[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 18 (Thursday, January 28, 1999)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 4385-4395]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-1939]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

49 CFR Part 572

[Docket No. NHTSA-99-5032]
RIN 2127-AG 77


Anthropomorphic Test Dummy; Occupant Crash Protection

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 
Department of Transportation.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.

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SUMMARY: This document proposes to adopt design and performance 
specifications for a new 3-year-old child dummy. The agency believes 
that the new dummy, part of the family of Hybrid III test dummies, is 
more representative of humans than the existing 3-year old child dummy 
specified by agency regulations. Further, it allows the assessment of 
the potential for more types of injuries. The new dummy is especially 
needed to evaluate the effects of air bag deployment on out-of-position 
children. It would also provide greater and more useful information in 
a variety of environments to better evaluate child safety. Adopting the 
dummy would be the first step toward using the dummy to evaluate the 
safety of air bags for children. The issue of specifying use of the 
dummy in determining compliance with performance tests, e.g., as part 
of the agency's occupant protection standard and/or child restraint 
standard, is being addressed in other rulemakings, most notably the 
proposed advanced air bag rulemaking currently pending before the 
agency.

DATES: Comments must be received by March 29, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Comments should refer to the docket number, and be submitted 
to: Docket Management, Room PL-401, 400 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, 
DC 20590 (Docket hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.)

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For nonlegal issues: Stan Backaitis, 
Office of Crashworthiness Standards (telephone: 202-366-4912).

[[Page 4386]]

