Abstract
A new lumped- mass model was developed for the assessment of countermeasures in reducing thoracic injuries in side impacts. This model includes, outer and inner masses for the door at the pelvis and thorax locations, and partitioned masses for A- and B- pillars to simulate the dynamics of the door and the pillars. It is ideally suited for in- depth investigations of door property changes, moving deformable barrier (MDB) and side structural design changes for occupant response trends and sensitivity studies, which could not be accomplished with the earlier lumped mass model. Baseline calibration studies focused on six vehicles of different curb weights and sizes.