Browse Topic: Anthropomorphic test devices

Items (454)
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 achieved in transport category aircraft vertical seat testing. The primary test objective was to measure changes to the rubber and foam cover of the metallic pelvis during high cyclic loading. Each pelvis was subjected to over 100 cycles. Static dimensional measurements, based on a manufacturing tolerance evaluation, were collected during testing. The high-cycle testing did not deform the foam and rubber covers enough to exceed the total dimensional tolerance of the pelvises (± 0.120 in.). The appearance of visual damage was closely monitored throughout the testing. Similar visual damage was seen for each pelvis and occurred at low cycles — 15 to 30. Results suggest the appearance of damage minimally changed the dynamic response of the pelvis. Force-deflection data were also collected from each test series. These data showed minimal change during testing, with the deflection at 2000 lb. changing approximately 0.100 in. across the 105 cycles. This value is similar to the manufacturer’s tolerance for the height of the pelvis. Based on this, the number of vertical sled tests that would precipitate replacement may be over 100 cycles. Due to the harsh environment of dynamic sled testing, other factors, such as cuts in the foam and rubber due to belt loading, may trigger the removal of an ATD pelvis from service prior to the pelvis reaching a defined number of cycles. Future FAA research will evaluate how this change in pelvis force-deflection affects lumbar load.
Hellstrom, IanMoorcroft, DavidCarroll, William
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, EricMinnich, Shannon
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 were recovered from the test article post-test and used in material characterization testing. In addition, the seat configurations used in the LPC test article were further studied using isolated seat and anthropomorphic test device (ATD) drop tower testing. Dynamic compression tests and three-point bend tests, conducted at varied impact speeds, were performed on the recovered frame section specimens. Additional testing was conducted to characterize the material properties of the forming foam, which remained in the frames after fabrication. These tests were used to improve characterization of the damage and failure parameters of the composite material model used in the FE model of the LPC test article. Seat level tests were conducted on the seats used in the LPC test article using acceleration pulses inclusive of current general aviation and rotorcraft certification load levels as well as conditions representative of those measured at the seat base during the LPC test. The structural material models and seat environment models of the LPC test article FEM were calibrated using the generated component test data. The updates made to these models were then integrated into the LPC FEM and simulated in the full-scale test condition. Results demonstrated the effectiveness of component testing to improve predictive capability of composite aerospace structural models within the crash and dynamic loading environments. Demonstration of the LPC FEM response across an accumulation of coupon, component, seat environment, and full-scale test levels provides confidence in the predictive capability of this model for future use in the study of occupant safety within eVTOL relevant crash environments.
Putnam, JacobMennu, MatlockGardner, NathanielLittell, Justin
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 loss of capturing accurate data. Lessons learned are documented in the conclusions. Data and lessons learned from this effort are being used to support a follow-on effort to develop a pilot seat for the UH-60 Black Hawk Platform.
Minton, TyroneCrocco, JohnRichards, Marvin
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
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
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 larger females. THOR-05F ankle moment-angle response falls within the range of previous mid-sized male and larger female PMHS test data for eversion, when scaled to a small female. However, when compared to PMHS response measured on small female subjects, the THOR-05F response was less stiff in both inversion and eversion. The THOR-05F moments were 65% and 90% less stiff in eversion and inversion respectively, when compared to the average of the measured small female PMHS dataset at 250 ankle rotation. Because ATD stiffness differs from measured PMHS ankle stiffness, care should be taken when applying PMHS-based injury risk functions (IRF) to the THOR-05F ankle.
Kulkarni, ShubhamRoberts, CarolynFoltz, PatrickForman, Jason
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 System (NASS-CDS) database from 1993 through 2014. There were over 8,400 adult raw case occupants, corresponding to a weighted number of approximately 4.7 million that fit the inclusion criteria. The results showed that the most common spine injury in side impact is acute muscle strain of the cervical spine, followed by acute muscle strain of the lumbar spine. The total number of occupants with reported spinal disc herniations was only three; all from near-side impacts. The low prevalence of reported spinal disc herniations stands in sharp contrast to a background prevalence of 20% to 30% in asymptomatic individuals. The findings from the real world data in this study, in light of known spinal responses in experiments conducted on post-mortem human subjects (PMHSs) and anthropomorphic test devices (ATDs) exposed to near- and far-side impacts, suggest that side impacts do not present a mechanism of traumatic disc herniation.
