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A Test Bed to Examine Helmet Fit and Retention and Biomechanical Measures of Head and Neck Injury in Simulated Impact
Published on: September 21, 2017
ES2 neck injury assessment reference values for lateral loading in side facing seats.
M Philippens1, J Wismans, P A Forbes
1TNO Automotive, Helmond, Netherlands. mat.philippens@tno.nl
Stapp Car Crash Journal
|January 12, 2010
Summary
New injury assessment reference values (IARV) are now available for aircraft passengers. These values predict neck injuries in side-facing seating, enhancing safety in aviation and other transport.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanical Engineering
- Injury Biomechanics
- Aerospace Safety
Background:
- Injury assessment reference values (IARV) for neck injuries in side-facing aircraft passengers are currently unavailable.
- Aircraft crash scenarios involve unique inertial loading distinct from automotive impacts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop IARV for the European Side Impact Dummy-2 (ES-2) for side-facing aircraft passenger crash conditions.
- To establish injury risk curves for the ES-2 dummy in aviation-specific impact scenarios.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of previously published postmortem human subject (PMHS) neck loads.
- Comparison of ES-2 and PMHS head-neck kinematics and neck loads.
- Development of injury risk curves using regression analysis on PMHS data.
Main Results:
- The ES-2 dummy demonstrated similar kinematic responses to PMHS during impact loading.
- Tension force at the occipital condyles in PMHS strongly correlated with AIS3+ injuries (r² = 0.9158).
- Tension force in the ES-2 upper neck showed a significant correlation (r² = 0.72) with injury severity, proposed as an IARV.
Conclusions:
- A proposed IARV of 2094 N tension force at the upper neck of the ES-2 dummy is suggested for a 50% risk of AIS3+ injuries.
- These IARV can enhance safety evaluations for side-facing seats in aircraft, military vehicles, and public transport.
