Project

Full title: Enhancing Female and Male SAFER HBM Torso Injury Prediction (I-HBM V)

Abstract:  Expecting a greater variation in occupant sitting postures and activities in future vehicles, continued development of occupant safety is needed to provide a high level of protection in future crashes. This increases the requirements on injury risk prediction tools. In this project, the project partners Autoliv, Chalmers and Volvo Cars aim to further improve torso injury risk prediction capabilities of the SAFER Human Body Model.  Specific goals include improving chest injury risk predictions – by updating the chest modelling, enhancing current rib fracture risk predictions and developing new capability for sternum and costal cartilage fractures – and improving submarining assessment as well as developing pelvis fracture risk capabilities. Effects of population variability, such as age, sex, size and individual variability will be considered in injury risk developments.

Traffic safety benefit: Improved torso injury risk predictions for males and females contributes the development of enhanced occupant protection, reducing fatality and injury risk for occupants in future cars.

Connection to other projects: Follows several previous projects: “Development of implementable, Omni Directional Chest and Spine Injury Criteria for HBMs (IHBM III)”, “Assessment of Passenger Safety In Future cars”, “Vehicle Passenger Safety to the Next Level”, “Pelvis and spine injury predicting models for women and men in a variety of sitting postures in future autonomous cars (Injury-HBM IV)”, “Taking SAFER HBM to the global arena; focusing on the cervical and thoracic spine”.

Key words: SAFER HBM, crash injury risk, rib fracture, sternum fracture, pelvis fracture, submarining, virtual testing