A pressure-based abdominal insert for THOR-NT

JSAE Annual Congress Society of Automotive Engineers of Japan, Yokohama, JAPON, 23-/05/2012 - 25/05/2012; Abdomen injuries of belted car occupants involved in frontal collisions are generally severe ones. However, no existing crash test dummy allows their prediction. THOR-NT lower abdomen was modified to include a pair of fluid-filled bladders sealed with a pressure sensor. As a preliminary evaluation, the abdomen prototype was loaded in static tests by a seat belt wrapped around it at the umbilicus height and retracted by pretensioners. The introduction of pressure sensors had no significant effect on abdomen biofidelity. Furthermore, recorded pressures gave a good indication of loading severity and associated injuries reported in literature.