Browse Topic: Anthropomorphic test devices

Items (212)
Find
Addressing Seat Belt Discomfort Among Indian Female Driving Population Through Anthropometric Data Collection and Simulation2026-26-00161/16/2026
The rate of female drivers in India is increasing alongside the rapid growth of the Indian automotive industry. A driving comfort survey conducted among female drivers revealed that many experiences dis-comfort when wearing seat belts—whether while driving or as front-seat passengers. This discomfort is primarily due to a phenomenon referred to as “neck cutting.” The root cause of neck cutting is likely related to vehicle design, which is traditionally based on Anthropometric Test Devices (ATD’s) representing the 50th percentile of the global population. However, a literature review indicated that the anthropometric dimensions of the Indian populations are generally smaller than those of the global for the respective candidate. This highlighted the need to collect region-specific anthropometric data for India. During this research work, Indian anthropometric data was collected through the Size India 2.0 project, covering a wide demographic region across India. This study was in
Kulkarni, Nachiket, Chitodkar, Vivek V, Eknath Chopade, Santosh, Yamgar, Babasaheb S, Mahajan, Rahul
Beyond ATD Dummies-Investigating Pelvic Locking and Torso Kinematics Using Human Body Models in Frontal Impact Scenarios2026-26-00021/16/2026
Occupant Safety systems are usually developed using anthropomorphic test devices (ATDs), such as the Hybrid III, THOR-50M, ES-2, and WorldSID. However, in compliance with NCAP and regulatory guidelines, these ATDs are designed for specific crash scenarios, typically frontal and side impacts involving upright occupants. As vehicles evolve (e.g., autonomous layouts, diverse occupant populations), ATDs are proving increasingly inadequate for capturing real-world injury mechanisms. This has led to the adoption of computational Human Body Models (HBMs), such as the Global Human Body Models Consortium (GHBMC) and Total Human Model for Safety (THUMS), which offer superior anatomical fidelity, variable anthropometry, active muscle behaviour modelling, and improved postural flexibility. HBMs can predict internal injuries that ATDs cannot, making them valuable tools for future vehicle safety development. This study uses a sled CAE simulation environment to analyze the kinematics of the HBMs
Raj, Pavan, Rao, Guruprakash, Pendurthi, Chaitanya Sagar, Nehe, Vaibhav, Chavan, Avinash
Chest Deflection mapping between HBM Connect® 50M and Humanetics ATD models for frontal impact2026-26-00101/16/2026
Objective Human Body Models (HBMs) are increasingly recognized by consumer protection agencies as essential tools for evaluating vehicle safety, complementing the use of traditional Anthropomorphic Test Devices (ATDs). However, HBMs are new for product development and pose challenges in connecting them with the ATDs. These challenges can be overcome if a link is established for the injury metrics between HBMs and ATDs. The study aims to develop a chest deflection mapping function between the HBM Connect® 50M (HBMC-50M) and two ATD models: THOR-50M and Hybrid III 50M for thoracic assessment in frontal impact. Method Several frontal chest loading scenarios were selected from the HBM4VT qualification catalogue (Euro NCAP technical bulletin CP 550), including hub impacts and table-top tests. Matched-pair LS-DYNA simulations were conducted with HBMC-50M and the ATD models recording peak chest deflections for developing the mapping function. In the HBMC-50M model, deflection outputs were
Velmurugan, Gopinath, Kumar PhD, Devendra, R, Udhaya Kumar, Kulavi, Pradeep, Soni, Anurag, Tejero de la Piedra, Ricardo, Fu, Stephen, Long, Teng, Arora, Tushar, Jagadish, Renuka, Shah, Chirag
Analysis of Road Accident Statistics for Females in India and Gaps in Safety Regulations2026-26-00201/16/2026
This paper investigates the current state of road safety for female occupants in India, with a particular focus on road accident statistics and the gaps in safety regulations. According to the Road Accident in India 2022 report by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), female occupants constitute 16% of passenger car fatalities. Leveraging a comprehensive dataset of 525 passenger car accidents involving at least one female occupant from the Road Accident Sampling System – India (RASSI), this study evaluates the severity and patterns of injuries sustained by female drivers and passengers. The analysis identifies critical shortcomings in existing safety measures, particularly in addressing anatomical disparities and male-centric safety designs. Gender-disaggregated injury trends reveal heightened vulnerabilities for women in crash scenarios, including disproportionate risks to the chest, neck, and pelvis. Current regulatory frameworks rely on crash test dummies developed on
Ayyagari, Chandrashekhar, G, Santhosh Kumar, Rao, Guruprakash
Integrated Evaluation of Pre-Crash Braking and Crash Injury Outcomes Using Human Body Models and ATDs2026-26-00191/16/2026
Traditionally, vehicle occupant safety research has focused on passive safety aspects like crashworthiness and occupant restraint systems. However, with the advent of Active Safety technologies such as Forward Collision Warning (FCW) and Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), research has expanded to include occupant kinematics during the pre-crash phase. AEB, by inducing occupant movement, often leads to out-of-position (OOP) behavior, compromising available space during the crash phase. Current Anthropometric Test Devices (ATDs) are limited in simulating occupant kinematics during the pre-crash phase, especially in the neck and torso regions. These devices are rigid and unable to replicate human body dynamics during low-acceleration events like AEB. To address this gap, Human Body Models (HBMs) such as THUMS, GHBMC, and SAFER are used to provide more biofidelic simulations. This study begins with physical vehicle trials conducted with human volunteers at various speeds to measure
Pendurthi, Chaitanya Sagar, THANIGAIVEL RAJA, T, Kondala, Hareesh, Sudarshan, B.Sudarshan, Nehe, Vaibhav, Rao, Guruprakash
Impact of Harness Integrated Crash RestraintsF-0081-2025-02705/20/2025
The Crashworthy and Escape Systems Branch at NAWCAD has been developing an integrated restraint harness concept for several years, with the intent of developing a novel method of providing improved occupant protection in a crash scenario. A series of tests was conducted on the Horizontal Accelerator at NAS Patuxent River to evaluate the performance of the prototype integrated-restraint system under MIL-STD-58095 conditions with the 50th percentile male Hybrid III Anthropomorphic Test Device (ATD). While occupant flail was the primary metric being analyzed in this effort, ATD instrumentation was also captured, showing that the integrated restraint system demonstrated a significant reduction in head flail compared to five-point restraints while maintaining injury criteria within acceptable levels.