Lam, TackIvarsson, B. Johan
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 the moment arm at peak load. The force was integrated with displacement to determine energy transfer to the seat. Twelve tests were performed with FRED II and twelve with a traditional body block used by CRA. There were nine matched tests with identical seats. With FRED II, the average peak moment was 2,407 ± 460 Nm and the energy transfer was 2,046 ± 531 J. With the body block, the average peak moment was 2,534 ± 297 Nm using the same method to determine the moment at peak force and the energy transfer was 1,740 ± 379 J. FRED II loads the seatback as the Hybrid III dummy does in sled tests. It measures the energy transfer capability of the seat in a manner that is similar to occupant loading in a rear impact. FRED II is a simple and improved quasistatic method for seat testing. FRED II provides the H-point location and can be used to measure head restraint position.
Viano, DavidBurnett, RogerWhite, Samuel
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 response of the bumper systems to be observed during the impact. Vehicle and ATD data were recorded using on-board data acquisition while on- and off-board real-time and high-speed video cameras captured each test from varying perspectives. In addition, post-impact deformation was quantified from three-dimensional scan data and photographs. Data evaluated included vehicle accelerations, change in velocity (Delta-V), restitution, and energy dissipation. Force-displacement curves were developed and compared, and progression of vehicle damage was discussed. Finally, the accuracy of frontal stiffness characteristics derived from barrier testing for predicting energy dissipation in low- to moderate-speed collisions was assessed.
Crosby, CharlesSkiera, JasonBare, CleveComo, StevenMcDowell, Eric
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 shoulder belt remained in place and restrained the upper torso in the 0, 15 and 30 deg sled tests. At 45 and 60 deg, significant restraint was provided before the belt slipped off the shoulder. It remained in contact with the arm and chest providing restraint. Bidez et al. [7] claimed “The results indicated kinematic movement of the dummies, which were predictive of injury in all sled runs.” We found that the kinematic control was good and the biomechanical responses were well below IARVs for the 5th female Hybrid III. Bidez et al. [7] claimed “a retractor pretensioner (7 ms fire time) eliminated both submarining and torso rollout in the H3-5F in the conditions tested.” We found that the pretensioner firing pulled the lap belt up onto the abdomen inducing submarining and causing abdominal loading in two out of four tests. Conclusion: The independent review of the videos and data shows that Bidez et al. [7] misstated the results, misrepresented the findings and reached incorrect conclusions on the testing.
Viano, DavidParenteau, Chantal
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 objective, quantitative data, specifically focusing on head acceleration-based metrics. Data from full-scale passenger vehicle crash tests are reported for frontal and rear-end collisions 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. Head linear and rotational kinematic data were recorded from instrumented Hybrid III 50th percentile male anthropomorphic test devices (ATDs) restrained in the driver’s seats. Several acceleration-based metrics currently used to assess risk of concussion were calculated and compared to published injury risk relationships that have been developed from field accident data, human subjects, and biomechanical models. Overall, the magnitudes of acceleration were low and the injury metrics corresponded to a negligible risk of concussion in these low- to moderate-speed collisions.
Pasquesi, Stephanie A.Bruno, AlexanderCourtney, AmyImler, Stacy M.Smedley, JaninePrange, Michael T.
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. We expected to find that occupants in modern vehicles would demonstrate low potential for injury in such collisions. Four full-scale inline (collinear) crash tests were conducted to assess occupant loading during frontal and rear-end impacts. The vehicles used in each test were instrumented late-model, mid-sized sedans of the same make and model occupied by restrained and instrumented Hybrid III 50th-percentile male anthropomorphic test devices (ATDs). The tests involved aligned front-to-rear bumper collisions at closing speeds ranging from 7.4 kph to 33.6 kph (4.6 mph to 20.9 mph). Kinetic data collected from the instrumented ATDs were evaluated to assess the biomechanical loading environment throughout the crash pulse in both the striking (bullet) and struck (target) vehicles. Evaluation of the occupant responses established that the loads and moments generated during these low- to moderate-speed collisions were far less than accepted injury assessment reference values (IARVs). Furthermore, the recorded spinal loads demonstrated characteristics of inertial loading with similar timescales as common daily activities and, in many cases, were of magnitudes less than or comparable to loads generated by volunteers performing volitional and non-injurious activities.
