Comparative evaluation of the THOR advanced frontal crash test dummy

Abstract

Ten 48 km/h frontal sled tests were conducted to evaluate the biofidelity of the THOR dummy. Three replicate tests were conducted with THOR, three with a 50 th percentile male Hybrid III dummy, and four with post-mortem human surrogates (PMHS). The tests, conducted in a buck representing a mid-size US sedan, included a force-limited three-point belt system with buckle-side pretensioner and a driver side airbag. Following the tests, select parameters were used to compare THOR's responses with those of the Hybrid III dummy and the PMHS. The tesults were mass scaled in order to account for size differences between the subjects. Based on cadaveric response corridors, the sled test results provided evidence that THOR is more biofidelic than the Hybrid III dummy. THOR lap belt loads, head acceleration, and movement of the anterior chest wall were more similar to those of the PMHS than were those of the Hybrid III. However, THOR recorded less head forward movement and pelvic acceleration than did the PMHS.