Anderson, Eric, Minnich, Shannon
Effect of High-Rate Loading on Anthropomorphic Test Device PelvisesF-0081-2025-01795/20/2025
As part of a larger project aimed at gaining a better understanding of factors that affect the quality of test results using anthropomorphic test devices (ATDs), the FAA tested the effects of dynamic loading of an ATD pelvis. The ATDs required in the aviation regulations were initially developed for the automotive crash environment, which does not include a vertical testing component. One of the two dynamic tests is a vertical impact, with the principal measurement being the compressive load in the lumbar spinal column, with a regulatory limit of 1500 lb. The lumbar load cell is mounted to the pelvis, and data collected could be affected by the performance of the ATD pelvis. The ability to define a vertical calibration test could be used to determine if the pelvis is acceptable for initial use or to monitor in-service degradation. Three ATD pelvises were compressed in a high-rate load frame. The peak load and loading rate of the pelvis compression were selected to simulate conditions
Hellstrom, Ian, Moorcroft, David, Carroll, William
Development and Demonstration of a Critical Rotorcraft Safety System: Advanced Helicopter Seating SystemF-0080-2024-11955/7/2024
The Advanced Helicopter Seating System (AHSS) was started as an effort to evaluate and improve the current state of military rotorcraft seating. The overall goal of the program has been to improve pilot ergonomics and safety through the integration of advanced energy absorption and vibration reduction mechanisms as well as a broad approach to system integration based around updated occupant anthropometrics. An entirely new seating solution has been developed, with intent to integrate with the AH-64 Apache platform for demonstration purposes. The AH-64 development culminated with a series of static tests and dynamic test events to measure the effectiveness of the safety systems integrated on the seat as compared to the legacy AH-64 seating system. While lumbar load data and seat stroke data was obtained, issues with the anthropomorphic test device (ATD) configuration at the 95th male configuration caused some data to be suspect, and premature failure of several components also caused
Minton, Tyrone, Crocco, John, Richards, Marvin
Component Characterization of an eVTOL Reference Model for Crashworthiness StudiesF-0080-2024-10595/7/2024
Researchers at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Langley Research Center (LaRC) have conducted a series of structural component and seat level tests to improve finite element model (FEM) characterization of a representative vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) test article developed by NASA. A full-scale dynamic test was conducted on the representative eVTOL test article in November of 2022. The test article represented a high wing, six passenger eVTOL design concept and is referred to as the lift plus cruise (LPC) test article. The full-scale test identified limitations in the analytical models used to predict aircraft structural response, in particular the composite material models did not effectively capture brittle failure of the structure which were measured during dynamic loading. To better understand the mechanism behind the composite material failure mechanisms observed and to improve the FEM, intact sample specimens of the composite airframe structure
Putnam, Jacob, Mennu, Matlock, Gardner, Nathaniel, Littell, Justin
A Comparison of THOR 50M Anthropomorphic Test Devices in Frontal Sled Tests when equipped with and without On-Board Data Acquisition Systems. 2022-01-10483/29/2022
This paper summarizes a series of matched-pair frontal sled tests using the THOR 50th Percentile Male anthropomorphic test device (ATD). Testing was conducted to compare the response of an ATD equipped with an on-board data acquisition system (DAS) to that of one equipped with an off-board system. Sled testing was performed using a modified version of NHTSA’s Gold-Standard test method consisting of a generic buck with a ridged seat and a 3-point seatbelt system. Eight tests were conducted, all using a common generic 30 km/h crash pulse with a peak deceleration of 9 G’s, and a 2.5 kN load limiting 3-point seatbelt retractors without pretensioners. Four tests were conducted with each ATD, two tests with a left shoulder belt routing and two with a right shoulder belt routing to allow for evaluation of the ATD repeatability under each belt routing. Attention was given to the potential for a heating effect of the on-board DAS to influence the dummy response; particularly the chest
Ward, Josh, Dellicolli, Anthony, Dix, Jeff
Seat Belt Restraint Evidence Generated by Unrestrained Occupant Interaction in a Rollover 2022-01-10283/29/2022
Assessment of the physical evidence on a seat belt restraint system provides one source of data for determining an occupant’s seat belt use or non-use during a motor vehicle crash. The evidence typically associated with restrained occupant loading has been extensively researched and documented in the literature. However, evidence of loading to the restraint system can also be generated by other means, including the interaction of an unrestrained occupant with a stowed restraint system. The current study evaluates physical evidence generated on stowed restraint systems generated via interaction with multiple unrestrained occupants during a full-scale dolly rollover crash testing of a large multiple passenger van. Unbelted anthropomorphic test devices (ATDs) were positioned in the driver, right front passenger, and all designated seating positions in the third, fourth, and fifth rows. Occupant kinematics during the dolly rollover were evaluated through on-board and off-board real-time
Miller, Bruce, Dibb, Alan, Allin, Leigh, Carhart, Michael, krishnaswami, ram
Seatback Strength and its Effect on In Position and Out of Position ATD Loading in High-Speed Rear Impact Sled Tests 2022-01-10383/29/2022
Vehicle rear structure stiffness has increased as a result of the requirements in the FMVSS 301R, which has also corresponded to an increase in front-row seat strength. This study evaluates the structural behavior and occupant response associated with production-level seats equipped with body-mounted D-rings, and very stiff all-belt-to-seat (ABTS) in a group of 12 deceleration sled tests. A double-haversine approximately 100-msec duration pulse was used for all tests, with peak accelerations of approximately 19 g for the 40 km/h (25 mph) tests and peak accelerations of 28 g for the 56 km/h (35 mph) test. This pulse was designed to represent a severe rear impact crash involving modern vehicles. The tests compared occupant responses and resulting structural deformation of an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) production-level driver seat from a pickup and a very stiff modified ABTS. Both seating systems were equipped with dual recliners. Various combinations of tests evaluated the
