal impact tests were carried out. The experimental results point out the reliability of the precision welded impact sled test track.

Keywords: test track; track precision; rail welding; injuries; crash safety performance; vehicle components; injury characteristics; impact biomechanics; vehicle systems; modelling; welded impact sled testing; high velocity impacts; vehicle testing; track stability; rail grinding; track alignment; track precision; vehicle safety.

DOI: 10.1504/IJVSMT.2012.045311

International Journal of Vehicle Systems Modelling and Testing, 2012 Vol.7 No.1, pp.73 - 103

Accepted: 29 Jun 2011
Published online: 13 Sep 2014 *

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