In occupant safety assessment, numerical simulations of automotive crash provide a valuable tool for the engineers. A large number of numerical models of dummies have been proposed to date to help engineers to assess with numerical simulation tools the level of injury on occupants in automobile crashes.

In side impacts, the phenomena are more complicated than in other crash configurations such the frontal and rear-end collision. The dummy and the car structural parts, such as side-door panels, interact strongly during the side impacts. In order to accurately predict the phenomena in such situations, a detailed 3 D finite element model of the DOT-SID dummy was developed [Ref.1 and 2]. In the present model, based on the SID dummy, we carried out the combined simulation and experimental verification of the dynamic and pseudo-static characteristics of different materials such as foam, rubber, composites and so forth.

The SID finite element model has been validated first at the individual segment level, then by using rigid surface impactor tests on dummy sub-assemblies, and finally based on the SID performance verification impact tests on the complete dummy assembly.

Furthermore, the SID finite element model was also validated in padded surface impactor situations providing similar effects as the real configuration of passenger car side impacts. A parametric study was carried out on this configuration to reduce the level of injury parameters.

The paper presents the results from these validation steps.