Croteau, Jeffrey, Toney-Bolger, Megan, Isaacs, Jessica L., Shurtz, Ben, Zolock, John
Crash Test Methodology for Electric Scooters with Anthropomorphic Test Device (ATD) Riders2022-01-10333/29/2022
As micromobility devices (i.e., e-bikes, scooters, skateboards, etc.) continue to increase in popularity, there is a growing need to test these devices for purposes ranging from use in crash reconstruction to design of new products. Although tests have been conducted across the industry for electric scooters (e-scooters), this paper describes a novel method for crash testing e-scooters with anthropomorphic test devices (ATDs) “riding” them, providing new sources for data collection and research. A sled fixture was designed utilizing a pneumatic crash rail to propel the scooters with an overhead gantry used for stabilization of the ATD until release just prior to impact. The designed test series included impacts with a 6-inch curb at varying incident angles, a stationary vehicle, and a pedestrian ATD. Test parameter permutations included changing wheel sizes, impact speeds, and safety equipment. One of the primary focuses of this testing was to establish a methodology which provided
Como, Steven Gerard, Paradiso, Marc, Campbell, Ian C., Garman, Christina, Werner, Stephen, Wishart, Jeffrey
The Role of Three-Point Restraints for Occupants in Moderate and Higher Severity Frontal Impact Collisions2022-01-10263/29/2022
Field accident data and vehicle crash testing have shown that kinematics, occupant loading, , and associated injury risk generally increase with crash severity. Further, these data demonstrate that the use of restraints, such as three-point belts, provides mitigation of kinematics and reduction in loading and injury rates. This study evaluated the role of seat belts in controlling occupant kinematics and reducing occupant loading in moderate and higher severity frontal collisions. Frontal tests with belted and unbelted anthropomorphic test devices (ATDs) in the driver and right front passenger seats were performed at delta-Vs of approximately 19 kph and 32 kph with no airbag deployment. At the lower severity, the belted ATDs’ motion was primarily arrested by seat belt engagement, mitigating contact with forward vehicle structures, while the unbelted ATDs’ motion was largely arrested by interaction with forward vehicle structures. Injury metrics were generally lower with belt use than
Isaacs, Jessica L., George, Juff, Campolettano, Eamon, Cutcliffe, Hattie, Miller, Bruce
Effect of Occupant Weight and Initial Position in Low-to-High Speed Rear Sled Tests with Older and Modern Seats2021-01-09184/6/2021
The average body weight of the US population has increased over time. This study investigates the effect of increasing weight on seat and occupant responses in 15-18 km/h and 42 km/h rear sled tests. The effect of initial occupant posture is also discussed. Seven tests were conducted with lap-shoulder belted ATDs (anthropometric test device) placed on older and modern driver seats. Four tests were conducted with a 50th percentile male Hybrid III, two with 95th percentile male Hybrid III and one with a BioRID. The ATDs were ballasted to represent a Class I or II obese occupant in three tests. The tests were matched by seat model and sled velocity. The effect of occupant weight was assessed in three matches. The results indicated an increase in seatback deflection with increasing occupant weight. For example, the average dynamic deflection was 2.8-times greater with a ballasted 95th ATD than with a 50th ATD (20.2 v 7.3 degree) in the 15-18 km/h sled tests and 1.4-times greater with a
Parenteau, Chantal, Burnett, Roger, Viano, David, White, Samuel
Effect of ATD Size, Vehicle Interior and Restraint Misuse on Second-Row Occupant Kinematics in Frontal Sled Tests2021-01-09144/6/2021
Interest in rear-seat occupant safety has increased in recent years. Information relevant to rear-seat occupant interior space and kinematics are needed to evaluate injury risks in real-world accidents. This study was conducted to first assess the effect of size and restraint conditions, including belt misuse, on second-row occupant kinematics and to then document key clearance measurements for an Anthropomorphic Test Device (ATD) seated in the second row in modern vehicles from model years 2015-2020. Twenty-two tests were performed with non-instrumented ATDs; three with a 5th percentile female Hybrid III, 10 tests with a 10-year-old Hybrid III, and 9 tests with a 6-year-old Hybrid III. Test conditions included two sled bucks (mid-size car and sport utility vehicle (SUV)), two test speeds (56 and 64 km/h), and various restraint configurations (properly restrained and improperly restrained configurations). Head and knee trajectories were assessed. Head excursion was 38 percent greater
Parenteau, Chantal, Burnett, Roger, Danthurthi, Sri Sai Kameshwari, Andrecovich, Christopher
Incidence and Mechanism of Head, Cervical Spine, Lumbar Spine, and Lower Extremity Injuries for Occupants in Low- to Moderate-Speed Frontal Collisions2021-01-09024/6/2021
Automotive accidents and subsequent personal injury claims incur substantial costs annually. While three-point restraint usage, dual-stage airbags, and knee bolster and side curtain airbags have become more ubiquitous and, in some cases, governmentally mandated for front seat occupants, occupant safety and injury risk assessment continue to be at the forefront of automotive innovation. In this study, we combined analyses of the National Automotive Sampling System Crashworthiness Data System (NASS-CDS; 2007-2015) and the Crash Investigation Sampling System (CISS; 2017) with data acquired from vehicle-to-vehicle crash tests conducted with instrumented anthropomorphic test device (ATD) occupants. Together, these analyses were used to compare and relate field injury rates with potential injury mechanisms in low- to moderate-speed frontal collisions. First, low- to moderate-speed (delta-V ≤ 24 km/h) frontal crash data from NASS-CDS and CISS were analyzed to estimate the rate of AIS 2+ and
Davis, M., Mkandawire, C., Brown, T., Pasquesi, S.
