BIOMECHANICS OF LIVER INJURY BY STEERING WHEEL LOADING

Abdominal injury induced by steering wheel contact at a velocity of 32 km/hr was investigated using anesthetized swine as the surrogate on a Hyge sled. The lower rim of the wheel was positioned 5 cm below the xyphoid. By varying wheel stiffness, wheel orientation, and column angle, resultant abdominal injury ranged from fatal or critical to minor or none. Wheel stiffness was found to be the primary determinant of abdominal injury severity. The mechanism of abdominal injury was identified to be the rim impacting the abdomen and exceeding a combined velocity and compression sensitive tolerance limit. Abdominal injury occurred within the initial 15 ms of wheel contact before whole body movement of the surrogate or column compression, which were initiated by hub contact with the thorax. The severity of abdominal injury correlated with the peak viscous response which can be represented by the product of the instantaneous velocity of abdominal deformation and abdominal compression. It did not correlate with spinal acceleration.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00225282
• Corporate Authors:

  Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

  428 East Preston Street
  Baltimore, MD  United States  21202
• Authors:
  • Lau IV
  • Horsch, J D
  • Viano, D C
  • Andrzejak, D V
• Publication Date: 1987-3

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 225-235
• Serial:
  • Journal of Trauma, Injury, Infection and Critical Care
  • Volume: 27
  • Issue Number: 3
  • Publisher: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
  • ISSN: 0022-5282

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Abdomen; Animals; Biophysics; Crash victim simulation; Impact loads; Injury severity; Laboratory animals; Steering wheels; Stiffness; Testing; Velocity
• Old TRIS Terms: Impact loading
• Subject Areas: Highways; Research; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment; I84: Personal Injuries; I91: Vehicle Design and Safety;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00491848
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: HS-040 155
• Files: HSL, TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Mar 31 1990 12:00AM