Title: Analysis of crash test and computer aided engineering pulses for airbag sensor development

Authors: Clifford C. Chou, Jerry Jialiang Le, Jamel E. Belwafa

Addresses: Biomechanics Center, Wayne State University, 818 W. Hancock, Detroit, MI 48202, USA. ' Passive Safety – Research and Advanced Engineering, Research and Innovation Center, MD 2115 Ford Motor Company, 2101 Village Road, Dearborn, MI 48121, USA. ' Passive Safety – Research and Advanced Engineering, Research and Innovation Center, MD 2115 Ford Motor Company, 2101 Village Road, Dearborn, MI 48121, USA.

Abstract: The concept of frequency analysis to extract a representative signal that is experienced by a vehicle during a crash for sensor development is described. The method of Fourier series is used, as an illustration, for characterising crash sensor signal to derive a base crash curve for developing sensing algorithms in airbag fire/no-fire decision making. Based on the signals from various crash test data, a cut-off frequency of 300 Hz is found to give accurate representation of signals. Results indicate that low frequency band in signals dominates the crash behaviour. This desired cut-off frequency can be used in sensor studies for sensing algorithm development as well as for assessing current computer aided engineering capability in predicting sensor crash pulses in the frequency domain. Crash signal predictions from finite element analysis (FEA) models correlate fairly well at low frequency range up to this cut-off frequency. In addition, improvements of FEA methods for sensor development are proposed.

Keywords: airbag sensors; CAE; computer aided engineering; calibration; crash testing; crash pulses; crash signals; FEA; finite element analysis; frequency analysis; vehicle safety; vehicle accidents; sensing algorithms.

DOI: 10.1504/IJVS.2008.024710

International Journal of Vehicle Safety, 2008 Vol.3 No.3, pp.209 - 235

Published online: 16 Apr 2009 *

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