Child Restraint Systems (CRS) with Minor Installation Incompatibilities in Far Side Impacts2021-01-09154/6/2021
Side impacts are disproportionately injurious for children compared to other crash directions. Far side impacts allow for substantial translation and rotation of child restraint systems (CRS) because the CRS does not typically interact with any adjacent structures. The goal of this study is to determine whether minor installation incompatibilities between CRS and vehicle seats cause safety issues in far side crashes. Four non-ideal CRS installation conditions were compared against control conditions having good fit. Two repetitions of each condition were run. The conditions tested were: 1) rear-facing (RF) CRS installed with a pool noodle to create proper recline angle, 2) RF CRS with narrow base, 3) forward-facing (FF) CRS with gap behind back near seat bight (i.e., vehicle seat angle too acute for CRS), 4) FF CRS with gap behind back near top of CRS (i.e., vehicle seat angle too obtuse for CRS). Second row captain’s chairs were set up at 10° anterior of lateral. A sled pulse target
Mansfield, Julie, Kwon, HyunJung, Kang, Yun Seok
Incidence and Mechanisms of Head, Cervical Spine, Lumbar Spine, and Lower Extremity Injuries for Occupants in Low- to Moderate-Speed Rear-End Collisions2021-01-09004/6/2021
Automotive accidents and subsequent personal injury claims incur substantial costs annually. While seat and head restraint design continue to evolve and improve, occupant safety and injury risk assessment in rear-end collisions remain at the forefront of automotive innovation. In this study, we combined statistical analyses of nine years (2007-2015) of data from the National Automotive Sampling System Crashworthiness Data System (NASS-CDS) database and one year (2017) of data from the Crash Investigation Sampling System (CISS) database with data acquired from vehicle-to-vehicle crash tests conducted with instrumented anthropomorphic test device (ATD) occupants. Together, these analyses were used to compare and relate field injury rates with potential mechanisms underlying head, cervical spine, lumbar spine, and lower extremity injuries in low-to moderate-speed rear-end collisions. First, we performed statistical analyses of the NASS-CDS and CISS databases to estimate the rate of AIS 2
Davis, M., Mkandawire, C., Brown, T., Pasquesi, S.
Development and Calibration of the Large Omnidirectional Child ATD Head Finite Element Model2021-01-09224/6/2021
To improve the biofidelity of the currently available Hybrid III 10-year-old (HIII-10C) Anthropomorphic Test Device (ATD), the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has developed the Large Omnidirectional Child (LODC) ATD. The LODC head is a redesigned HIII-10C head with mass properties and modified skin material required to match pediatric biomechanical impact response targets from the literature. A dynamic, nonlinear finite element (FE) model of the LODC head has been developed using the mesh generating tool Hypermesh based on the three-dimensional CAD model. The material data, contact definitions, and initial conditions are defined in LS-PrePost and converted to LS-Dyna solver input format. The aluminum head skull is stiff relative to head flesh material and was thus modeled as a rigid material. For the actual LODC, the head flesh is form fit onto the skull and held in place through contact friction. In an attempt to identify the matching flesh-skull contact
Katangoori, Divya Reddy, Yang, Peiyu, Noll, Scott, Stammen, Jason, Suntay, Brian, Carlson, Michael, Moorhouse, Kevin
Analytical Methods for Aircraft Seat Design and EvaluationARP5765B-TEST-REC (Historical)3/30/2021
This SAE Aerospace Recommended Practice (ARP) defines a means of assessing the credibility of computer models of aircraft seating systems used to simulate dynamic impact conditions set forth in Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) Parts 23.562, 25.562, 27.562, and 29.562. The ARP is applicable to lumped mass and detailed finite element seat models. This includes specifications and performance criteria for aviation specific virtual anthropomorphic test devices (v-ATDs). This document provides a recommended methodology to evaluate the degree of correlation between a seat model and dynamic impact tests. This ARP also provides best practices for testing and modeling designed to support the implementation of analytical models of aircraft seat systems. Supporting information within this document includes procedures for the quantitative comparison of test and simulation results, as well as test summaries for data generated to support the development of v-ATDs and a sample v-ATD
Aircraft SEAT Committee
Occupant Restraint System Evaluation - Lateral Rollover System-Level Heavy TrucksJ2426_202103 (Current)3/1/2021
This SAE Recommended Practice describes the test procedures for conducting simulated dynamic lateral rollover restraint system tests for heavy truck applications. Its purpose is to establish recommended test procedures that will standardize restraint system testing for heavy trucks. Descriptions of the test set-up, test instrumentation, photographic/video coverage, and the test fixtures are included.
Truck Crashworthiness Committee
Occupant Restraint Dynamic System Evaluation - Frontal Impact Heavy TrucksJ2418_202011 (Current)11/9/2020
This SAE Recommended Practice describes the test procedures for conducting frontal impact restraint tests for heavy truck applications. Its purpose is to establish recommended test procedures that will standardize restraint system testing for heavy trucks. Descriptions of the test set-up, test instrumentation, photographic/video coverage, and the test fixtures are included.
Truck Crashworthiness Committee
Event Data Recorder - Compliance AssessmentJ1698/3_202009 (Current)9/29/2020
This SAE Recommended Practice defines procedures intended to be used to validate that relevant EDR output records conform within specified limits to measured sensor input to the device.
Event Data Recorder Committee
Stretchable, Wearable Coils May Make MRI, Other Medical Tests Easier on PatientsTBMG-369145/1/2020
Anyone who has had a mammogram or an MRI knows how uncomfortable and awkward the tests can be. Now, Purdue University researchers have taken technology used in the defense and aerospace industries to create a novel way of doing some medical imaging.
