Design and Development of a Thor-Based Small Female Crash Test Dummy

This paper describes the design and development of a small female crash test dummy, results of biofidelity tests, and preliminary results from full-scale, 3-point belt and airbag type sled tests. The small female THOR was designed using the anthropometric data developed by Robbins for the 5th percentile female and biomechanical requirements derived from scaling the responses of the 50th percentile male. While many of the mechanical components of the NHTSA THOR 50th percentile male dummy were scaled according to the appropriate anthropometric data, a number of improved design features have been introduced in the new female THOR. These include; improved neck design, new designs for the head and neck skins: and new designs for the upper and lower abdomen. The lower leg, ankle and foot, known as THOR-FLx, were developed in an earlier effort and have been included as a standard part of the new female dummy. The instrumentation on the dummy is generally the same as in the male THOR-Alpha dummy. A few sensors, which were thought to be of secondary importance, were eliminated because of the limited volume within the female dummy. Scaled versions of the biofidelity tests defined for the male THOR were used to test the response of the new dummy.