A linear, visco-elastic, distributed mass model developed to produce values of local stress, strain, strain energy density, and other traditional material failure indicants as a function of time has been exposed to a wide range of expected impact scenarios. The results of these analytical experiments are then used to determine the ability of several currently popular injury indices, such as TTI and V*C, to predict the extent and severity of structural damage within the model based on each of the traditional failure indicators.

Additional issues, such as (1) effects of geometrical changes on the performance of the current injury indices, (2) temporal relationships between the current indices and the various material failure indicators, and (3) spatial distribution of the predicted failure within the structure, are addressed and evaluated.

Conclusions and recommendations are offered on all of the above subjects.