This paper gives a new approach to provide information on the human tolerance against the impacts with selected unembalmed cadavers whose principal physical characteristics follow the distribution of the 5th, the 50th and the 95th percentile male. A series of tests was conducted with a horizontal steel bar impactor. Two energy levels used were intended to be without bone fracture and to cause bone fracture for two impacted areas: the thorax at the mid-sternum in frontal impact or subaxillary in lateral impact, and the pelvis at the H point in lateral impact. Before the tests, each subject was instrumented. Three mounting plates for tri-axial accelerometer were screwed to the lumbar spine at D1, D12 and at the sacrum. Three small balls were installed on each accelerometer to serve as reference points in the three-dimensional analysis with the films from three high speed cameras. The impactor acceleration and the impactor forces were recorded. After each impact, the subject was examined, photographed, and positioned to the next impact. After the final impact, the subject was removed for autopsy to determine the injuries. (A)
Abstract