    For legal issues: Rebecca MacPherson, Office of the Chief Counsel 
(202-366-2992).
    Both can be reached at the National Highway Traffic Safety 
Administration, 400 Seventh St., SW, Washington, DC 20590.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The need for a new 3-year-old dummy has 
become urgent with the emergence of the safety problems that current 
air bags pose for out-of-position children. Experience in using the 
existing 3-year-old dummy in subpart C of part 572 has shown it to be 
adequate for the purpose of evaluating child restraints for the injury 
criteria and test conditions specified by Standard No. 213, Child 
restraint systems. However, that dummy is limited with respect to the 
types of injury risks it can measure, particularly in an air bag 
environment.
    For example, since neck injury is one of the primary causes of air 
bag-related fatalities to out-of-position children, a dummy must have a 
high degree of biofidelity in areas such as impact responses in neck 
flexion and extension motion to evaluate the effects of air bag 
deployment. However, the neck of the existing subpart C dummy does not 
have a multi-segment design. Accordingly, it has limited biofidelity in 
these areas.
    By contrast, the more advanced Hybrid III 3-year-old child dummy 
(hereafter referred to as the H-III3C dummy) provides a more human-like 
impact response than the subpart C dummy as well as a broader selection 
of instrumented measurements to assess the injury potential to child 
occupants. Of particular significance is the multi-segmented neck, 
multi-rib thorax, and the ability to monitor submarining tendencies 
related to abdominal loading. Because of the greater biofidelity and 
extended measurement capability of the H-III3C dummy, it can be used to 
evaluate the safety of children in a much wider array of environments 
than the existing dummy, including assessing the effects of air bag 
deployment on out-of-position children. The agency notes that the H-
III3C dummy is the only advanced 3-year-old child dummy that has been 
developed and evaluated to date.
    The H-III3C dummy is part of a family of Hybrid III-type dummies. 
The first Hybrid III dummy was a 50th percentile male dummy. NHTSA has 
specified use of this dummy for compliance testing under Standard No. 
208, Occupant Crash Protection, since 1986, initially on an optional 
basis, and more recently on a mandatory basis.
    The need for a family of Hybrid III-type dummies having 
considerably improved biofidelity and anthropometry was recognized by 
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 1987 when it 
awarded a contract to Ohio State University under the title 
``Development for Multi-sized Hybrid III Based Dummy Family.'' At that 
time, the funding covered only the development of a small female and a 
large male dummy.
    Development of a Hybrid III 3-year-old dummy began in 1992 when the 
SAE Small Female, Large Male and Six Year Old Child Dummies Task Group 
1 identified a need for a new dummy equipped with sufficient 
instrumentation capable of assessing a child's interaction with both 
air bags and child restraints. The task group noted that the dummy 
should be suitable for use in sitting, kneeling and standing postures. 
After a preliminary design was conceived and reviewed, a prototype 
dummy was developed and made available to the task group in July 1994. 
Initial evaluation of the dummy revealed numerous structural and 
functional problems. Prior to testing by NHTSA, the dummy designer, 
under the guidance of the SAE Hybrid III Dummy Family Task Group, 
addressed additional structural and impact response problems revealed 
through testing of the revised prototype throughout 1995, 1996, and 
early 1997. In May 1997, NHTSA initiated a thorough test and evaluation 
program in anticipation of formal rulemaking.
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    \1\ The task group has been renamed the ``Hybrid III Dummy 
Family Task Group''. Minutes of the task groups meetings are 
available for review in the NHTSA docket (Docket no. NHTSA98-4283).
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    The agency has now completed its evaluation of the H-III3C dummy 
and has tentatively concluded that it is ready for incorporation into 
part 572. NHTSA is placing in the docket a technical report entitled 
``Development and Evaluation of the Hybrid III 3-Year-Old Child 
Dummy.'' That report provides the technical information supporting this 
rulemaking.
    Accordingly, the agency is proposing specifications and performance 
criteria for the H-III3C dummy. The specifications would consist of the 
following two items:
    (1) A drawings and specifications package entitled ``Parts List and 
Drawings for the Hybrid III 3-Year-Old Dummy (October 1998)''; and
    (2) A user's manual entitled ``User's Manual for the Hybrid III 3-
Year-Old Test Dummy [a date would be inserted in the final rule]''.
    In order to allow comment on the general content and format of the 
user's manual, NHTSA has placed in the docket a copy of a manual 
entitled ``Hybrid III 3-Year-Old Child Dummy User's Manual'', SAE 
Engineering Aid 31 (rev. June 25, 1998).
    The specifications are intended to ensure that the dummies are 
uniform in their construction and capable of uniform and repeatable 
response in the impact environment. The agency notes that the first 
item listed above, the parts list and drawings, will be available for 
inspection in NHTSA's docket. (Since this item is non-scannable, it 
cannot be placed in the DOT Dockets Management System (DMS). Instead a 
statement indicating where it may be viewed, i.e., in NHTSA's docket, 
will be placed in the DMS.) Copies may also be obtained from 
Reprographic Technologies, 9000 Virginia Manor Road, Beltsville, MD 
20705; Telephone: (301) 210-5600.
    As with other dummies, NHTSA is proposing impact performance 
criteria to serve as calibration checks, and to further assure the 
kinematic uniformity of the dummy and the absence of structural damage 
and functional deficiency from previous use. The tests address head, 
neck, and thorax impact responses and resistance assessments of the 
lumbar spine-abdomen area to torso flexion motion.
    The agency is proposing generic specifications for all of the 
dummy-based sensors. For most earlier dummies, the agency specified 
sensors by make and model. However, NHTSA believes that approach is 
unnecessarily restrictive and limits innovation and competition.
    The proposed specifications are essentially generic and reflect 
performance characteristics of the sensors used in NHTSA's dummy 
evaluation series that are identified by make and model in the above-
referenced technical report ``Development and Evaluation of the Hybrid 
III 3-year-old Child Dummy.'' Specifications for the proposed sensors 
are included in the drawing package. Interested persons are encouraged 
to comment on the adequacy of the proposed specifications; the 
potential impact on the quality of measurements to be acquired, 
including the comparability of data using sensors manufactured by 
different companies; and issues related to calibration assurance tests.
    NHTSA notes that the H-III3C dummy is the third of several new 
dummies it is proposing to add to part 572. The agency has already 
proposed adding a new, advanced 6-year-old dummy (H-III6C) (63 FR 
35170) and a fifth percentile small adult female dummy (H-III5F) (63 FR 
46981). Within the next six weeks, it plans to propose adding the CRABI 
12-month-old child

[[Page 4387]]

dummy. The agency intends to use these dummies in connection with its 
rulemaking for advanced air bags which is currently in the notice and 
comment stage (63 FR 49958). All of these dummies could be specified 
for use in a variety of potential Standard No. 208 tests, including 
static out-of-position tests and/or various dynamic tests. The child 
dummies could also be specified for use in Standard No. 213 tests.
    This notice only concerns the H-III3C dummy, and is only proposing 
to add the dummy to part 572. The issue of specifying the use of the H-
III3C dummy as part of Standard No. 208 is addressed in the advanced 
air bag rulemaking and may be addressed in a future rulemaking 
regarding Standard No. 213. However, since one of the primary purposes 
of adding the dummy to part 572 is to enable it to be specified for use 
in the Federal motor vehicle safety standards, NHTSA encourages 
commenters to address its suitability for tests related to occupant 
crash protection, e.g., those discussed or proposed in the NPRM on 
advanced air bags. The agency also encourages commenters to address the 
dummy's suitability with respect to measuring proposed and other injury 
criteria.2
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    \2\  For information concerning potential injury criteria, see 
Development of Improved Injury Criteria for the Assessment of 
Advanced Automotive Restraint Systems, June, 1998, Docket No. 
NHTSA98-4405-9. (Available on the NHTSA website at http://
www.nhtsa.dot.gov.)
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Rulemaking Analyses and Notices

