Biofidelity of the Hybrid III Thorax in High-Velocity Frontal Impact

Blunt frontal thoracic impact of a Hybrid III dummy and three unembalmed human cadavers were conducted at the University of California. San Diego using a 4.25 kg inertial impactor at a 13.4 m/s impact velocity. The dummy indicated a stiffer response than the cadaver subjects. The difference in average impact force was the same as the muscle tensing force added to the human cadaver responses in developing recommended dummy response guidelines. These results further demonstrate the human-like response of the Hybrid III thorax over a wide range of frontal impact velocities.