Toney-Bolger, MeganCampbell, IanMiller, BruceDavis, MathieuFisher, Jacob
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 thorax and low back lateral accelerations ranged from 1.0 to 17.1 g’s and 1.3 to 12.7 g’s, respectively. The ATD was instrumented with various sensors, including a tri-axial head accelerometer and 6-axis load cells in the upper neck, lower neck, and lumbar spine. Peak ATD head resultant accelerations ranged from 3.6 to 33.5 g’s. Peak ATD upper and lower neck compression ranged from -47.4 to -991.5 N and -52.1 to -740.6 N, respectively. Peak ATD lumbar compression ranged from -72.3 to -402.1 N. Cervical and lumbar shear loading and moments are also reported.
Furbish, ChristopherWelcher, JudsonBrink, JustinJones, BrianSwinford, ScottAnderson, 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 belts. Response data for the vehicle, barrier, and ATDs was recorded using onboard data acquisition, and on- and off-board real-time and high-speed video cameras. In addition, the deformation to the side of the sedan was quantified from pre- and post-test laser scan data. Results from the test series provided data regarding accelerations, velocity change, and restitution. The damage to the side structure of the vehicle was assessed and conclusions regarding damage initiation and damage progression are discussed. Conservation of Momentum and Conservation of Energy analyses are presented and force-displacement characteristics and energy dissipation were evaluated and compared. Utilizing the data that was developed from the test series, vehicle side stiffness modeling was also conducted.
Skiera, JasonCrosby, CharlesBare, CleveParadiso, MarcCampbell, Gregory
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 (zeroed), filtered, and graphed with pertinent IARV functions automatically applied. Data from multiple sensor channels and multiple files may be graphed together for comparison and analysis. Besides being used interactively, the application can run “scripts” to graph a complete data test series automatically with the pertinent IARVs applied, along with calculated velocities and displacements for acceleration channels. A report document can be generated consisting of all accompanying graphs with an IARV summary table and bar chart showing percentage of injury for each data channel. The time to process the data and produce a report has been reduced from hours to minutes. The software is scheduled to be released under the open code software license agreement in early 2019.
Bryk, DarrylFoster, Craig
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 of the video was used to evaluate the excursion and velocity of each ATD’s head, shoulder, elbow, and knee with respect to the vehicle interior. Restraint loads were recorded via load cells placed on the driver’s torso and lap belts. For both the frontal and rear-end collisions, the maximum excursion and velocity of the ATD with respect to the occupant compartment generally increased with increasing delta-V. During the occupant rebound phase of the rear-end collisions, the maximum excursion and velocity of the ATD also generally increased with increasing delta-V and was generally less than its initial rearward excursion and velocity.
Bruno, AlexanderToney-Bolger, MeganGeorge, JuffKoller, JeffreyFilatov, AntonOlberding, Joseph
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
Assessment of Thoracic Response and Injury Risk Using the Hybrid III, THOR-M, and Post-Mortem Human Surrogates under Various Restraint Conditions in Full-Scale Frontal Sled Tests2018-22-000111/12/2018
A total of 20 full-scale frontal sled tests were conducted using the Hybrid III (HIII), THOR-M and post-mortem human surrogates (PMHSs) to evaluate the thoracic biofidelity of the HIII and THOR-M under various belted restraint conditions. Each surrogate was tested under three belted restraint conditions: knee bolster, knee bolster and steering wheel airbag, and knee bolster airbag and steering wheel airbag. In order to assess the relative biofidelity of each ATD, external thoracic deflections were quantitatively compared between the ATDs and PMHSs using an objective rating metric. The HIII had slightly higher biofidelity than the THOR-M for the external thoracic deflections. Specifically, the THOR-M lower chest was more compliant compared to the other surrogates. However, the THOR-M exhibited expansion of the lower chest opposite belt loading, which was also observed to some degree in the PMHSs. The efficacy of the current injury risk prediction instrumentation and criteria were also evaluated for each surrogate. The THOR-M and its proposed injury risk criteria predicted the injuries observed in the PMHS tests better than the HIII. The PMHS injury criteria over-predicted the amount of chest deflection necessary to produce a severe injury and, consequently, under-predicted injury risk. The results of this study indicate that further testing should be performed to evaluate the biofidelity of the THOR-M thorax under more conditions. Furthermore, current thoracic injury risk criteria, which were developed using censored data, may not be effective at predicting injuries for all restraints and experimental conditions.
