DOI 10.4010/2016.

564
ISSN 2321 3361 © 2016 IJESC

Research Article Volume 6 Issue No. 3

Review of Seat Testing and Evaluation Regulation

Rupali Shahade1, S R Sandanshiv2, A. R. Jain3
Student1, Assistant Professor2, 3
G.S.Moze College of Engineering, Balewadi, Pune, India
Rupa l i _sh ah a de82@r edi ffm a i l . com 1

Abstract:
Testing of automotive seat is most important parameter for engineer and has been always demanded. Failure of seating system is
directly impact in warranty & service claim cost. So the seating system ensure by various aspects like strength, comfort,
durability, etc before sending the mass production. This paper deals with the brief overview of testing of automotive seat, like
Seat back strength test, head restraint performance test, energy dissipation performance test, test for seat anchorages, sled test,
Quasi-static test, luggage retention test, component level test for recliner and slider mechanism. For recliner assembly has
number of test like -static strength test rig, operational endurance, moment durability test rig, reclining range, return torque, lever
operation force test, and play on hinge arm test. For Slider Mechanism also has number of test:-seat slider operation durability,
Lock break down strength test, slider endurance test, lever operating direction strength, slider clearance test, slider locking
device durability, slider stopper durability, vertical looseness, lateral looseness, horizontal looseness, sliding effort, noise test,
towel bar operating effort, forward and backswords strength. Other additional seat test is pendulum or crash test, seat insert
strength test, fatigue test, vibration test etc.

Keywords: Automotive seat testing, AIS 005, 015, 016, 023; ECE 16, 14, 17 standards; FMVSS 207, 210 standards

Introduction
Majority of accident involve either frontal or rear impact. In
frontal impact, the control forces between the restrained
occupant and the vehicle seat are high, especially if the
occupant is restrained with the lap or shoulder belt. These
forces influence the occupant kinematics significantly because
the centre of gravity of sitting occupant is located in lower
part of occupant torso thus very near to seat. The high forces
have implication such as firmness of floor, strength of seat
anchorage, strength of seat belt and its anchorage etc. So to
predict the behaviour of such component and of the seat as a
whole is very important through safety point of view.
In order to that these components perform their
function satisfactorily; they must be capable of withstanding
high intensity loading at the event of crash. So evaluation and
testing of seat is carried out to study the behaviour of the seat,
its anchorage, it plastic deformation etc. A seat should
undergo a series of tests to ensure its performance, durability,
safety and quality. Although seat has testing methodology
varies from manufacturer to manufacturer.
Seat comfort is very subjective issue because it is customer
who makes the final determination. Furthermore, customer
evaluations are based on their opinions having experienced the
seat, not on objective measurements of a seat. The challenge
of seat supplier is to develop effective methods for translating
customer opinions into physical seat characteristics.
There are number of published standards such as
ECE Regulation (Economic commission of Europe)
FMVSS regulation (Federal Motor vehicle standards)
AIS (Automotive Industry standards)
These standards include regulation for accident prevention,
injury protection, post accident protection, consumer
information and intended to help increased vehicle safety.
STUDY OF STANDARD
AIS (Automotive Industrial Standards)
1. AIS 005: Safety Belt Assemblies: Specification.
This standard specifies the requirements of safety belt
assemblies for M and N category. Basically here dynamic test
is conducted. Before performing dynamic test buckles of belt
assembly should undergo 500 opening and closing cycles
under normal conditions of use. If the belt is used with
retractor, it should undergo dust resistance test and corrosion
test.
Requirements: No part of the belt assembly or the restraint
system shall break and no buckles shall release or unlock.
Forward displacement of the manikin should be between 80
mm and 200 mm at the pelvic level and between 100 mm and
300 mm at the torso level. No part of the torso or the head of
the manikin used in dynamic test should come in contact with
any forward rigid part of the vehicle other than the chest with
the steering assembly. The displacement and locking system
shall still be operable by hand after dynamic test. Buckle
opening test shall be carried out after the dynamic test of belt
assembly.
2. AIS 015: Automotive vehicles- Safety Belt
Anchorages- Specification scope
This standard specifies the requirements of safety belt
anchorages viz., minimum numbers, their locations, and static
strength to reduce the possibility of their failure during
accidental crashes for effective occupant restraint and the test
procedures. This standard applies to categories M1, M2, M3,
N1, N2 and N3. This standard has mentioned quasi static test.
Each anchorage should meet dimensional requirement and
strength requirement. All the belt anchorage of the same group
of seat shall be tested simultaneously. Tractive forces shall be
applied in forward direction at an angle of 10+/-5.

