Project

Full title: Advancing Neck Injury Prediction in Car Crashes using the SAFER HBM 

Abstract: The cervical spine (neck) is a complex body region that can be exposed to a variety of injury consequences, ranging from high severity (e.g. fractures and dislocations) to more frequent lower severity soft-tissue injuries, often referred to as whiplash injuries in almost all types of car crashes. With increasing vehicle automation, car occupant positions and activities are expected to vary more, enabled by an expanding range of seating positions and automated pre-crash interventions in future vehicles. The project focuses on the development of an advanced cervical spine model and associated injury prediction capabilities for the SAFER HBM, enabling analysis of future crash-scenarios for a diverse population of occupants. 

Traffic safety benefit: The improved neck injury prediction capability will contribute to the enhancements of vehicle and restraints designs combined with collision mitigation technologies. The developments help in continued development of equally safe restraint designs for a divers population of occupants.

Key words: Cervical Spine, Injury Prediction, Finite Element Human Body Model, SAFER HBM