2018-2019

Child Seats with Load Legs: Understanding the Response of the ATD in Mitigating Head Injury Risk Across Crash Directions

Principal Investigator: Aditya Belwadi, PhD

This study aims to quantify the response of the instrumented anthropomorphic test device (ATD) in rear-facing child seats with and without load legs in simulated frontal, oblique, and lateral impact crashes. The broad long-term objective of this line of research is to gain insight into ATD kinematics and kinetics as a function of the child seat.

2017-2018

An Analysis of the Interaction between Child Occupants and Deploying Frontal Passenger Air Bag - A Modern Examination

Principal Investigator: Aditya Belwadi, PhD

Historically, much attention has been devoted to the interaction between children and frontal passenger air bags. With the advancement of innovations in airbag design in the last decade, the aggressivity and deployment characteristics of passenger airbags have greatly changed. In addition, seatbelt technology in the front seat has been designed to work in conjunction with the airbag to further help position the occupant and manage the crash energy. This…

Evaluating the Efficacy of Belt Positioning Booster Seat Design (High-back, Low-back and Heightless Booster) in Nearside Impacts with and without Side Curtain Air Bags

Principal Investigator: Aditya Belwadi, PhD

Belt-positioning booster seats are recommended for children who use vehicle seat belts as primary restraints but who are too small to obtain good belt fit. The vast majority of previous research evaluating the protection afforded by booster seats has been conducted in frontal crash conditions. This study focuses on nearside impacts, a crash condition that has gained attention in child occupant protection. The project builds on previous CChIPS work and…

2016-2017

Measuring the Strength and Stability of the Lower LATCH Anchors across a Range of Anchor Spacing

Principal Investigator: Aditya Belwadi, PhD

Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) is an installation system created to help standardize and improve the ease in which child restraint systems (CRS) are attached to vehicles. The broad objective of this research is to gain insight into the strength and stability of the lower LATCH anchors dynamically. The aims are to determine the dynamic strength of the lower anchor bars across a range of anchor spacing; and to understand the role of lower…

Evaluating the Efficacy of Belt Positioning Booster Seat Design (High-back, Low-back and Height-less booster) in Frontal and Far Side Oblique Impacts

Principal Investigator: Aditya Belwadi, PhD

Principal Investigator: Aditya Belwadi, PhD, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

2013-2014

Quantifying CRS Fit in the Vehicle Seat Environment – Digitization Approach (Multiple Year Project)

Principal Investigator: Aditya Belwadi, PhD

Automotive interior design optimization must balance the design of the vehicle seat and occupant space for safety, comfort and aesthetics with the accommodation of add-on restraint products such as child restraint systems (CRS). Important to this balance is understanding the breadth of CRS dimensions, especially as CRS design is constantly changing. Year 2 efforts will build on previous work by creating virtual surrogates of additional CRS types. The…

2014-2015

Quantifying CRS Fit in the Vehicle Seat Environment – Digitization Approach (Multiple Year Project)

Principal Investigator: Aditya Belwadi, PhD

Automotive interior design optimization must balance the design of the vehicle seat and occupant space for safety, comfort and aesthetics with the accommodation of add-on restraint products such as child restraint systems (CRS). Important to this balance is understanding the breadth of CRS dimensions, especially as CRS design is constantly changing. Year 2 efforts will build on previous work by creating virtual surrogates of additional CRS types. The…

2015-2016

Quantifying CRS Fit in the Vehicle Seat Environment – Digitization Approach (Multiple Year Project)

Principal Investigator: Aditya Belwadi, PhD

Automotive interior design optimization must balance the design of the vehicle seat and occupant space for safety, comfort and aesthetics with the accommodation of add-on restraint products such as child restraint systems (CRS). Important to this balance is understanding the breadth of CRS dimensions, especially as CRS design is constantly changing. Year 2 efforts will build on previous work by creating virtual surrogates of additional CRS types. The…

Evaluation of Interaction of Inflatable Seat Belts with CRS Installed in Aircraft Seats in Oblique Impact Sled Tests

Principal Investigator: Aditya Belwadi, PhD

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has standards and regulations that are intended to protect aircraft occupants in the event of a crash, yet transport category passenger seats continue to evolve.  The latest development is seats oriented obliquely with respect to the aircraft centerline, which presents a novel loading environment that may permit significant flailing. In addition, the installation of inflatable seatbelts with these seats raises…

2012-2013

Injury Risk and Causation Scenarios of Children Involved in Rollover Crashes

Principal Investigator: Aditya Belwadi, PhD

The broad long-term goals of this research project are to gain insight into causation of common injuries sustained by children in rollover crashes; and to provide vehicle and restraint system manufacturers with data needed to develop rollover injury-mitigation systems for children.