A U T O M O T IV E   S A F E T Y   R E S E A R C H   I N S T I T U T E

 Advanced Dummy Research Reports AT ASRI

Human Anthropometrics - Dummy Size Dummy Design and Instrumentation Dummy Construction
 
  In 2020 EuroNCAP has proposed to use the 50% Male THOR Dummy in some of their tests for Safety Ratings. This will be the first use of the THOR for regulatory or ratings testing.  The reports on this webpage document the early research that led to the construction of THOR.  The development of THOR began at NHTSA in 1982 via a research contract with the Highway Safety Research Institute at the University of Michigan.  That research was summarized by Dr. John Melvin in a 1985 ESV Paper and by Dr Laurence Schneider in a 1983 UMTRI Report.

Earlier research had shown that chest measurements made by the existing dummies did not adequately measure the degree to which airbelts reduce chest injury risks.  Consequently, follow-on research concentrated on improving the ability of the dummy's thorax to measure injury risk. The research to further improve the dummy thorax is documented by four reports authored by Dr. Laurence Schneider of UMTRI.   In 1994, a contract to continue the development and construct the THOR was awarded to GESAC.  Four papers from ESV Conferences document this research.

  

Advanced Anthropomorphic Test Device, Concept Definition, by Melvin, J., July 1985 ESV Paper  
Development of Anthropometrically Based Design Specifications for an Advanced Adult Anthropomorphic Dummy Family, Vol 1, by Schneider, L., Robbins, D., Pflug, M., Snyder, R., UMTRI-83-52-1,  Dec 1983  
Anthropometric Specifications for Midsize Male Dummy, Vol 2, by Robbins, D.,  UMTRI-83-52-2,  Dec 1983  
Anthropometric Specifications for Small Female and Large Male Dummies, Vol 3, by Robbins, D.,  UMTRI-83-52-3,  Dec 1983  
Anthropometric and Mass Distribution Characteristics of the Adult Female, Report FAA-AM-83-16, by Young, J., Chandler, R., and Snow, C., September, 1983  
A Comparison of Male and Female Body Sizes and Proportions, Report AMRL-TR-79-69, USAF, by Robinette, K., Churchill, T., and McConville, J., July, 1979  
AATD Phase 1, Executive Summary, Concept Definition, by Melvin, J., September 1985  
AATD Phase 1, Task A, Injury Priority Analysis,  by Carsten, O., and O'Day, J., September 1984  
AATD Phase 1, Task B,  A Review of  Biomechanical Impact Response and Injury in the Automotive Environment,  by Melvin, J., and Weber, K., March, 1985  
ATAD Phase 1, Task C, A Review of Anthropomorphic Test Device Instrumentation, Data Processing, and Certification Procedures,  by Arendt, R., Segel, D., and Cheng, R., December 1984  
AATD Phase 1, Task D, A Review of Dummy Design and Use,  by Melvin, J., Robbins, D., Weber, K., Campbell, K., and Smrka, J., February 1985  
AATD Phase 1, Tasks E and F, AATD System Technical Characteristics, Design Concepts and Trauma Assessment Criteria, by Melvin, J., King, A., and Alem, N. September 1985.  
Design Requirements and Specifications, Thorax-abdomen Development Task, Interim Report, TAD Development Program, by Schneider, L., King, A., Beebe, M., DOT HS 807 511, November 1989  
Design and Development of an Advanced ATD Thorax System for Frontal Crash Environments; Vol. 1, Primary Concept Development, by Schneider, L., Ricci, L., Salloum, M., Beebe, M., King, A., Rouhana, S., Neathery, R., DOT HS 808 138, June 1992  
Design and Development of an Advanced ATD Thorax System for Frontal Crash Environments; Vol. 2, Exploration of Alternative Design Approaches, by Schneider, L., Ricci, L., King, A., Neathery, R., Beebe, M.,  DOT HS 808 139, June 1992  
Design and Development of an Advanced ATD Thorax System for Frontal Crash Environments; Vol. 2, Users Guide for Chest Deflection Measurement System, by Schneider, L., Bowman, B., Lehman, R,  DOT HS 808 140, June 1992  
Design Requirements and Specifications, Thorax-abdomen Development Task, Interim Report, TAD Development Program, by Schneider, L., King, A., Beebe, M., DOT HS 807 511, November 1989  
Design and Evaluation of an Instrumented Abdomen for the NHTSA Advanced Dummy, by Rangarajan, N., Shams, T., White, R.,  Zhao, Y., Beach, D., Haffner, M., Eppinger, R., Digges, K., ESV Paper 96 S10 O 06, 1996.  
Design and Performance of the Thor Advanced Frontal Crash Test Dummy Thorax and Abdomen Assemblies, by Rangarajan, N., et al.  ESV Paper 98 S9 O 12, 1998  
Foundations and Elements of the NHTSA THOR Alpha ATD Design, by Haffner, M., Eppinger, R., Rangarajan, N., Shams, T., Artis, M., and Beach, D., ESV Paper 458, 2001  
Development of the THOR NT: Enhancement of the THOR ALPHA - The NHTSA Advanced Frontal Dummy, by Shams, T., Rangarajan, N., McDonald, J., Wang, Y., Platten, G., Spade, C.,  Pope, P., ESV Paper 05 0455, 2005  
Design Requirements for a 5% Female Version of the THOR ATD,  by Shams, T., Huang, N., Rangarajan, N., and Haffner, M., ESV Paper 421, 2003  

Back to ASRI Home