Search Results

Real-world crash investigations have suggested that lower limb injury risk is increased with the occurrence of toepan intrusion in a frontal collision. In order to more closely evaluate the effects of different modes of toepan intrusion, a rotational and translational intrusion device was built for the test sled at the University of Virginia. Sled tests were performed at a velocity of 56 km/h with a belted Hybrid III occupant and a simulated knee bolster and steering wheel air bag. Lower limb injury risk measures were obtained with Hybrid III and Thor Lx dummy lower extremities. Dummy response variables of interest included tibia axial and shear loads, tibia bending moments, ankle rotations and foot and tibia accelerations. The tests were conducted with no intrusion and with a translational intrusion with a peak deceleration of approximately 175 g's with 14 cm of translation.

Sixty-three simulated frontal impacts using cadaveric specimens were performed to examine and quantify the performance of various contemporary automotive restraint systems. Test specimens were instrumented with accelerometers and chest bands to characterize their mechanical responses during the impact. The resulting thoracic injury severity was determined using detailed autopsy and was classified using the Abbreviated Injury Scale. The ability of various mechanical parameters and combinations of parameters to assess the observed injury severities was examined and resulted in the observation that belt restraint systems generally had higher injury rates than air bag restraint systems for the same level of mechanical responses. To provide better injury evaluations from observed mechanical parameters without prior knowledge of what restraint system was being used, a dichotomous process was developed.