BIOMECHANICS AND CRASH SURVIVABILITY-A STATUS REPORT

Development of biomechanics as applied to vehicle crashworthiness is presented. Historical precedents for this work are described. Applications of biomechanics in predicting tolerance to aircraft emergency loads led to modeling techniques which permitted prediction of injury probability from acceleration data. Similar techniques, developed for other injury mechanisms, are discussed. Kinetic models have been developed for predicting motion of the human in a crash environment and the injury models are used to evaluate the sensitivity of the human to the crash. Both of these models require experimental validation. Selection and description of a test subject for these experiments pose many difficulties. Limitations and advantages of human, cadaver, animal, and dummy tests are presented. A final application of biomechanics is the development of suitable dummy performance requirements for evaluation of crash injury reduction systems. Anthropometric data must be determined for a representative population to describe both sizes and capabilities. Body properties must be established to permit duplication in the dummy. Modeling techniques for relating injury to dummy response must be developed and validated. Finally, reliablility and validity of the dummy performance in the specific crash environment must be established.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Vehicle Safety Research Integration Symposium, Washington, D.C., May 30 and 31. Sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Washington, D.C.
• Corporate Authors:

  Federal Aviation Administration

  800 Independence Avenue, SW
  Washington, DC  United States  20591
• Authors:
  • Chandler, R F
• Conference:
  • Vehicle Safety Research Integration Symposium, Washington, D.C., May 30 and 31. Sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Washington, D.C.
• Publication Date: 1973-5

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References;
• Pagination: p. 197-216

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Anthropometry; Biophysics; Cadavers; Crash injury research; Crashworthiness; Dummies; Human factors; Kinetics
• Subject Areas: Highways; Research; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00098457
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Safety Council Safety Research Info Serv
• Report/Paper Numbers: DOT HS-820 306 Symposium
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Sep 30 1975 12:00AM