Albert, Devon LBeeman, Stephanie MKemper, Andrew R
Analysis of the Frequency and Mechanism of Injury to Warfighters in the Under-body Blast Environment2018-22-001411/12/2018
During Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, improvised explosive devices were used strategically and with increasing frequency. To effectively design countermeasures for this environment, the Department of Defense identified the need for an under-body blast-specific Warrior Injury Assessment Manikin (WIAMan). To help with this design, information on Warfighter injuries in mounted under-body blast attacks was obtained from the Joint Trauma Analysis and Prevention of Injury in Combat program through their Request for Information interface. The events selected were evaluated by Department of the Army personnel to confirm they were representative of the loading environment expected for the WIAMan. A military case review was conducted for all AIS 2+ fractures with supporting radiology. In Warfighters whose injuries were reviewed, 79% had a foot, ankle or leg AIS 2+ fracture. Distal tibia, distal fibula, and calcaneus fractures were the most prevalent. The most common injury mechanisms were bending with probable vehicle contact (leg) and compression (foot). The most severe injuries sustained by Warfighters were to the pelvis, lumbar spine, and thoracic spine. These injuries were attributed to a compressive load from the seat pan that directly loaded the pelvis or created flexion in the lumbar spine. Rare types of injuries included severe abdominal organ injury, severe brain injury, and cervical spine injury. These typically occurred in conjunction with other fractures. Mitigating the frequently observed skeletal injuries using the WIAMan would have substantial long-term benefits for Warfighters.
Danelson, KerryWatkins, LauraHendricks, JonathanFrounfelker, PatriciaPizzolato-Heine, KarenValentine, RayLoftis, Kathryn
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 relevant parameters. In addition, spring and damper characteristics of each part of a human body were identified. Using this rider model, a simulation was carried out applying the equivalent input as the pulse response test. The simulation results well represented those of actual vehicle running tests and it was confirmed that, in the weave mode, the rider’s body motion influences the phase difference between the steering angle and the roll motion of a vehicle. Furthermore, we analyzed the input-output energy balance regard with movements of each part of the rider's body. As a result, it was clarified that lower body motions of a rider also have influences on the weave behavior of a vehicle.
Uchiyama, HajimeTanaka, KenichiNakagawa, YoshihiroKinbara, EijiKageyama, Ichiro
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 decrease. Kinematic data are also presented and they trend similarly between human and anthropomorphic test device models however they exhibit different timing and peaks. Within the range tested, the developed transfer equations can be used to estimate performance of one model if data from the other is available. Furthermore, the evaluation of risk for these equivalent impacts is provided for HIC-15, max chest deflections and femur forces aggregated across all tests. Over the range tested, equivalent impacts result in roughly equivalent risk levels with the exception of the femur, which resulted in higher forces in the Hybrid III and thus predicted higher risk.
Guleyupoglu, BerkanKoya, BharathGayzik, Francis Scott
ABSTRACT During the winter of 2018, a series of vertical tests was conducted on three sizes of Anthropomorphic Test Devices (ATDs) for the evaluation of their vertical loading response. The three sizes of ATDs represented a 5th percentile female, a 50th percentile male, and a 95th percentile male. There were two variations of the 50th percentile male as defined in 49 CFR Part 572: a Hybrid II and an FAA Hybrid III. Tests were conducted on a drop tower located at NASA Langley Research Center's (LaRC) Landing and Impact Research (LandIR) Facility. The ATDs were seated on 14 CFR § 25.562 certified seats, in either a triple (window, middle and aisle) or a double (window and aisle) seat configuration, with seat leg spacing replicating a Fokker F28 MK-1000 aircraft. The seat and ATDs were attached to a drop plate on the tower, which was lifted to a height of 14 ft. The system was dropped onto different sections of crushable foam wedges to achieve multiple input deceleration environments. The purpose of the tests was to evaluate the differences in lumbar response, to examine scaling characteristics from sizing factors in the ATDs, and also to compare the results to computer simulation efforts. Results will be presented and comparisons will be discussed.