A. Executive Order 12866 and DOT Regulatory Policies and Procedures

    NHTSA has considered the impact of this rulemaking action under 
Executive Order 12866 and the Department of Transportation's regulatory 
policies and procedures. This rulemaking document was not reviewed by 
the Office of Management and Budget under E.O. 12866, ``Regulatory 
Planning and Review.'' The rulemaking action has been determined not to 
be significant under the Department's regulatory policies and 
procedures.
    This document proposes to amend 49 CFR part 572 by adding design 
and performance specifications for a new, more advanced 3-year old 
child dummy which the agency may later separately propose for use in 
the Federal motor vehicle safety standards. If this proposed rule 
becomes final, it would directly affect only those businesses which 
choose to manufacture or test with the dummy. Vehicle manufacturers 
could be indirectly affected under the advanced air bag rulemaking 
currently pending before the agency. It does not impose any 
requirements on anyone.
    The cost of an instrumented H-III3C dummy would be between $44,000 
and $80,000, with an uninstrumented H-III3C dummy costing approximately 
$30,000 and instrumentation costing approximately $14,000 to $50,000 
(depending on the amount of data channels the user chooses to collect).
    Because the economic impacts of this proposal are so minimal, no 
further regulatory evaluation is necessary.

B. Regulatory Flexibility Act

    NHTSA has considered the effects of this rulemaking action under 
the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) I hereby certify 
that the proposed amendment would not have a significant economic 
impact on a substantial number of small entities. The proposed 
amendment would not impose or rescind any requirements for anyone. 
Therefore, it would not have a significant economic impact on a 
substantial number of small entities.

C. National Environmental Policy Act

    NHTSA has analyzed this proposed amendment for the purposes of the 
National Environmental Policy Act and determined that it would not have 
any significant impact on the quality of the human environment.

D. Executive Order 12612 (Federalism)

    The agency has analyzed this proposed amendment in accordance with 
the principles and criteria set forth in Executive Order 12612. NHTSA 
has determined that the proposed amendment does not have sufficient 
federalism implications to warrant the preparation of a Federalism 
Assessment.

E. Unfunded Mandates Act

    The Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 requires agencies to 
prepare a written assessment of the costs, benefits and other effects 
of proposed or final rules that include a Federal mandate likely to 
result in the expenditure by State, local or tribal governments, in the 
aggregate, or by the private sector, of more than $100 million annually 
(adjusted for inflation with base year of 1995). This proposal does not 
meet the definition of a Federal mandate because it does not impose 
requirements on anyone. In addition, annual expenditures would not 
exceed the $100 million threshold.

F. Executive Order 12778 (Civil Justice Reform)

    This proposed rule would not have any retroactive effect. Under 49 
U.S.C. 30103, whenever a Federal motor vehicle safety standard is in 
effect, a State may not adopt or maintain a safety standard applicable 
to the same aspect of performance which is not identical to the Federal 
standard, except to the extent that the state requirement imposes a 
higher level of performance and applies only to vehicles procured for 
the State's use. 49 U.S.C. 30161 sets forth a procedure for judicial 
review of final rules establishing, amending or revoking Federal motor 
vehicle safety standards. That section does not require submission of a 
petition for reconsideration or other administrative proceedings before 
parties may file suit in court.

G. Paperwork Reduction Act

    In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980 (P.L. 96-
511), there are no requirements for information collection associated 
with this proposed rule.