Biofidelity of THOR 5th Percentile Female ATD in Ankle Eversion and Inversion2020-01-05284/14/2020
Females have higher frequency and risk of foot and ankle injuries in motor vehicle collisions than similar-sized males. Therefore, lower extremity biofidelity and accurate injury prediction of female ATDs is critical. This paper aims to compare the THOR 5th percentile female (THOR-05F) anthropomorphic test device (ATD) response with male and female PMHS data of various sizes under ankle inversion and eversion. The THOR-05F lower extremity was subjected to dynamic inversion and eversion ankle loading with a constant 2000N axial force applied through the tibia. Twelve THOR-05F tests (3 inversion and 3 eversion on both, left and right legs) were performed with boundary conditions consistent with previous post-mortem human subject (PMHS) lower extremity tests. The biofidelity of THOR-05F ankle stiffness was evaluated via comparison of measured and equal-stress equal-velocity scaled data (using mass-based scale factors) from previous PMHS datasets with mid-size males, small females and
Kulkarni, Shubham, Roberts, Carolyn, Foltz, Patrick, Forman, Jason
The Effect of Changing Vehicle Seat Stiffness: A MADYMO Sensitivity Analysis2020-01-05244/14/2020
In low-speed, rear-end collisions, the occupant in the target vehicle moves rearward relative to the vehicle and interacts with the seatback and seat bottom. Due to the direct interaction of the occupant with the seat, seat stiffness can affect the kinematics of the occupant. Generic seat stiffness values are often used as input parameters in computer programs, such as MADYMO, that are used to model low-speed, rear-end collisions and simulate occupant kinematics. To create an accident specific simulation, the model could take into account all aspects of the accident including the person involved, the subject vehicle, and the subject vehicle seat. Recent research has demonstrated that the seat stiffness of the compressible structure of the seat, comprised of foam and springs, can vary between vehicles, and also can vary between regions within a single vehicle seat. In order to examine the influence of seat stiffness on occupant kinematics and internal loads, MADYMO simulations were
Cruise, Denise R., Suderman, Bethany L., Yang, Nicholas H., Stepan, Lenka, Scher, Irving S.
Evaluation of Laminated Side Glazing and Curtain Airbags for Occupant Containment in Rollover2020-01-09764/14/2020
By their nature as chaotic, high-energy events, rollovers pose a high risk of injury to unrestrained occupants, in particular through exposure to projected perimeter contact and ejection. While seat belts have long been accepted as a highly effective means of retaining and restraining occupants in rollover crashes, it has been suggested that technologies such as laminated safety glazing or rollover-activated side curtain airbags (RSCAs) could alternatively provide effective occupant containment. In this study, a full-scale dolly rollover crash test was performed to assess the occupant containment capability of laminated side glazing and RSCAs in a high-severity rollover event. This allowed for the analysis of unrestrained occupant kinematics during interaction with laminated side glazing and RSCAs and evaluation of failure modes and limitations of laminated glazing and RSCAs as they relate to partial and complete ejection of unrestrained occupants. The dolly rollover was performed with
Miller, Bruce, Smedley, Janine, Carhart, Michael, Sharpe, Sarah, Krishnaswami, Ram
The Effect of Crash Severity and Structural Intrusion on ATD Responses in Rear-End Crashes2020-01-12244/14/2020
This study assesses vehicle and occupant responses in six vehicle-to-vehicle high-speed rear impact crash tests conducted at the Exponent Test and Engineering Center. The struck vehicle delta Vs ranged from 32 to 76 km/h and the vehicle centerline offsets varied from 5.7 to 114 cm. Five of the six tests were conducted with Hybrid III ATDs (Anthropometric Test Device) with two tests using the 50th male belted in the driver seat, one test with an unbelted 50th male in the driver seat, one test with a 95th male belted in the driver seat, and one with the 5th female lap belted in the left rear seat. All tests included vehicle instrumentation and three tests included ATD instrumentation. The ATD responses were analyzed and compared to corresponding IARVs (injury assessment reference values). Ground-based and onboard vehicle videos were synchronized with the vehicle kinematic data and biomechanical responses. The timing of the vehicle crush, occupant compartment intrusion, seatback motion
Parenteau, Chantal, Croteau, Jeffrey, Zolock, John
Likelihood of Spinal Disc Herniations in Occupants Involved in Real World Side Impacts2020-01-05264/14/2020
The prevalence of spinal disc herniations in people with no spinal symptoms have been reported to increase with age; from about 20% in those below 40 years to about 30% in those above 40 years. Spinal disc herniations are usually associated with degenerative changes. Though rare, spinal disc herniations can also be caused by trauma. With an increasing number of older people on U.S. roads with a concomitant increase in the probability of getting injured in a vehicle collision, it is reasonable to expect that some of these occupants can present with clinical findings of spinal disc herniations after a side impact, and attribute these findings to the impact. In this study, we looked at the relationship between real world side impacts and the occurrence of spinal injuries, in particular disc herniations, in occupants involved in such impacts. We examined the reported occurrence of all spine injuries in side impact crashes in the National Automotive Sampling System - Crashworthiness Data
Lam, Tack, Ivarsson, B. Johan
An Evaluation of Near- and Far-Side Occupant Responses to Low- to Moderate-Speed Side Impacts2020-01-12184/14/2020
Many side-impact collisions occur at speeds much lower than tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). In fact, nearly half of all occupants in side-impact collisions experience a change in velocity (delta-V) below 15 kph (9.3 mph). However, studies of occupant loading in collisions of low- to moderate-severity, representative of many real-world collisions, is limited. While prior research has measured occupant responses using both human volunteers and anthropometric test devices (ATDs), these tests have been conducted at relatively low speeds (<10 kph [<6.2 mph] delta-V). This study evaluated near- and far-side occupant response and loading during two side impacts with delta-V of 6.1 kph and 14.0 kph (3.8 mph and 8.7 mph). In each crash test, a Non-Deformable Moving Barrier (NDMB) impacted the side of a late-model, mid-sized sedan in a configuration consistent with the IIHS side-impact crash-test
Toney-Bolger, Megan, Sherman, Sarah, Isaacs, Jessica, Garman, Christina, Dibb, Alan
Empirical Study of the Braking Performance of Pedestrian Autonomous Emergency Braking (P-AEB)2020-01-08784/14/2020
Vehicle manufacturers are beginning to improve existing autonomous emergency braking (AEB) algorithms by adding pedestrian identification and avoidance capability. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has performed tests on eleven such vehicles; data are publicly available and were analyzed for this study. The first objective of this study was to compare Forward Collision Warning (FCW) engagement distance to target, pedestrian automatic emergency braking (P-AEB) brake application time, and incidences of impact across different manufacturers. It was observed that there exists a wide variation in FCW and AEB performance across manufacturers. FCW engagement distance tended to increase with test speed. Time from FCW engagement to AEB engagement was usually less than one second, with some manufacturer-specific variation. Incidences of impact tended to increase with travel speed, although some vehicles tested maintained constant number of incidences of impacts at all speeds
Siddiqui, Omair, Famiglietti, Nicholas, Nguyen, Benjamin, Hoang, Ryan, Landerville, Jon
Film Analysis Guides for Dynamic Studies of Test SubjectsJ138_201910 (Current)10/2/2019
This SAE Recommended Practice is intended to provide guidelines for the identification of subjects used in dynamic tests. It establishes recommendations for location and description of target areas on test subjects or test devices, as well as recommendations for photographic calibration and timing.
