You know how airbags have holes to permit deflation as the occupant squeezes against it. Would the airbag “pop” from the force of the occupant colliding with it, or do the permeable qualities of airbag fabric somehow still permit the bags to deflate, or do air stay inflated if those holes didn’t exist?
Also, can airbags rip or tear?
Just speaking from what I know…
The main purpose of the holes is to allow rapid deflation of the airbag. Hitting a firmly inflated airbag would be like smacking into a wall. Without those holes, as it stands, the bag would most likely burst or split. An airbag is inflated essentially by a controlled explosion. That explosion is calibrated for those holes existing and functioning properly. Ergo, no holes could equal over-pressure, which could result in failure of the airbag material.
As far as ripping or tearing under normal operation, I’d say not very likely. They are designed for extreme g forces and are therefore quite resilient.
Hope this helps.
Fun fact: My 1991 Buick Park Avenue has a predecessor to SRS called SIR, which stands for Supplemental Inflatable Restraint.
If they didn’t have holes, the explosive charge would probably be designed not to fill the bag all the way. It needs to have some give to absorb the impact of your face/body and dissipate the energy before you hit the steering wheel or windshield or crack your ribs on the seatbelt. Those holes slow down your deceleration. I’d imagine, if everything was the way it is now and your airbag just didn’t have the holes for some reason, it be like hitting a Mylar balloon. Have you ever punched one of those? They don’t pop, they don’t have any give, it’s like hitting a bean bag.
You’d probably break some bones in your face and bounce right off of it. I’d guess you’d probably wind up some other damage from being rapidly flung backwards into your seat.