Development and validation of a novel physical neck for crash test dummies

Date

2024-1

Author

Göçmen, Ulaş

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Crash test dummies are used to measure human injury potential in crash tests. Hybrid III family dummies are not suitable for frontal whiplash injury evaluation since they have stiff necks. This fact warrants a more biofidelic neck for the evaluation of frontal whiplash injuries. In this thesis study, a novel physical neck for crash test dummies has been developed. This physical neck is suitable in the evaluation of whiplash injuries. Human neck is a complex system embodying vertebrae, intervertebral discs, ligaments, and muscles. Complex geometry of each component of the neck has been biofidelically modelled in detail. Suitable materials are chosen for all of the components. The physical neck prototype is manufactured. The manufactured physical neck has been pre-validated by performing the pendulum tests. The physical modular neck is assembled to a Hybrid III 50 percentile crash test dummy, replacing its original neck. Performance of the novel physical neck has been experimentally observed through performing sled tests and comparing its behavior with the available cadaver data. The developed physical neck prototype has been validated and good agreement has been achieved. The novel physical neck can be used omnidirectionally in the evaluation of whiplash injuries with particular emphasis on frontal impact. Therefore, in this study, the developed physical neck is claimed to be novel and original, which has already been granted US patent with number US11386810B2.

Subject Keywords

Physical neck, Frontal whiplash, Crash test dummy, Vehicle safety, Sled test

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11511/108396

Collections

Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Thesis