Citation

L'Abbe RJ, Dainty DA, Newman JA. Proc. IRCOBI 1982; 10: 184-194.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1982, International Research Council on Biomechanics of Injury)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

In a study of accidents involving fully restrained occupants, where at least one such occupant sustained an injury at the AIS 2 level or greater, it was found that injuries to the chest accounted for 12.5% of all non-minor injuries to drivers and 18.8% of such injuries to right front passengers. Chest injuries accounted for 30% of all injuries at the AIS 5-6 level. Thus, notwithstanding the thoroughly documented effectiveness of the lap/shoulder belt system, thoracic injury due to the restraining forces applied by the upper belt remains a problem. To examine the inherent protective capacity of a restraint system one may rely on post accident field information or laboratory evaluation with anthropometric test devices. Since an upper torso belt can not be considered a blunt mid-sternal impactor, it seems reasonable that a more suitable anthropometric test device than used before may be required to assess the loading characteristics of typical belt webbing material. Therefore more precise and detailed force deformation characteristics of human chests are necessary. This study explores the variation between a Hybrid III thorax and human 50th percentile volunteers in terms of anthropometric measurements and deflection response to strip loading. (TRRL)