Citation

Bowman BM, Schneider LW, Foust DR. Proc. Stapp Car Crash Conf. 1975; 19: 429-454.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1975, Society of Automotive Engineers SAE)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Occupant response to side-impact collisions is studied with a mathematical vehicle/occupant model, the NVMA Two-Dimensional Crash Victim Simulator. A primary goal is the investigation of head-torso relative motion and neck forces and moments. The subject pool consisted of six carefully defined population segments which represented young, middle-age, and elderly male and female adults of average stature. The side-impact simulations make use of much pertinent data resulting from the volunteer subject testing program, including head-neck lateral bend range of motion, sternomastoid muscle group strength, reflex time, and anthropometry. For the various population segments, the series of computer simulations investigates 10- and 30-mph car-to-car impacts, the effect of muscle reflex with muscle tension buildup, and the effect of varying degrees of pre-impact constant tension. It is determined that neck muscle contraction may significantly lessen the likelihood of hard-tissue injury resulting from excessive lateral flexion. The lesser muscular strength of female and elderly crash victims indicates greater susceptibility to neck injury for these groups.