Motor Vehicle Council
U.S. Army Aeromedical Research LaboratoryTBMG-346366/1/2019
In October 1962, the U.S. Army Aeromedical Research Unit was established with a goal of providing specialized medical and physiological support to help close the gap between Army combat aviation needs and human capabilities, and to protect aviators from altitude, climate, noise, acceleration, impact, and other stressors in a growing hostile environment. In 1969, the Army re-designated the unit as the U.S. Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory (USAARL).
Evaluation of Occupant Loading in Low- to Moderate-Speed Frontal and Rear-End Motor Vehicle Collisions2019-01-12204/2/2019
Low- to moderate-speed motor vehicle collisions are common roadway occurrences that are generally associated with low rates of reported injury. While such complaints are generally infrequent, claims of injuries resulting from low- to moderate-speed motor vehicle collisions persist. A limited body of literature using quantitative techniques and full-scale crash tests is available to assess the injury potential associated with such collisions. Prior studies have analyzed occupant kinematics and kinetics as well as human injury risk in low- to moderate-speed collisions with older vehicle vintages but do not assess the effects of updated vehicle interior designs and occupant protection devices reflective of efforts to optimize occupant kinematics and reduce occupant loading and injury risk in more modern vehicles. This study was conducted to evaluate the injury potential for occupants of vehicles with modern design elements involved in low- to moderate-speed inline motor vehicle collisions
Toney-Bolger, Megan, Campbell, Ian, Miller, Bruce, Davis, Mathieu, Fisher, Jacob
FRED II Quasistatic Seat Testing Rearward: An Improved Method Based on the SAE H-point Manikin2019-01-10324/2/2019
Various methods have been used to load a seat in the rear direction, including FMVSS 207, assorted body blocks and QST (quasistatic seat test). However, each method lacks some critical aspect of occupant loading of the seat or is too complex for routine development work. A new method is presented to determine the strength and energy transfer of a seat to an occupant in rear impacts that reflects how an occupant interacts with the seat in a rear impact. A metal-cast H-point manikin, called FRED II, was modified to support a loading bar and was pulled rearward into the seatback by a hydraulic ram. The force and displacement of the loading and the inboard and outboard seatback angle were measured. The response of the seat was recorded by video. The moment about the recliner pivot at peak force was determined by aligning the center of the recliner in side views of the seat position initially and at peak load. The height of the cable above the center of the recliner was determined giving
Viano, David, Burnett, Roger, White, Samuel
A Software Tool for Injury Analysis of Blast and Crash Data2019-01-12254/2/2019
In recent years the U.S. Army Tank-Automotive Research, Development, and Engineering Center (TARDEC) has been investigating the survivability and injury mechanisms of underbody blast and crash, and their effects on personnel, with the use of Anthropomorphic Test Devices (ATD), or crash test dummies. Injury Assessment Reference Values (IARV) for crash have been researched for decades, and the US Army Research Laboratory (ARL), some years ago, also developed IARVs for underbody blast for the Hybrid III 50th percentile ATD. More recently, TARDEC extended these IARVs for the 5th and 95th percentile. With the advent of TARDEC’s Occupant Protection Laboratory large amounts of data were accumulated, which brought an interest in automating the analysis, and so a software tool was developed. The interactive in-house written software, called ICalc, allows the user to open test data files acquired from blast testing, drop tower testing, and crash testing. Data can be automatically bias corrected
Bryk, Darryl, Foster, Craig
Analysis of Rear Seat Sled Tests with the 5th Female Hybrid III: Incorrect Conclusions in Bidez et al. SAE 2005-01-17082019-01-06184/2/2019
Objective: Sled test video and data were independently analyzed to assess the validity of statements and conclusions reported in Bidez et al. SAE paper 2005-01-1708 [7]. Method: An independent review and analysis of the test data and video was conducted for 9 sled tests at 35 km/h (21.5 mph). The 5th female Hybrid III was lap-shoulder belted in the 2nd or 3rd row seat of a SUV buck. For one series, the angle was varied from 0, 15, 30, 45 and 60 deg PDOF. The second series involved shoulder belt pretensioning and other belt modifications. Results: Bidez et al. [7] claimed “The lap belts moved up and over the pelvis of the small female dummy for all impact angles tested.” We found that there was no submarining in any of the tests with the production lap-shoulder belts. Bidez et al. [7] claimed “H3-5F dummies began to roll out of their shoulder belt at… 30 degrees. Complete loss of torso support was seen at 45 degrees without significant kinetic energy dissipation.” We found that the
