Transportation Expertise

Impact Testing and Human Response

Research in injury biomechanics at UMTRI uses laboratory experiments with human surrogates to study the mechanical response of the human body to dynamic loading and to determine the mechanisms of, and tolerances to, different body types of injury. The results are used to develop new injury criteria and injury assessment tools that are used to evaluate the effectiveness of restraint technologies and design countermeasures. Injury assessment tools include improved anthropomorphic test devices (crash dummies), test procedures, and computer models that simulate occupant kinematics and dynamics.

Selected projects in this area:

Stapp Car Crash Journal and Conference
Sponsor: Stapp, John Paul, Association
Investigator: Leda Ricci
01/01/2006 - 12/31/2011

Development of Improved Knee-Thigh-Hip Injury Criteria
Sponsor: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Investigator: Jonathan Rupp
00/00/0000 - 00/00/0000

Airbag Skin Abrasions
Sponsor:
Investigator: Matthew Reed
00/00/0000 - 00/00/0000

Airbag Thermal Burns
Sponsor:
Investigator: Matthew Reed
00/00/0000 - 00/00/0000

Evaluation of 4-point Belt Restraint in Frontal Impacts
Sponsor: Ford Motor Company
Investigator: Jonathan Rupp
09/01/2003 - 06/30/2008

Investigation of Airbag-Induced Forearm Fractures
Sponsor:
Investigator: Lawrence Schneider
00/00/0000 - 00/00/0000

Abdominal Impact Response Characterization
Sponsor: General Motors
Investigator: Lawrence Schneider
03/01/1996 - 03/31/2000

Development of the MAMA-2B Pregnant Crash Test Dummy
Sponsor: General Motors
Investigator: Jonathan Rupp
11/01/1996 - 03/31/2000

Evaluation of the Performance of a Four-Point Belt System in Far-Side Lateral Impact
Sponsor: Ford Motor Company
Investigator: Jonathan Rupp
10/01/2005 - 12/31/2006

Knee-Thigh-Hip (KTH) Response and Injury in Frontal Crashes
Sponsor: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Investigator: Jonathan Rupp
04/20/2005 - 04/19/2006

Abdominal and Pelvic Response and Injury Research
Sponsor: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Investigator: Jonathan Rupp
02/01/2005 - 07/01/2008