Development of a Numerical Model of an Anthropomorphic Test Device for the Study of Human Related Impact Events

The aim of this work is the development and validation of a numerical model of an Anthropomorphic Test Device for the simulation of impact events involving humans and consequently the study and development of crashworthy structures and restraint systems. The research approach consisted in a first validation by subcomponents of the numerical model, comparing the response of the model to the results of experimental tests specifically designed for this purpose. Then, the whole model response was observed and compared to experimental tests reproducing standard tests for the homologation of helicopter seats, in order to validate the model for use in a specific category of impact events. The simulation results showed very good agreement with the experimental tests, proving the Anthropomorphic Test Device numerical model a reliable tool for the analysis of analogous impact events. The model looks also promising for future developments, in particular it is suitable to be further improved in order to be able to reproduce a faithful response in different impact scenarios.