Littell, JustinAnnett, Martin
ABSTRACT The Federal Aviation Administration has regulations designed to protect aircraft occupants in the event of a crash. Two-drop tests of a Fokker 28 (F-28) small regional jet airframe performed at the National Aeronautics and Space Agency provided full-scale crash data on the performance of transport category aircraft seating systems. The crash pulse measured at the floor differed from the certification tests and the performance of the seats did as well. To assess injuries in the spinal column, lumbar loads were collected for all Anthropomorphic Test Devices, and a range of occupants was included for comparison. Overall results were positive in that the seats were able to maintain their attachment to the aircraft with most of the ATDs measuring loads that would be considered acceptable during certification testing. Additional comparative testing was done in a laboratory environment on an accelerator sled to compare the certification input pulse to the achieved accelerations from the drop. Laboratory testing included triple and double places pitched up at the certification configuration 60° from the horizontal for combined loading. While these tests were with a Part 25 aircraft, the measured peak G (39 G) and the mostly vertical direction make the results applicable for rotorcraft safety. This testing demonstrated that seats dynamically qualified for lower impact severities (14 G) were able to maintain structural integrity but were not able to control spinal injury risk in all seating configurations.
Pellettiere, JosephTaylor, Amanda
ABSTRACT The April, 2003 Hofstra University From Autogiro to Gyroplane: The Past, Present and Future of an Aviation Industry Conference was a unique, truly historic gathering. This first university-level conference brought together an international group of pioneers and, as England's Ron Bartlett later observed in his Autogiro 1/4ly publication, this "[u]nique conference brings a long awaited legitimacy to the world's autogyro movement", a sentiment also voiced by Stephanie Gremminger in an October 2003 issue of Kitplanes and long-time PRA member (and former Popular Rotorcraft Flying editor) Paul Bergen Abbott two months earlier in an August article in Rotorcraft. Conceived in early 2000, the Conference took 34 months of planning and was accompanied by a world-class Autogiro history museum exhibit, the details of which have never been told, including inter alia: the strategies used to gain approval from the Hofstra University Board of Trustees for the awarding of the University's highest honor, an honorary Doctorate, to Wing Commander Ken Wallis for lifetime achievement (involving many copies of the Ian Hancock's Ken Wallis biography and several Corgi® models of the Wallis WA-116 "Little Nellie" Autogyro); the autogyro pioneer who initially refused to attend when he discovered that others were to be honored, and then retaliated by ignoring his conference presentation in favor of a scolding lecture on gyroplane safety that would privately be deemed "total rubbish" by a world-famous helicopter engineer in the audience; the Finish autogyro pioneer who's presentation ran so far over time that the 'plug was pulled' on his computer - and who then expressed gratitude because he was desperately trying to avoid what was coming next; the author who didn't like the rambling anecdotal presentation of a woman Gyrocopter pioneer and refused to allow his paper to be published in the Conference Proceedings; the dispute as to who would cut the Ken Wallis 87th birthday cake, settled with decisive action by Sergei Sikorsky; the presentation by the only Afro-American aircraft designer in the National Air and Space Museum, explaining why there is a black mannequin sitting in his futuristic gyroplane; and the luncheon conversation that led to the creation of the Vertical Flight History division of the American Helicopter Society International.
Charnov, Bruce
Evaluating a Vehicle Climate Control System with a Passive Sensor Manikin coupled with a Thermal Comfort Model2018-01-00654/3/2018
In a previous study, a passive sensor (HVAC) manikin coupled with a human thermal model was used to predict the thermal comfort of human test participants. The manikin was positioned among the test participants while they were collectively exposed to a mild transient heat up within a thermally asymmetric chamber. Ambient conditions were measured using the HVAC manikin’s distributed sensor system, which measures air velocity, air temperature, radiant heat flux, and relative humidity. These measurements were supplied as input to a human thermal model to predict thermophysiological response and subsequently thermal sensation and comfort. The model predictions were shown to accurately reproduce the group trends and the “time to comfort” at which a transition occurred from a state of thermal discomfort to comfort. In the current study, the effectiveness of using a coupled HVAC manikin-model system to evaluate a vehicle climate control system was investigated. The test protocol prescribed a transient heat up after a cold soak of a vehicle that had been placed in a - 10 °C climate chamber. Multiple repetitions of the same scenario were run with different human subjects to reduce the influence of individual bias on the overall results and to assess the variability of test responses. The thermal sensation and comfort of the human subjects were compiled and reported in terms of average and standard deviation, which were compared to the predictions of the manikin-model system. The agreement between the manikin-model system and the human subject test results was assessed quantitatively by calculating the RMSD (root-mean-square deviation) and bias (the average error) between the predictions and the measurements.
