Evaluation of DAMAGE Algorithm in Frontal Crashes.

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Automotive Safety Engineering
• Injury Biomechanics

Background:

• Rotational kinematics of the head are increasingly important in evaluating brain injury risk during vehicle crashes.
• Two key injury criteria, BrIC and DAMAGE, have emerged since 2013 for assessing these risks.
• While BrIC is established in US crash testing, DAMAGE's application in US fleet testing remains less explored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report on the performance of the DAMAGE injury criterion in National Crash Analysis Center (NCAC)-like tests.
• To evaluate potential future frontal crash tests involving significant head rotation.
• To analyze the distribution of DAMAGE for occupants using three-point seatbelts without airbags.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing NCAC-like test scenarios to assess the DAMAGE criterion.
• Simulating frontal crashes with substantial head rotation about three axes.
• Comparing predicted brain injury risks from tests with real-world accident data.

Main Results:

• The DAMAGE criterion correlates well with the Maximum Principal Stress (MPS) in human brain models across various scenarios.
• Predicted risk of Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) 2+ brain injuries using DAMAGE is higher than observed in real-world data.
• Predictions for AIS 4+ brain injury risk are accurate in lower-velocity crashes but overestimated in NCAC-like and high-speed angular frontal impacts.

Conclusions:

• The DAMAGE criterion shows potential for assessing head rotation injuries but requires refinement for accurate real-world risk prediction.
• Further research is needed to calibrate DAMAGE predictions, particularly for moderate to severe brain injuries (AIS 2+ and AIS 4+).
• Understanding DAMAGE distribution in different restraint scenarios (e.g., no airbags) is crucial for improving automotive safety evaluations.