Team 504: The Examination of Occupant and Vehicle Responses to Low Speed Rear-End Corashes

Sponsored by Cummings Scientific

Mechanical Engineering Department

Abstract

___Partnered with Cummings Scientific, our project is to further the knowledge of low speed rear impact collisions by looking at the relation of the impact forces and injuries of the occupant. At speeds less than 7 mph, the bumper is designed to hold its shape, as opposed to crumbling like in high-speed collisions. By not deforming, the occupant feels more of the forces that are not absorbed by the bumper. The main goals of the project are to create a model that shows the forces felt by an occupant for differing low speed collisions and to find a relationship between the driver and car during said incident. From live crash testing, we are making a model to show the responses in these collisions. The results of this project will be used by medical experts and expert witnesses to support claims that the forces experienced could cause whiplash.





Shayne McConomy

Shayne McConomy, Ph.D.

Academic Adviser

smcconomy@eng.famu.fsu.edu
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Beau Biller

Beau Biller, P.E.

Sponsor Representative

beau@cummingssci.com