Viano, David, Parenteau, Chantal
Passenger Vehicle Response and Damage Characteristics of Front and Rear Structures during Low- to Moderate-Speed Impacts2019-01-04154/2/2019
A significant number of vehicle-to-vehicle collisions involve front-to-rear impacts at low- to moderate-speeds. While a variety of studies have been conducted since the 1990s involving fore-aft collisions, those discussing the response of late model passenger vehicles during progressively more severe impacts are limited. In this study, four inline, front-rear tests were conducted using two midsize sedans of the same make, model, and year. An instrumented Hybrid III 50th percentile-male Anthropomorphic Test Device (ATD) was located in the driver seat of each sedan and was restrained using the standard three-point seat belt system. Instrumentation on the vehicles included tri-axis accelerometers and seat belt load cells. For each test, the centerlines of the vehicles were aligned, and the striking vehicle impacted the stationary target vehicle at closing speeds of 4.6, 7.9, 13.5, and 20.9 mph (7.4, 12.7, 21.7, and 33.6 kph). The front and rear bumper covers were removed to allow the
Crosby, Charles, Skiera, Jason, Bare, Cleve, Como, Steven, McDowell, Eric
Posterior Cruciate Ligament Response to Proximal Tibia Impact2019-01-12214/2/2019
Posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) injuries, although rarely life threatening, affect the quality of life of the person who sustains the injury. The PCL is the primary restraint to posterior tibial translation and can be injured when the tibia moves posteriorly relative to the femur. This type of injury is common in frontal crashes where the tibia may impact the dashboard or steering column. To quantify what happens during dynamic loading of the tibial plateau, isolated cadaveric lower limbs (n = 14) were impacted at dynamic rates with a linear pneumatic ram. During the testing, a static load was applied to the quadriceps tendon to simulate active musculature. Forces as well as the stretch of the PCL were measured. The most common injuries were tibia fractures and PCL tears. The stiffness for the tests at impact velocities of 1.4 and 2.9 m/s were on average 120 N/mm and 141N/mm, respectively. A trend towards increasing femur force with increasing velocity was found. The study presents
Ciontea, Alexia, Gustafson, Hannah, Mansfield, Julie, McFadden, Joe, Donnelly, Bruce, Kang, Yun-Seok, Bolte, John
Evaluation of Occupant Kinematics in Low- to Moderate-Speed Frontal and Rear-End Motor Vehicle Collisions2019-01-12264/2/2019
Low- to moderate-speed motor vehicle collisions are a common crash type and are sometimes associated with injury complaints. Understanding occupant motion (kinematics) in response to low- and moderate-speed motor vehicle collisions is important for evaluating occupant interactions with interior vehicle structures, including the restraint systems, with the ultimate goal of assessing injury potential. Furthermore, quantitative occupant kinematic data from full-scale crash testing of late-model passenger vehicles is limited for collisions at low- to moderate-speeds. The current study reports kinematic data from full-scale frontal and rear-end crash tests of late-model, mid-size sedans with delta-Vs ranging from 6.0 to 19.0 kph (3.7 to 11.8 mph) and 5.6 to 19.5 kph (3.5 to 12.1 mph), respectively. For each test vehicle, the motion of a Hybrid III 50th-percentile male anthropomorphic test device (ATD) restrained in the driver seat was recorded using high-speed onboard video. Motion tracking
Bruno, Alexander, Toney-Bolger, Megan, George, Juff, Koller, Jeffrey, Filatov, Anton, Olberding, Joseph
Risk of Concussion in Low- to Moderate-Speed Frontal and Rear-End Motor Vehicle Collisions Evaluated Using Head Acceleration-Based Metrics2019-01-12184/2/2019
Over the past decade, there has been an increase in awareness and concern about the occurrence and long-term effects of concussions. Traumatic brain injury (TBI)-related emergency department (ED) visits associated with motor vehicle collisions, including patients with a diagnosis of concussion or mild TBI (mTBI), have increased while deaths and hospital admissions related to TBI have decreased. The diagnostic criteria for concussion have evolved and broadened, and based on current assessments and diagnostic imaging techniques, there are often no objective findings, yet a diagnosis of concussion may still be rendered. Clinical assessment of concussion may be based only on patient-reported symptoms and history, making it difficult to objectively relate the reported increase in TBI-related ED visits due to motor vehicle collisions to specific collision parameters. This study aims to perform a scientific evaluation of concussion risk during motor vehicle collisions, strengthened by
Pasquesi, Stephanie A., Bruno, Alexander, Courtney, Amy, Imler, Stacy M., Smedley, Janine, Prange, Michael T.
