Seventeen side impact sled tests were performed with unembalmed human cadavers. Data analyzed include T1-Y acceleration, shoulder and thoracic load plate forces, upper sternum X and Y accelerations, and struck side acromion X, Y and Z accelerations. The maximum forces of thorax and shoulder vary from test to test, but overall, increase with subject velocity and padding stiffness. The peak acceleration in upper sternum X and T1-Y direction increased with subject velocity. The peak acceleration in upper sternum X direction decreased with soft padding. Shoulder deflection (T1 to shoulder edge) of 88 mm to 154 mm occurred under various test conditions. The skeletal deflection was about an inch (25.4 mm) less than the overall shoulder deflection. The shoulder deflection increased with impact velocity and pelvic offset, and decreased with soft padding. Thicker soft padding reduced the shoulder deflection even more. The higher speed unpadded impacts produced acromioclavicular separation and acromion fracture. The higher speed padded impacts produced clavicle fracture and acromioclavicular separation, acromioclavicular separation only, or no injury. Fractures of clavicle and acromion appear to be related to peaks in the unfiltered shoulder force-time curve. Maximum deflection (T1 to shoulder edge) of 106 mm between shoulder edge and the spine corresponds to a 50% probability of Maximum Abbreviated Injury Scale (MAIS) 2 at the shoulder. The best predictor of an MAIS 2 injury was the numerical combination of Average Spine Acceleration (ASA) 10 and deflection. For the covering abstract of the conference see ITRD E206605.
Abstract