In 1996, the European Community released new regulations relating to frontal impact vehicle crash. One of the tests, the European offset crash, consists of crashing the car on a deformable barrier at 56 km/h with 40% of the car impacting on the barrier. The regulations require the dummy injury parameters such as the HIC, chest deflection, chest acceleration, femur loads and the tibia index be lower than established values.
MADYMO occupant simulations have been performed on a DaimlerChrysler vehicle in order to accurately predict the tibia index. Many parameters play a role in the tibia index evaluation such as the toe pan intrusion, the intrusion mode, the intrusion rate and the motion of the accelerator pedal. These simulations have been validated and then used to determine the best restraint system and structural package to reduce this injury parameter.