Customized Chest Response Finite Element Model for Crash Test Dummy Variability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current crash test dummies exhibit variability in chest deflection during certification, sled, and vehicle testing due to differences in materials, manufacturing, and environment, necessitating a customized chest finite element model that can adjust stiffness and capture this variability for robustness studies.
Innovation Solution
A customized chest response finite element model is created by identifying borderline sets matching certification test data, varying material properties, defining a mapping function, and interpolating intermediate sets to produce a user-defined model that replicates thorax behavior, allowing adjustment of stiffness and contact algorithm parameters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a standardized chest finite element model is used for crash test dummies, then manufacturing and implementation are simplified, but dummy-to-dummy variability in chest deflection cannot be captured
Solution Approach 1:
The finite element model incorporates adjustable material properties and stiffness parameters that can be dynamically modified to represent different dummy characteristics. The model transitions from a fixed standardized form to a configurable dynamic system that adapts to specific hardware properties through parameter adjustment rather than structural redesign.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention modifies material properties, contact algorithm parameters, and stiffness values within the finite element model to capture variability in chest deflection. By changing these parameters based on hardware-specific data, the model maintains a standardized structure while achieving dummy-to-dummy customization through parameter variation.
2Measurement precision
If material properties of chest components are varied to match different hardware characteristics, then model accuracy for specific dummies improves, but model complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The finite element model serves multiple functions: it can represent different dummy types, predict chest deflection under various conditions, and accommodate different material properties all within a single unified framework. This multi-functionality reduces the need for multiple specialized models while maintaining accuracy across diverse applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The model incorporates preliminary calibration steps where material properties and parameters are adjusted based on certification test data before actual crash simulations. This preliminary configuration phase separates the complexity of parameter adjustment from the simulation execution, making the overall process more manageable.
3Reliability
If a customized chest response model is developed to capture hardware behavior, then prediction accuracy for specific environments improves, but development time and resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention creates a virtual copy of the physical crash test dummy's chest assembly through the finite element model. This digital replica captures the essential mechanical behavior and can be used for extensive simulations without requiring additional physical prototypes or repeated physical testing, significantly reducing development and iteration time.
Solution Approach 2:
The finite element model acts as an intermediary between physical hardware testing and simulation analysis. It translates physical test data into model parameters and enables virtual experimentation that bridges the gap between limited physical testing and comprehensive safety validation, reducing the need for numerous physical tests.
Data Source
AI summary
A customized chest response finite element model for a crash test dummy is disclosed. A method of creating the customized chest response finite element model for the crash test dummy includes the steps of identifying two borderline sets that match with certification test data profiles for a chest of the crash test dummy, varying material properties of components of the chest for the crash test dummy, defining a mapping function and allowing intermediate sets to be interpolated from the certification test data profiles, and creating a single chest response finite element model for the crash test dummy with a user-defined input parameter for the customized chest response finite element model that defines the customized response.