Hepokoski, MarkCurran, AllenViola, TimothyLindedal, NiklasHansson, RonnieGullman, Sam
Frontal, Lateral, and Free-Operation Impacts of Amusement Bumper Cars: Vehicle Kinematics and Occupant Kinematics2018-01-05434/3/2018
This study conducted a series of rear-impact, side-impact, barrier, and free-operation collisions using a bumper car ride at an active amusement park. Two conditions were studied: staged and free operation. Each staged test included a bullet (impacting) vehicle operated by a rider and a target (impacted) static vehicle or structure. Impact configurations of frontal collisions of the bullet vehicle into the rear and side of a target vehicle were consistent with the existing literature. The free operation condition involved collisions which were not pre-determined, and operators may not have been prepared for collision timing, magnitude, and direction. Results demonstrated high repeatability for vehicle parameters, such as impact velocity, change in velocity, and peak acceleration. Peak changes in velocity during vehicle-to-vehicle collisions were 2.2-2.5 m/s (8-8.9 km/hr; 5-5.5 mph) for the target vehicle and 1.6-1.8 m/s (5.6-6.4 km/hr; 3.5-4 mph) for the bullet vehicle, while those during vehicle-to-retaining barrier collisions were approximately 3.6 m/s (13 km/hr; 8 mph). Coefficients of restitution and overall vehicle and occupant kinematics were similar to prior bumper car studies, and collision magnitudes were similar in the free-operation test to the staged, single-axis collisions. Bumper cars present a model environment to study vehicle and occupant kinematics in vehicle collisions that are within human tolerance and include aware but possibly unprepared occupants. This is relevant to establishing occupant kinematics in and limits to autonomous vehicle emergency handling maneuvers.
Bussone, William R.Moore, TaraLocey, CaitlinCargill, Robert
Optimizing Occupant Restraint Systems for Tactical Vehicles in Frontal Crashes2018-01-06214/3/2018
The objective of this study was to optimize the occupant restraint systems for a light tactical vehicle in frontal crashes. A combination of sled testing and computational modeling were performed to find the optimal seatbelt and airbag designs for protecting occupants represented by three size of ATDs and two military gear configurations. This study started with 20 sled frontal crash tests to setup the baseline performance of existing seatbelts, which have been presented previously; followed by parametric computational simulations to find the best combinations of seatbelt and airbag designs for different sizes of ATDs and military gear configurations involving both driver and passengers. Then 12 sled tests were conducted with the simulation-recommended restraint designs. The test results were further used to validate the models. Another series of computational simulations and 4 sled tests were performed to fine-tune the optimal restraint design solutions. The sled tests with the optimized seatbelt and airbag designs provided significant improvement of occupant protection from the baseline tests in terms of the head, neck, chest, and lower extremity injury measures. Using a baseline seatbelt without an airbag, the ATD tended to contact the steering wheel or the instrument panel, or sustained a significant head whipping motion inducing large head and neck injury measures. By adding the airbag and reducing the load limit in the seatbelt, the injury measures were improved significantly. This study demonstrated the benefit of adding a properly designed airbag and advanced seatbelt to improve the occupant protection in frontal crashes under an environment representing a light tactical vehicle.