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Full applications of load shall be achieved in not more than
30s. The belt anchorages must withstand the specified load for
not less than 0.2 seconds load application through specified
traction devices for specified cycle.
3. AIS 016: Seats, their anchorages and head restraints
for M1 category of vehicles.
This standard specifies requirements of strength of the seats
and their anchorages, characteristics of head restraints, devices
that protect the occupants from dangers of retention of
luggage during frontal impacts (Luggage retention test).
Every adjustment and displacement system should
incorporate a locking system, which shall lock automatically.
The unlocking control for device must be easily accessible to
occupant of the seat. The surface of rear parts of seats shall
exhibit no dangerous sharp edges or roughness likely to
increase the risk of severity of injury to the occupants. A head
restraint shall be mounted on every outboard front seat. This
standard also mentions about special requirement for seat
fitted with head restraint, requirements of seat back, seat
anchorages, locking and displacement system, height of head
restraint system, width of head restraint, requirements of head
restraint gaps, head restraint performance etc.
4. AIS 023: Seats, their Anchorages and Head
Restraints for Passenger Vehicles for M2, M3
category and Goods Vehicles of N category-
Specification
This standard specifies requirements of strength of the seats
and their anchorages, energy dissipation etc.
The maximum displacement of the central point of application
of forces at height H1 in horizontal plane should not exceed
400mm and be less than 100mm, at height H2 should not be
less than 50 mm. In energy dissipation, the deceleration of the
head form shall less than or equal to 80 g continuously for
more than 3 milliseconds. The seat anchorage bolt bolts
screws used to fix the seat to the floor should not fail and
cause the seat failure.
Figure 1: Strength of the seat test setup
ECE Standards (Economic Commission of Europe)
5. ECE 16: Safety belts, restraint System, child
restraint systems.
This standard specified safety belts and restraint system for
M1 and N1 category of vehicles.
All the requirement are same as AIS 005, additional
requirement is in case of safety belts intended to be used in an
outboard front seating position protected by an airbag in front
International Journal of Engineering Science and Computing, March 2016
of it, the displacement of chest reference point may exceed
300 mm, speed at this value does not exceed 24km/h.
6. ECE 14: Safety belt anchorages
This standard applies to safety belts anchorages for forward
and rearward facing seats for M1 and N1 categories vehicle.
Same as mentioned in AIS 015, additional to AIS 015 is full
application of load shall be achieved within time of 60
seconds.
7. ECE 17: Seats, their anchorages and head restraints
This standard applies to strength of the seats, their anchorages,
and head restraints for M1 and N category also M2 & M3
category of vehicles (not covered by ECE 80). Design of rear
parts of seat-backs and to devices intended to protect the
occupants from danger resulting from the displacement of
luggage in a frontal impact, of vehicles of category M1.
All requirements are same as of AIS 016 except the height of
the head restraint.
FMVSS (Federal Motor Vehicle safety Standards)
8. FMVSS 207: Seating System
This standard specifies the requirements for seats, their
attached assemblies and their installation to minimize the
possibility of their failure by forces acting on them as result of
vehicle impact.
Each occupant’s seat shall withstand 20 times the weight of
the seat in forward and rearward longitudinal direction. In rear
most position, a force that produces 373 Nm moments about
seating reference point is applied to upper cross member of
seat back in rearward longitudinal direction for forward facing
seats and in forward longitudinal direction for rearward facing
seats. Restraining device for forward facing and rearward
facing seat shall not release or fail when a forward and
rearward longitudinal force equal to 20 times and 8 times the
weight of the seat applied at CG of the seat. The restraining
devices shall not release or fail when the device is subjected to
an acceleration of 20g in the longitudinal direction opposite to
that in which seat folds.
9. FMVSS 210: Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages
This standard specifies requirements of seat belt assembly
anchorages to insure their proper location for effective
occupant restraint and to reduce the failure. This standard
applies to passenger cars, multipurpose passenger vehicles,
trucks and buses.
The anchorages attachment hardware and attachment bolts
should withstand a force of 5000 pounds for type 1 assembly
(lap only) and 3000 pounds for type 2 assembly. Permanent
deformation and rupture of seat belt anchorage or its
surrounding area is not considered to be a failure, if the
required force is sustained for the specified time.
STUDY OF TEST
1. Seat Back Strength Test (SBS) (Static Test)
The purpose of the test is to demonstrate that the seat back can
sustain the reward force produced by the occupant as a result
of either a frontal or reward vehicle impact. The torque
applied for this test is 530 Nm moments with respect H-point
applied in reward direction by a simulated wooden block of
manikin back.
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The acceptance criteria for SBS test is that the seat back
should hold the required moment without failure of seat
frame, seat anchorages, adjustment system and their locking
mechanism during or after the test. During the test the seat
should be in extreme rearward design position with head
restraint, lock at the extreme design position and seat reclined
close to design torso angle with respect to vertical.

