Predictive Functions for Thoracic Injuries to Belt Wearers in Frontal Collisions and Their Conversion into Protection Criteria

The data presented in this paper were yielded by tests performed on unembalmed human cadavers fitted with three-point seat belts and subjected to frontal collisions. The purpose is to define one or more functions predictive of thoracic injuries to cadavers whose rib “resistance” is known (i.e. BCF parameter (1)*).

These functions predict the number of rib fractures and the thoracic AIS in terms of :

• anthropometrical data on the cadavers,
• data representative of the thoracic resistance of the cadavers and physical parameters arising from the deceleration pulses measured on the cadaver vertebrae during the occurrence of impact.

By integrating the BCF data which characterize the ribs of the population exposed to the risk of thoracic injury, it is possible satisfactorily to define the tolerance of living road users, in terms of their age.

Provided that maximum admissible injury level, and the age for which this limit is required are set, a tolerance criterion can then be defined.