Lower extremity response and trauma assessment using the Thor-Lx/HIIIr and the Denton leg in frontal offset vehicle crashes

Kuppa, Shashi; Haffner, Mark; Eppinger, Rolf; Saunders, James

NHTSA has recently released the documentation for manufacture and use of the Thor-Lx Hybrid III retrofit (Thor-Lx/HIIIr), an advanced lower extremity device that fits on the Hybrid III 50th percentile male dummy at the distal femur. In order to compare the response of the Thor-Lx/HIIIr and the Denton leg in the vehicle crash environment, NHTSA conducted a series of vehicle crash tests where 40 percent of the vehicle’s frontal structure along the driver’s side engaged the EU deformable barrier. The test series consisted of 4 pairs of crash tests using a belted Hybrid III 50th percentile adult male dummy in the driver’s position. Pairs of tests were conducted under identical crash conditions using the same vehicle make, model, and model year with the Denton legs on the dummy in one test and the Thor-Lx/HIIIr legs on the dummy in the other test. This paper presents a detailed analysis of the responses of the Hybrid III dummy and the two types of legs in the paired crash tests.

Injury assessments for the leg-foot/ankle complex using existing injury criteria for the Denton leg and recently proposed injury criteria for the Thor-Lx/HIIIr are also presented. The predicted injury outcome from each of the leg types is compared to lower extremity trauma in real world crashes

Year

Entry

1998

Welbourne ER, Shewchenko N. Improved measures of foot and ankle injury risk from the Hybrid III tibia. In: Proceedings of the 16th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). May 31–June 4, 1998; Windsor, Ontario, Canada.1618-1627.

1997

Portier L, Petit P, Dômont A, Trosseille X, Le Coz J-Y, Tarrière C, Lassau J-P. Dynamic biomechanical dorsiflexion responses and tolerances of the ankle joint complex. In: Proceedings of the 41st Stapp Car Crash Conference. November 13-14, 1997; Lake Buena Vista, FL. Warrendale, PA: Society of Automotive Engineers:207-224. SAE 973330.

1996

Crandall JR, Portier L, Petit P, Hall GW, Bass CR, Klopp GS, Hurwitz S, Pilkey WD, Trosseille X, Tarrière C, Lassau J-P. Biomechanical response and physical properties of the leg, foot, and ankle. In: Proceedings of the 40th Stapp Car Crash Conference. November 4-6, 1996; Albuquerque, NM. Warrendale, PA: Society of Automotive Engineers:173-192. SAE 962424.

1999

Rudd R, Crandall J, Butcher J. Biofidelity evaluation of dynamic and static response characteristics of the Thor Lx dummy lower extremity. In: Proceedings of the 1999 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Impact. September 23-24, 1999; Sitges, Spain.485-497.

1999

Petit P, Trosseille X. Comparison of the THOR, HYBRID III and cadaver lower leg dynamic responses in dorsiflexion. In: Proceedings of the 43rd Stapp Car Crash Conference. October 25-27, 1999; San Diego, CA. Warrendale, PA: Society of Automotive Engineers:161-169. SAE 99SC10.