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Limited data exist which quantify the kinematic response of the human head and cervical spine in low-speed rear-end automobile collisions. The objectives of this study were to quantify human head/neck kinematics and how they vary with vehicle speed change and gender during low-speed rear-end collisions. Forty-two human subjects (21 male, 21 female) were exposed to two rear-end vehicle-to-vehicle impacts (speed changes of 4 kmlh and 8 km/h). Accelerations and displacements of the head and torso were measured using 6 degree-of-freedom accelerometry and sagittal high speed video respectively. Velocity was calculated by integrating the accelerometer data. Kinematic data of the head and C7-T1 joint axis in the global reference frame, and head kinematic data relative to the C7-T1 joint axis are presented. A statistical comparison between peak amplitude and time-to-peak amplitude for thirty-one common peaks in the kinematic response was performed.

Accurate assessment of the severity of a low speed impact between two vehicles can sometimes only be accomplished through staged collisions with the actual or exemplar vehicles. However, the cost of obtaining, colliding, then repairing the vehicles often precludes this option. For this paper, two prototype moving barriers were constructed to test three different bumper assemblies separate from their vehicles. Candidate bumper assemblies were mounted to the moving barriers for low speed impact testing with a stationary barrier and three other vehicles. Forty three test series of 701 total impacts were done to compare bumper performance in moving barrier tests with their in-situ counterpart. Vehicle-to-fixed barrier, vehicle-to-vehicle, moving barrier-to-fixed barrier and moving barrier-to-vehicle tests were done using four different vehicles. The actual vehicle and moving barrier results were statistically compared.