APPLICATION OF A RIGID BODY IMPACT MODEL TO THE PEDESTRIAN-CAR COLLISION ---PROCEEDINGS OF THE 1988 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON THE BIOMECHANICS OF IMPACTS, HELD IN BERGISCH-GLADBACH (FRG), 14-16 SEPTEMBER 1988.

This paper uses a simple model for the pedestrian, that of a single segment rigid body. This model has previously been applied to ascertain the relationship between the vehicle impact speed and pedestrian throw distance. Correlation was obtained with experimental throw distance results. Here the model is specifically applied to the impact phase between the pedestrian and the car. This is considered as two discrete events, primary impact with the front of the car and secondary impact between the pedestrian's head and the car. The calculated results from the model are compared with published results of cadaver and dummy tests.(a) for the covering abstract of the conference see IRRD 817576.