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Harold J Mertz

Publications and source records attributed to Harold J Mertz.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

Side Impact Response Corridors for the Rigid Flat-Wall and Offset-Wall Side Impact Tests of NHTSA Using the ISO Method of Corridor Development.

The purpose of this paper is to compare the biofidelity rating schemes of ISO/TR9790 and the NHTSA Bio Rank System. This paper describes the development of new impact response corridors being proposed for ISO/TR9790 from the results of a recent series of side-impact sled tests. The response data were analyzed by methods consistent with ISO/TR9790, including normalization by impulse-momentum analysis and the elimination of subjects that sustained six or more rib fractures. Unlike ISO/TR9790, this paper proposes the elimination of the data from tests in which the timing and the sequence of loading of the individual impact plates were inconsistent compared to other tests conducted with the same impact wall configuration. As a result of differences in the analysis methods, data selection criteria, and the method of corridor construction, the impact response corridors proposed here are different from those developed by NHTSA, despite the fact that both sets of corridors were developed from the same series of sled tests. Responses of the ES-2 and ES-2re side impact dummies are compared to both sets of corridors. The response corridors developed in this paper are proposed as an addition to and not a replacement for those given in the 1999 revision of ISO/TR9790.

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Evaluation of the ES-2re Dummy in Biofidelity, Component, and Full Vehicle Crash Tests.

This technical paper presents the results from tests conducted with the ES-2re, a version of the ES-2 side impact dummy that was modified by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to improve its performance in crash tests. Through the series of biofidelity tests conducted on the ES-2re, described in International Standards Organization (ISO) Technical Report (TR)9790 (1999), the OSRP observed a final overall biofidelity ranking of 4.1 for the ES-2re, which corresponds to an ISO classification of "marginal." The biofidelity of the ES-2re is compared to that of the ES-2 and the WorldSID. Repeatability was also evaluated on the ES-2re based on the biofidelity test data. Additional pendulum tests were performed to assess the response of the dummy in oblique loading conditions, and results indicate that oblique loading from the front leads to significantly reduced rib deflections. To evaluate inconsistencies observed in the response of the ES-2, the OSRP analyzed the shoulder biofidelity via additional sled and drop tests. Due to the shoulder design of the ES-2 and ES-2re, the dummies appear to have significant sensitivity to initial conditions, potentially increasing variability in full vehicle tests. Finally, the responses of the ES-2re in full vehicle tests are compared to those of the ES-2 and the WorldSID.

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Biomechanical and scaling bases for frontal and side impact injury assessment reference values.

In 1983, General Motors Corporation (GM) petitioned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to allow the use of the biofidelic Hybrid III midsize adult male dummy as an alternate test device for FMVSS 208 compliance testing of frontal impact, passive restraint systems. To support their petition, GM made public to the international automotive community the limit values that they imposed on the Hybrid III measurements, which were called Injury Assessment Reference Values (IARVs). During the past 20 years, these IARVs have been updated based on relevant biomechanical studies that have been published and scaled to provide IARVs for the Hybrid III and CRABI families of frontal impact dummies. Limit values have also been developed for the biofidelic side impact dummies, BioSID, EuroSID2 and SID-IIs. The purpose of this paper is to provide in a single document: 1) a listing of the IARVs for measurements made with the Hybrid III and CRABI families of frontal impact dummies, and for the biofidelic side impact dummies, 2) the biomechanical and/or scaling bases for these IARVs, and 3) a comparison of IARVs and regulatory compliance limits and how they affect restraint design.

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Guidelines for assessing the biofidelity of side impact dummies of various sizes and ages.

The Human Mechanical Simulation Subcommittee of the Human Biomechanics and Simulation Standards Committee of the Society of Automotive Engineers took on the task of defining test procedures and associated response guidelines to be used to assess the level of biofidelity of side impact dummies that are being developed. This paper describes the results of their efforts. Guidelines are provided for assessing the levels of biofidelity of dummies that represent 6-, 12-, and 18-month-old infants, 3-, 6-, and 10-year-old children, and of dummies that represent a small female, midsize male and large male adults. These guidelines were developed by normalizing the side impact biofidelity guidelines that were established by the International Standards Organization for the head, neck, shoulder, thorax, abdomen and pelvis of the midsize adult male. The ISO guidelines can be used to define biofidelity guidelines for any size or age of dummy provided pertinent geometric, inertial and tissue properties are specified.

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ES-2 Dummy Biomechanical Responses.

This technical paper presents the results of biomechanical testing conducted on the ES-2 dummy by the Occupant Safety Research Partnership and Transport Canada. The ES-2 is a production dummy, based on the EuroSID-1 dummy, that was modified to further improve testing capabilities as recommended by users of the EuroSID-1 dummy. Biomechanical response data were obtained by completing a series of drop, pendulum, and sled tests that are outlined in the International Organization of Standardization Technical Report 9790 that describes biofidelity requirements for the midsize adult male side impact dummy. A few of the biofidelity tests were conducted on both sides of the dummy to evaluate the symmetry of its responses. Full vehicle crash tests were conducted to verify if the changes in the EuroSID-1, resulting in the ES-2 design, did improve the dummy's testing capability. In addition to the biofidelity testing, the ES-2 dummy repeatability, reproducibility and durability are discussed. Finally, this technical paper will compare the biofidelity ratings of the current adult side impact dummies with the ES-2 dummy, which received an overall dummy biofidelity rating of 4.6.

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