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The necessity of avoiding the destructive and non-repeatable FSST (Full Scale Sled Test) makes it desirable to devise a cheaper and more repeatable method which can supplant this test procedure. This need developed the HCTD (HIC Component Testing Device) which is capable of providing conservative HIC results with higher repeatability. The computational model of the HCTD is validated against one of the tests conducted at CAMI with polyethylene foam. This validated model is used to conduct a series of tests with input parameters similar to the sled test to develop the correlation between the sled test and HCTD. This study hence concludes that a validated computational model of HCTD can be successfully utilized to address the HIC compliance issues for a foam padded surface.

This research describes a different method of approach to evaluate the occupant kinematics and the acceleration pulse as well as injury criteria in different frontal impact scenarios. With the help of the stiffness based impact model of PC-Crash, input data for the multi body simulation code MADYMO was generated to evaluate occupant behavior in different vehicle-to-vehicle frontal impact scenarios. These results were compared and validated against a non linear finite element analysis (LS-Dyna) together with MADYMO to evaluate the accuracy of the PC-Crash/MADYMO analysis. The results show that the accuracy of the PC-Crash/MADYMO simulations are in close correlation to the LS-Dyna/MADYMO analysis in terms of vehicle acceleration pulse, post impact velocity, occupant acceleration as well as occupant kinematics, belt forces and injury criteria.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)'s analysis of commuter aircraft accidents and ongoing research has indicated that the crashworthiness capabilities of smaller aircraft may be questionable. The small size of these aircraft results in a stiff structure and consequently higher impact loads experienced by the occupants. In 1993, the FAA issued a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) 93-71 to increase the deceleration pulse amplitude of the sled tests under the Test-1 conditions (60-degree test) to 32G for the commuter type aircraft. To meet this condition, the seat design must exploit the energy absorption potential for its structural components. Energy absorbing components may include the seat legs, seat pan, and seat cushion. The intent is to design the seat so that it strikes well beyond the elastic limit to absorb the energy of the impact. To date, no seat has yet been able to pass the proposed criteria with an acceptable limit on the lumbar load (1500 pounds).