Effect of humidity on dynamic characteristics of foam CF45 for the TRL pedestrian legform impactor

Abstract

The improvement of computer simulation technology allows car designers to evaluate injury risks of newly designed bumpers using models of a car and the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) legform impactor. Since the Confor™ foam type CF45 of the TRL legform impactor is not a non-ferrous material, the material's dynamic compression characteristics should be clarified for the development of a highly reliable TRL legform impactor model. The stress–strain characteristics of CF45 of varying thickness were investigated under dynamic compression conditions. The humidity conditions were set at RH30% and RH60%. The effect of humidity on the stress–strain characteristics of CF45 was clarified. We proposed a stress–strain curve for the TRL legform impactor model.

Keywords:

• Confor foam
• CF45
• humidity
• dynamic characteristic
• TRL pedestrian legform impactor

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Mr Satoshi Ehara and Mr Fujio Himeno at K.C.C. Shokai Limited of Japan for producing the special test pieces of CF45, and Shoko Oikawa at the National Traffic Safety and Environment Laboratory for making valuable comments.

Additional information

Funding

The study was funded by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Japan.