Hu, JingwenRitchie Orton, NicholeChen, CongReed, MatthewRupp, JonathanGruber, RebekahClark, DavidScherer, Risa
Aerospace & Defense Technology: December 201717AERP1212/1/2017
High-Reliability Capacitors When the Mission Just Can't Fail WIAMan High-Tech Test Lab Focuses on Saving Soldiers' Lives Improving the Surface Finish of Additive Manufactured Parts A new chemical immersion treatment could revolutionise the aerospace industry Using Thermoplastic Composites for Aerospace Applications Identifying and Isolating Signals Using Radio Frequency Photonics Bioinspired Surface Treatments for Improved Decontamination: Commercial Products Investigation seeks to determine which coatings shed fluids most effectively. Mechanical Characterization and Finite Element Implementation of the Soft Materials Used in a Novel Anthropometric Test Device for Simulating Underbody Blast Loading Understanding the mechanical behavior of components made from eight soft polymer materials is necessary to ensure the predictive capability of WIAMan FE models. Processing and Characterization of Lightweight Syntactic Materials Hollow spheres encapsulated in a metal matrix, syntactic metal foam offer significant potential as lightweight energy-absorbing materials. High Temperature Graphene-Peek Adhesive Compounding graphene into polymers has the potential to improve various material properties, even at very low concentrations. Stress Corrosion-Cracking and Corrosion Fatigue Impact of IZ-C17+ Zinc-Nickel on 4340 Steel New protective material could replace cadmium and aluminum coatings on critical components.
Biomechanics of Lumbar Motion-Segments in Dynamic Compression2017-22-000111/13/2017
Recent epidemiology studies have reported increase in lumbar spine injuries in frontal crashes. Whole human body finite element models (FEHBM) are frequently used to delineate mechanisms of such injuries. However, the accuracy of these models in mimicking the response of human spine relies on the characterization data of the spine model. The current study set out to generate characterization data that can be input to FEHBM lumbar spine, to obtain biofidelic responses from the models. Twenty-five lumbar functional spinal units were tested under compressive loading. A hydraulic testing machine was used to load the superior ends of the specimens. A 75N load was placed on the superior PMMA to remove the laxity in the joint and mimic the physiological load. There were three loading sequences, namely, preconditioning, 0.5 m/s (non-injurious) and 1.0 m/s (failure). Forces and displacements were collected using six-axis load cell and VICON targets. In addition, acoustic signals were collected to identify the times of failures. Finally, response corridors were generated for the two speeds. To demonstrate the corridors, GHBMC FE model was simulated in frontal impact condition with the default and updated lumbar stiffness. Bi-linear trend was observed in the force versus displacement plots. In the 0.5 m/s tests, mean toe- and linear-region stiffnesses were 0.96±0.37 and 2.44±0.92 kN/mm. In 1.0 m/s tests, the toe and linear-region stiffnesses were 1.13±0.56 and 4.6±2.5 kN/mm. Lumbar joints demonstrated 2.5 times higher stiffness in the linear-region when the loading rate was increased by 0.5 m/s.
Arun, Mike W. J.Hadagali, PrasannaahDriesslein, KlausCurry, WilliamYoganandan, NarayanPintar, Frank A.
Potential Effects of Friction on Injury Measures Computed in Aircraft Seat HIC Analysis Testing2017-01-20549/19/2017
Aircraft seating systems are evaluated utilizing a variety of impact conditions and select injury measures. Injury measures like the Head Injury Criterion (HIC) are evaluated under standardized conditions using anthropomorphic test devices such as those outlined in 14 CFR part 25. An example test involves decelerating one or more rows of seats and allowing a lap-belted ATD to engage components in front of it, which typically include the seatback and its integrated features. Examples of head contact surfaces include video monitors, various plastic and composite fascia, and a wide range of seat back materials. The HIC, and other injury measures such as Nij, can be calculated during such impacts. It has been shown in other safety applications that the friction between a headform and contact surface can affect the test results. A series of finite element simulations of a frontal deceleration pulse with a generalized aircraft seat was performed to determine the variation in HIC and Nij observed based on various friction characteristics between the ATD and select seat components. The results indicate that the level of friction on the test device headform can influence the ability to pass the HIC analysis test. Of particular interest is the change in response due to the use of friction characteristics representative of human skin compared with ATD skin.