Figure 4: Experimental Set up for EDP test for area 1

The second impact is in Area-2 on the Back frame of the seat

from the front when seat is fixed in a vertical position and
from rear side when seat is fixed at an angle of 45 degree, 100
mm below the top of the seatback.

Figure 2:Experimental set up for SBS test.

2. Head Restraint Performance Test (HRP)

(Static Test)
The head restraint can sustain the force produced by head of
the occupant. The acceptance criteria for HRP test is that the
rearward displacements “X” of the head form (sphere of
Figure 5: Experimental Set up for EDP test for area 2
165mm diameter) should not be greater than 102mm with
respect to the displaced torso line when 373 Nm moments
applied on Head Restraint. No failure of seat or seat back 4. Sled Test. (Dynamic test)
when 890 N forces applied on Head Restraint. The purpose of test is to demonstrate the test of the strength of
the seat anchorage and the adjustment, locking and
displacement systems. Seat Anchorages should sustain a
longitudinal horizontal deceleration of not less than 20g shall
be applied for 30 millisecond in the forward and rearward
directions to the whole shell of the vehicle during sled test.

5. Pendulum or Crash Test

The maximum permanent deformation of the upper side of the
seat backrest due to impact of the pendulum measured in the
longitudinal median plane should be less than 400 mm. There
should not be failure of seatback.

Figure 3: Experimental Set up for HRP test

3. Energy Dissipation Performance Test (EDP)

(Dynamic test)
The purpose of test is to demonstrate the ability of complete
seat assembly to provide head protection for rear seat
occupants in frontal impact. The impact load of 6.8 kg is
applied by 165mm head from at relative velocity of 24 kmph. Figure 6: Pendulum or crash test
The acceptance criteria for EDP test are that the deceleration
of head form not to exceed 80g continuously for more than 3 6. Seat Insert Strength Test
milliseconds. The cushion insert must withstand a load of about 150 kg and
The first impact is in area-1 on the head restraint backrest insert must sustain load half times the cushion insert
from the front when seat is fixed in vertical position and from i.e. about 75 kg. Insert should not come out of the frame of
rear side when the seat is fixed at an angle of 45 degree, below seat or tear apart.
65 mm from the top of head restraint.

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 In locking endurance has been 5000 cycles of move the seat
back to forefront position then move vertical lock position and
self lock and last to return the foremost position and self lock
at unlock the recliner lever.
In recliner endurance has been 3000 cycles of move the seat
back from vertical position to the rear most position to lock it,
and then return the seat back to the vertical position.
9.5 Moment Durability Rig Test: Lock the
reclining device at neutral position and fix
Figure 7: Seat Insert Strength Test to a solid base. Apply moment of 35 kgm in
forward and backward direction repeat for
7. Fatigue Test 15000 cycles (Frequency 60 cycles/min).
A load of 60 Kg applied to the seat in the horizontal forward Reclining device shall withstand the load
and backward direction. The force is to be held for 2 seconds without breakage of each component and
and to be repeated for 25000 cycles. The structure should not locking between upper part and sector shall
fail within the above mention cycle. not be released.
9.6 Reclining Range: incremental angle is 2
deg, Forward and backward angle is 24+/-1
deg, 56+/-1 deg. The reclining device shall
withstand the load without breakage of each
component and locking.
9.7 Return Torque: mount the recliner assembly
to fixture, set the torque meter to recliner
assembly and record the torque.
Figure 8: Fatigue Test 9.8 Lever Operation Force Test: The effort
required to unlock the recliner assembly
8. Vibration Test should be within 2.5 Kg-f to 5 Kg-f
A frequency 77.26 Hz is applied to seat structure with an 9.9 Play on Hinge Arm Test: lock the recliner at
acceleration of 2g for period of 2 hrs. The seat structure desire angle and fix to solid base. Apply a
should not fail. torque of 1 Kg-m in forward and backward
direction alternately on the hinge arm at a
point of 150 mm from the hinge point. The
play on hinge arm should not exceed 1.0
mm.

