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Computer simulation modelling has become one of the cornerstones for automotive safety vehicle development. The desire to shorten vehicle design schedules, as well as reduce prototype build and test cycles, is driving the need for more useful and accurate simulation models. This paper discusses testing techniques for two commonly used types of models; Lumped Mass/Spring and Occupant Response Simulation. These models are used for vehicle structure and interior component and restraint development, respectively. Although these types of simulations are not new to the industry, both the actual models and testing techniques used to generate input data have been gradually improved throughout the years. Readers of this paper will gain a broader understanding of the usefulness of these models, as well as the component testing which is done to build a valid simulation.

Deformations of soft tissues and seat cushion foam are significant factors in determining the interface contours between the seat and the back of the thigh. This paper describes the measurement of forces, deformations, and contours of people's thighs and seat cushion materials. The goal of this work is to represent the human interactions with seats. A two-dimensional, plane strain finite element method was used to develop a contact model between the cross section of the human mid-thigh and flat surfaces, which can be a flat, rigid surface or a flat, foam cushion of various thicknesses and densities. Results of human and seat interactions for various subjects were measured, modeled, and compared. The present work showed a good agreement between experiments and models for various subjects and foam densities. The important results showed that the stiffness of the foam does not depend on the foam thickness.