Citation

Aggromito D, Jaffrey M, Chhor AO, Chen B, Yan W. J. Biomech. Eng. 2017; 139(10): ePub.

Affiliation

Monash University, Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, Clayton Victoria 3800, Australiawenyi.yan@monash.edu.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, American Society of Mechanical Engineers)

DOI

10.1115/1.4037401

PMID

28753685

Abstract

The Hybrid III anthropomorphic test device (ATD) is commonly used in tests to assess potential occupant injury due to land mine blast on armoured vehicles. An experimental study was carried out using a drop tower test rig to understand the effect of various lumbar spine assemblies for a Hybrid III ATD. Thirty-two tests were carried out using two body-borne equipment mass conditions and three variations of ATDs, which includes the Hybrid III with the curved (conventional) spine, the Hybrid III with the pedestrian (straight) spine and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Hybrid III also with a straight spine. The results showed that the straight lumbar spine assemblies produced similar ATD responses in drop tower tests using a rigid seat. In contrast, the curved lumbar spine assembly generated a lower pelvis acceleration and a higher lumbar load than the straight lumbar spine assemblies. The maximum relative displacement of the lumbar spine occurred after the peak loading event, suggesting that the dynamic response index is not suitable for assessing injury when the impact duration is short and an ATD is seated on a rigid seat. The peak vertical lumbar loads did not change with increasing body-borne equipment mass because the equipment mass effect did not become a factor during the peak loading event. A numerical study indicates that an acceleration pulse of 81 g is required to surpass the FAA lumbar load threshold when the FAA Hybrid III is seated on a rigid seat in a drop tower test.

Language: en