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This paper presents the results of structural tests to investigate, first, the relationships between geometric and constitutive characteristics of ribs and, second, their mechanical behavior and rupture threshold. A new methodology was developed that included tests on complete isolated ribs. These tests simulated anterior-posterior loading, as seen in frontal impact. The 4th to 9th ribs were removed from five cadaver rib cages. The costal geometry was obtained from CT scans and was used to build a specific finite-element model for each rib tested. The test setup was composed of two caps wherein the two rib extremities were potted. One cap was fixed on the frame of the test setup through a pin joint. The second cap was fixed to a mobile truck through a pin joint. The truck allowed low friction translation along the anterior-posterior axis. Translation was imposed on the cap such that a constant displacement rate was obtained.