Occupant Kinematics and Loading in Low Speed Lateral Impacts2019-01-10274/2/2019
Instrumented human subject and anthropomorphic test device (ATD) responses to low speed lateral impacts were investigated. A series of 12 lateral collisions at various impact angles were conducted, 6 near-side and 6 far-side, with each test using an ATD and one human subject. Two restrained female subjects were utilized, with one positioned in the driver seat and one in the left rear seat. Each subject was exposed to 3 near-side and 3 far-side impacts. The restrained ATD was utilized in both the driver and left rear seats, undergoing 3 near-side and 3 far-side impacts in each position. The vehicle center of gravity (CG) change in velocity (delta-V) ranged from 5.5 to 9.4 km/h (3.4 to 5.8 mph). Video analysis was used for quantification and comparison of the human and ATD motions and interactions with interior vehicle structures. Human head, thorax, and low back accelerations were analyzed. Peak human subject head resultant accelerations ranged from 0.9 to 36.8 g’s. Peak human subject
Furbish, Christopher, Welcher, Judson, Brink, Justin, Jones, Brian, Swinford, Scott, Anderson, Robert
Passenger Vehicle Dynamic Response and Characterization of Side Structure during Low- to Moderate-Speed Side Impacts2019-01-04204/2/2019
A significant portion of real-world passenger vehicle side impacts occur at lower speeds than testing conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Test data from low- to moderate-speed side impacts involving late-model passenger vehicles is limited, making the evaluation of vehicle impact response, occupant loading, and injury potential challenging. This study provides the results of low- to moderate-speed impact testing involving a late-model mid-size sedan. Two full-scale Non-Deformable Moving Barrier (NDMB) side impact crash tests were conducted at speeds of 6.2 mph (10.0 kph) and 13.4 mph (21.6 kph). Instrumentation on the late-model sedan used for the test series included tri-axis accelerometers and seat belt load cells. In both tests, instrumented Hybrid III 50th percentile-male Anthropomorphic Test Devices (ATDs) were restrained in the driver and passenger seats using the standard three-point seat
Skiera, Jason, Crosby, Charles, Bare, Cleve, Paradiso, Marc, Campbell, Gregory
Aircraft Personal Ventilation: A CFD Thermal Comfort Analysis2019-01-13473/19/2019
Nowadays, many different research efforts are being conducted to develop personal ventilation system for aircrafts. A numerical CFD study is presented as an example analysis, finding the relationship between the initial jet temperature and mass flow to the local thermal comfort on the head, chest and face. Typical regional airplane cabin geometry was used with two passengers seated. The passengers were modeled with numerical manikins with body and arms. The study first investigated whether the personal ventilation jet has influence on only one of the passengers or if it also affects the other. It was demonstrated that the proposed personal ventilation outlet can influence local thermal comfort with minimum influence on the adjacent passenger. The equivalent temperatures on the head, chest and face were calculated with different initial jet temperatures. It was shown that the three body parts present different dependence on the initial jet temperature due to the different distances of
Stancato, Fernando
Active Safety Bicyclist Test Targets RecommendationJ3157_201902 (Current)2/6/2019
The goal of the Bicyclist Test Mannequin Task Force is to develop standard specifications/requirements for bicyclist test mannequins (one adult and one child) that are representative of real bicyclists to the sensors used in Bicyclist Detection systems and can be used for performance assessment of such in-vehicle systems (including warning and/or braking) in real world test scenarios/conditions. This version of the document only includes the recommended bicyclist mannequin characteristics for vision, Lidar, and/or 76 to 78 GHz radar-based Bicyclist Pre-Collision systems.
Active Safety Systems Standards Committee
Study on Weave Behavior Simulation of Motorcycles Considering Vibration Characteristics of Whole Body of Rider2018-32-005210/30/2018
In motorcycles, the mass difference between a vehicle and a rider is small and motions of a rider impose a great influence on the vehicle behaviors as a consequence. Therefore, dynamic properties of motorcycles should be evaluated not merely dealing with a vehicle but considering with a man-machine system. In the studies of a simulation for vehicle dynamics, various types of rider models have been proposed and it has already been reported that rider motions have a significant influence on the dynamic properties. However, the mechanism of the interaction between a rider and a vehicle has not been clarified yet. In our study, we focused on weave motion and constructed a full vehicle simulation model that can reflect the influences of the movements of the rider’s upper body and lower body. To construct the rider model, we first measured the vibrational characteristics of a human body using a vibration test bench. Based on the measured data, 26 degrees of freedom was determined as the
Uchiyama, Hajime, Tanaka, Kenichi, Nakagawa, Yoshihiro, Kinbara, Eiji, Kageyama, Ichiro
Autonomous vehicles present passive-safety challenges18AUTP10_0810/1/2018
Reclined and rotated seating positions are commonly depicted for autonomously driven vehicles. But for the Autoliv engineers tasked with developing occupant safety for tomorrow's self-driving vehicles, those previously improbable seating positions dictate innovative new passive safety protections. “Passive safety for autonomous vehicles is a pretty complicated problem to solve, which is why we're starting out with the simplest scenario: a frontal crash with a front occupant in a partial-recline position,” E. Scott Dershem, Autoliv's Vice President of Product Development, said in an interview with Automotive Engineering at the safety supplier's Auburn Hills, Michigan technical center.
Buchholz, Kami
Methods to Evaluate Impact Characteristics of Seat Back Mounted IFE MonitorsARP6330 (Current)9/13/2018
This SAE Aerospace Recommended Practice (ARP) defines means to assess the effect of changes to seat back mounted IFE monitors on blunt trauma to the head and post-impact sharp edges. The assessment methods described may be used for evaluation of changes to seat back monitor delethalization (blunt trauma and post-test sharp edges) and head injury criterion (HIC) attributes (refer to ARP6448 Appendix A Items 3 and 6, respectively). Application is focused on type A-T (transport airplane) certified seat installations.
Aircraft SEAT Committee
Development of Component Level Transfer Equations of Simplified Human and ATD Occupant Models09-06-01-00056/5/2018
Safety systems have historically been evaluated with anthropomorphic test devices for research, development, or regulatory concerns. Human body models are another avenue for use in the investigation of occupant safety. In this study, transfer equations are developed to quantify the response of a human model (Global Human Body Models Consortium average male simplified model) and dummy model (Hybrid-III) in equivalent environments. Environments were selected based on certification test setups used for the Hybrid III ATD as well as a basic frontal sled environment. The tests include a head drop, neck flexion/extension, and chest and knee impacts. Furthermore, models were positioned within a simplified occupant interior for sled tests. In all, 30 matched pair simulations were run, 60 in total. Peak metrics between human and anthropomorphic test device models showed strong linear correlation in component testing however, as the complexity of the simulations increased, agreement tended to
Guleyupoglu, Berkan, Koya, Bharath, Gayzik, Francis Scott
Items per page:
1 – 50 of 212