The ES-2re has limited abilities to output measures such as abdominal deflections which may be used to predict region-specific injuries. The WorldSID is being increasingly used in full-scale crash tests and sled experiments because of its ability to extract biomechanical metrics such as abdominal deflections in lateral impacts. Concerns have been raised by researchers around the world regarding the issue of the pelvis flesh interference in allowing the abdominal rib to deflect in side impacts and underestimate the local deflection/injury. The present study was conducted using a WorldSID 50th percentile male dummy to determine the influence of the flesh in constraining the abdomen rib kinetics.

A standard and modified pelvis was tested on a side impact buck with a 50 mm abdomen offset at 3, 4, and 5 m/s. The jacket, struck side arm, and rib padding were removed. Of specific study focus, deflections from the second abdomen rib are discussed. Increasing velocities produced increasing forces and deflections. Force and deflection responses were uni-modal and repeatable under both seating conditions and both types of pelvises. Peak deflections were not significantly different between the standard and modified dummies in the reclined seat configuration. This was independent of velocity. In the upright configuration, peak abdomen deflections were slightly greater at 3 and 4 m/s, and the trend was reversed at 5 m/s. Only two extreme seat configurations were chosen as a range of dummy pelvis angles in motor vehicles. A comparison with earlier tests was difficult due to numerous differences in test methodologies. These findings indicate that the standard WorldSID pelvis may be used without pelvic flesh-rib interaction inhibiting abdomen kinetics and that modification of the pelvis flesh is not necessary at this time.