Transforming Test Data of an Impact to a Crash Cushion into the Data of Different Impact Condition

It is found the first case of broad interpretation of the crash analysis in MASH (Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware, AASHTO, 2009) which is the guideline of roadside safety features in United States. They introduced the procedure of calculating 1,500 kg sedan safety index from the 2,270 kg pick-up truck crash test for crash cushion. First, following MASH`s method, calculate 0.9 ton vehicle crash data and safety index using 1.3 ton vehicle crash test data and compare with actual 0.9 ton vehicle crash test data. results show that actual test data and the data calculated by MASH`s method have great difference. Second, analyse the cause and develop new method. Proposed method can estimate not only the lighter vehicle (0.9 ton) crash data from the heavier vehicle (1.3 ton) crash test but also heavier vehicle (1.3 ton) data from lighter vehicle (0.9 ton) test. This method is superior to MASH`s method and has stronger theoretical foundation. This paper proves the efficiency and the accuracy of new broad interpretation method using crash test data and investigates the principle.