Friedman, KMattos, GBui, KHutchinson, JJafri, APaver, J
Automating Regional Rib Fracture Evaluation in the GHBMC Detailed Average Seated Male Occupant Model2017-01-14283/28/2017
Computational modeling of the human body is increasingly used to evaluate countermeasure performance during simulated vehicle crashes. Various injury criteria can be calculated from such models and these can either be correlative (HIC, BrIC, etc.) or based on local deformation and loading (strain-based rib fracture, organ damage, etc.). In this study, we present a method based on local deformation to extract failed rib region data. The GHMBC M50-O model was used in a Frontal-NCAP severity sled simulation. Failed Rib Regions (FRRs) in the M50-O model are handled through element deletion once the element surpasses 1.8% effective strain. The algorithm central to the methodology presented extracts FRR data and requires 4-element connectivity to register a failure. Furthermore, the FRRs are localized to anatomical sections (Lateral, Anterior, and Posterior), rib level (1,2,3 etc.) and element strain data is recorded. FRRs crossing multiple anatomical sections were treated in each section but can be back calculated using a total failure count. These were then used to generate visual summaries for each time point with FRRs per each rib level and section depicted numerically and visually through an overlaid heat map. A total failure count is also displayed at the bottom of each table for each side. While correlative solutions for rib injuries have been published, the methodology presented is for users who prefer to investigate rib failure through element elimination. The techniques employed here are similar to methods presented in literature to determine real-world rib fracture location and patterns. A sample case with a nominal delta-V of 56.4 kph was examined for algorithm evaluation.
Guleyupoglu, BerkanBarnard, RyanGayzik, F. Scott
Coupling a Passive Sensor Manikin with a Human Thermal Comfort Model to Predict Human Perception in Transient and Asymmetric Environments2017-01-01783/28/2017
Passive sensor (HVAC) manikins have been developed to obtain high-resolution measurements of environmental conditions across a representative human body form. These manikins incorporate numerous sensors that measure air velocity, air temperature, radiant heat flux, and relative humidity. The effect of a vehicle’s climate control system on occupant comfort can be characterized from the data collected by an HVAC manikin. Equivalent homogeneous temperature (EHT) is often used as a first step in a cabin comfort analysis, particularly since it reduces a large data set to a single intuitive number. However, the applicability of the EHT for thermal comfort assessment is limited since it does not account for human homeostasis, i.e., that the human body actively counter-balances heat flow with the environment to maintain a constant core temperature. For this reason, a thermo-physiological human model is required to accurately simulate the body’s dynamic response to a changing environment. Consequently, thermo-physiological based comfort models are preferred for analyzing transient and asymmetric environments since they relate sensation and comfort to body temperatures rather than to environmental conditions. This paper demonstrates that coupling a thermal comfort model with a passive sensor manikin can accurately predict the overall comfort reported by a group of individuals. A test protocol was developed to expose a group of human subjects to mildly asymmetric radiant conditions and a slow change in ambient temperature. An HVAC manikin was positioned among the test participants. The HVAC manikin measurements were input to a human model so that thermal sensation and comfort could be predicted and compared to the values recorded by the human subjects. Model predictions were shown to accurately reproduce the group trends and the “time to comfort” at which a transition occurred from a state of discomfort to comfort.
Hepokoski, MarkCurran, AllenGullman, SamJacobsson, David
An Assessment of Inflatable Seatbelt Interaction and Compatibility with Rear-Facing-Only Child Restraint Systems2017-01-14453/28/2017
Ford Motor Company introduced the inflatable seatbelt system in 2011 and the system is now available in the second row of several Ford and Lincoln models. An important consideration is the interaction of the inflatable seatbelt system with child restraint systems (CRS). A comprehensive series of frontal impact sled tests, using a standardized test method, was conducted to compare the performance of rear-facing-only CRS installed using an inflatable seatbelt to the same CRS installed using a standard seatbelt. CRS models from several manufacturers in the North American market were tested both with and without their bases. CRABI 12 month old or Hybrid III 3 year old anthropomorphic test devices (ATD) were restrained in the CRS. The assessment included the ability to achieve a satisfactory installation with the inflatable seatbelt, comparisons of ATD and CRS kinematics, CRS system integrity, and comparisons of ATD responses. In all cases, acceptable installations of the CRS were achieved with the inflatable seatbelt system. When installed with the base, there was a statistically significant reduction in HIC36 for the ATDs restrained using the inflatable seatbelt compared to those installed using the standard seatbelt. The differences in peak resultant chest accelerations for the two seatbelt systems were not statistically significant and minor differences were noted in CRS and ATD kinematics. When installed without the base, HIC36 and peak resultant chest acceleration did not have statistically significant differences and kinematics were comparable. No system integrity issues were identified in CRS installed using inflatable seatbelts for either the installations with or without the base.
Pline, KevinBoard, DerekMuralidharan, NirmalSundararajan, SrinivasanEiswerth, EricSalciccioli, KatieBaker, Noelle
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