Development of an advanced 50th percentile male head/neck system for application to crash test dummies

Huang, T. J.; Shams, T.; Rangarajan, N.; Haffner, M.; Eppinger, R.

An advanced 50th percentile male mechanical head/neck system has been developed which is capable of duplicating the responses of human head/neck kinematics and dynamics during multidirectional impacts. The head/neck system was based on the head and neck originally designed for the THOR Alpha advanced frontal dummy. The new system can be utilized on the THOR dummy, but can also be directly retrofitted to the standard 50th percentile male Hybrid III dummy.

In this paper, an overview of the new head/neck system design is presented. Simulation methods utilized for design and validation purposes are discussed. Results of dynamic pendulum and multidirectional mini-sled tests are also provided. Finally, responses are compared with benchmark human volunteer data.

Year

Entry

2001

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1998

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1995

Thunnissen J, Wismans J, Ewing CL, Thomas DJ. Human volunteer head-neck response in frontal flexion: a new analysis. In: Proceedings of the 39th Stapp Car Crash Conference. November 8-10, 1995; San Diego, CA. Warrendale, PA: Society of Automotive Engineers:439-460. SAE 952721.

1989

Mendis K, Stalnaker RL, Pritz HB. Multi-directional dummy neck prototype. In: Proceedings of the 12th International Technical Conference on Experimental Safety Vehicles (ESV). May 29–June 1, 1989; Göteborg, Sweden.645-649.

1975

Ewing CL, Thomas DJ, Lustick L, Becker E, Willems G, Muzzy WH. The effect of the initial position of the head and neck on the dynamic response of the human head and neck to -Gx impact acceleration. In: Proceedings of the 19th Stapp Car Crash Conference. November 17-19, 1975; San Diego, CA. Warrendale, PA: Society of Automotive Engineers:487-512. SAE 751157.