10. Test for Slider Mechanism

Figure 9: Vibration Test
9. Test for Recliner Assembly
9.1 Seat belt anchorage: Requirement as per
AIS 015
9.2 Recliner operational durability: The
operational forces of recliner before/ after
the durability test shall satisfy regulation of
the drawing. The recliner will be free of
crack and damage and will be free of
abnormal position.
9.3 Static Strength Test Rig: Fix the recliner
assembly to a solid base and seat frame.
Apply a moments of 61 Kg-m and 101 Kg-
m on the recliner hinge in forward and
backward direction respectively. Moment
shall be applied till permanent deformation
takes place. During the test locking shall not
be released and each component shall
withstand the load without damage.
9.4 Operational Endurance: has two types of
endurance locking endurance and Recliner
endurance
10.1Seat Slider Operation Durability: structure
shall have a load 80 kg-f, operate the slider
from foremost to rearmost position. Repeat
the above for 5000 cycles; travel speed in
between 0.1-0.3 sec.
10.2Lock Break Down Strength Test: slider shall
withstand the minimum load of 10000 N
without breakage of any part.
10.3Slider Endurance Test: seat Structure shall
have load to 100 kg-f, move the seat
assembly from forward to full backward
position. Repeat for 15000 cycles.
10.4Lever Operating Direction Strength: operate
the lever in operating direction and then
apply +/-30 Kg-f to the point 10 mm from
the lever end at the stopper position, which
is end point of the operating range. No
deformation or breakage on any part is
allowed.
10.5Slider Clearance Test :apply a force of 15
Kg-f to centre of the cushion in forward
direction and 25 Kg-f in rearward direction.
The displacement shall not be more than 0.6
mm.

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 10.6Slider Locking Device Durability: load the
slider with a 60 % of combine weight of seat
+100 Kg-f, move the seat assembly and
repeat for 1500 cycles
10.7Slider Stopper Durability: place weight of
100kg on the seat cushion, slide the slider
and repeat the same for 10000 cycles.
10.8Vertical Looseness: Apply a force of
147/245 N to centre of the weigh at the
cushion mounting in up and down direction.
The displacement shall not be more than 0.6
mm when the slider is in locked condition.
10.9Lateral Looseness: Apply bidirectional
lateral forces 445 N minimum, maximum
lateral looseness shall not exceed 1.5mm
10.10 Horizontal Looseness: Apply a
force of 135 N to the centre of the upper
rail; the displacement shall not be more than
0.9 mm when the slider is locked condition.
10.11 Sliding Effort: effort required to
operate the slider assembly shall be 100 N
when 75-125 Kg load is applied on the seat.
10.12 Noise Test: Maximum sound level
allowed in the slider assembly is 50 DB.
10.13 Towel Bar Operating Effort: Effort
shall not exceed 40N
10.14 Forward And Backswords
Strength: Forward force 108+/-2 Kg-f,
Backward force 180+/-2Kg-f for repeated
10000 cycles. The reclining device shall
withstand the load without breakage of each
component.
Acknowledgement

The author would like to express truthful thanks to project

guide Prof. S. R. Sandanshiv and HOD Prof. M. M. Dange,
Mechanical Department, G.S.Moze College of Engineering,
Balewadi, Pune, India for their proper direction & continuous
support.

Reference

1. SAE: 971132 Design Parameters for comfortable and

safe vehicle seat. Ronald L. Huston, Ashraf M
Genaidy

2. SAE: 940217 Benchmarking seat comfort, Virginia

A. Runkle

3. Vehicle Seat Structure Optimization in Front and

Rear front impact Yali Yang, Hao Chen, Ruoping
Zhang, Haining Chen and Xuhua Qiang, The Open
Mechanical Engineering Journal, 2014, 8, 599-606

4. Validation Of A Seat-Dummy Simulation Model For

Rear-Impact Thomas Deter

5. AIS Standards 005,015,016,023

6. ECE standards 16,14.17

7. FMVSS Standards 207,210.

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