The Effects of Crash Angle and Bumper Material on Human Injury in Automobile Collisions
The purpose of this experiment was to determine, in an automobile collision, which crash angle of impact and bumper materials of the cars involved would create the least injury to passengers. In order to determine this, high, standard, and low values were used for both the crash angle and the bumper materials of the cars. Human injury was measured using a scale called the Severity Index (SI). SI was calculated using the acceleration (deceleration) in g’s, and the time during which the car experienced the acceleration, of each trial. These were found using a Vernier LabQuest. It was determined that a combination of the low value for crash angle (30°), the low value for bumper material of the car in motion (rubber), and the high value for bumper material of the stationary car (plastic), produced the smallest value for SI. It was also found that a combination of high values for each variable – the crash angle (90°), the bumper material of the car in motion (plastic), and the bumper material of the stationary car (plastic) – produced the greatest value for SI.
Research Done By:
Anthony Farah
Sterling Heights High School
Rebecca Piazza
Warren Mott High School
Warren Consolidated Schools