Request for Comments

    Interested persons are invited to submit comments on this proposal. 
Two copies should be submitted.
    All comments must not exceed 15 pages in length (49 CFR 553.21). 
Necessary attachments may be appended to these submissions without 
regard to the 15-page limit. This limitation is intended to encourage 
commenters to detail their primary arguments in a concise fashion.
    If a commenter wishes to submit certain information under a claim 
of confidentiality, three copies of the complete submission, including 
purportedly confidential business information, should be submitted to 
the Chief Counsel, NHTSA, at the street address given above, and two 
copies from which the purportedly confidential information has been 
deleted should be submitted to the Docket Section. A request for 
confidentiality should be accompanied by a cover letter setting forth 
the information specified in the agency's confidential business 
information regulation. 49 CFR part 512.
    All comments received by NHTSA before the close of business on the 
comment closing date indicated above will be considered, and will be 
available for examination in the docket at the above address both 
before and after that date. To the extent possible, comments filed 
after the closing date will also be considered. Comments received too 
late for consideration in regard to this action will be considered as 
suggestions for further rulemaking action. Comments will be available 
for inspection in the docket. NHTSA will continue to file relevant 
information as it becomes available in the docket after the closing

[[Page 4388]]

date, and recommends that interested persons continue to examine the 
docket for new material.
    Those persons desiring to be notified upon receipt of their 
comments in the rules docket should enclose a self-addressed, stamped 
postcard in the envelope with their comments. Upon receiving the 
comments, the docket supervisor will return the postcard by mail.

List of Subjects in 49 CFR Part 572

    Motor vehicle safety.

    In consideration of the foregoing, NHTSA proposes to amend 49 CFR 
part 572 as follows:

Part 572--Anthropomorphic Test Dummies

    1. The authority citation for part 572 would continue to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 49 USC 332, 30111, 30115, 30117; and 30166 delegation 
of authority at 49 CFR 1.50.

    2. 49 CFR Part 572 would be amended by adding a new Subpart P 
consisting of 572.140-572.146 to read as follows:

Subpart P--3-year-Old Child

Sec.
572.140  Incorporation by reference.
572.141  General description.
572.142  Head assembly and test procedure.
572.143  Neck-headform assembly and test procedure.
572.144  Thorax assembly and test procedure.
572.145  Upper and lower torso assemblies and torso flexion test 
procedure.
572.146  Test Condition and Instrumentation.

Subpart P--3-year-Old Child


Sec. 572.140  Incorporation by reference.

    (a) The following materials are hereby incorporated in this subpart 
P by reference:
    (1) A drawings and specifications package entitled ``Parts List and 
Drawings for the Hybrid III 3-year-old dummy (October 1998)'';
    (2) A user's manual entitled ``Operations and Maintenance Manual 
for the Hybrid III 3-year-old test dummy [a date will be inserted in 
the final rule]'';
    (3) SAE Recommended Practice J211, Rev. Mar95 ``Instrumentation for 
Impact Tests'';
    (4) SAE J1733 of 1994-12 ``Sign Convention for Vehicle Crash 
Testing''.
    (5) The Director of the Federal Register approved those materials 
incorporated by reference in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR 
part 51. Copies of the materials may be inspected at NHTSA's Docket 
Section, 400 Seventh Street SW, room 5109, Washington, DC, or at the 
Office of the Federal Register, 800 North Capitol Street, NW, Suite 
700, Washington, DC.
    (b) The incorporated materials are available as follows:
    (1) The drawings and specifications package referred to in 
paragraph (a)(1) of this section and the user's manual referred to in 
paragraph (a)(2) of this section are available from Reprographic 
Technologies, 9000 Virginia Manor Road, Beltsville, MD 20705, (301) 
419-5070.
    (2) The SAE materials referred to paragraphs (a)(3) and (a)(4) of 
this section are available from the Society of Automotive Engineers, 
Inc., 400 Commonwealth Drive, Warrendale, PA 15096.


Sec. 572.141  General description.

    (a) The representative 3-year-old is described by the following 
materials:
    (1) Technical drawings and specifications package 210-0000, the 
titles of which are listed in Table A;
    (2) Operation and Maintenance Manual (to be incorporated at 
issuance of final rule);
    (b) The dummy is made up of the component assemblies set out in the 
following Table A:

                                                     Table A
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                     Component assembly                                          Drawing No.
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Head Assembly..............................................  210-1000.
Neck Assembly (complete)...................................  210-2001.
Upper/Lower Torso Assembly.................................  210-3000.
Leg Assembly...............................................  210-5000-1(L),-2(R).
Arm Assembly...............................................  210-6000-1(L),-2(R).
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    (c) Adjacent segments are joined in a manner such that except for 
contacts existing under static conditions, there is no contact between 
metallic elements throughout the range of motion or under simulated 
crash impact conditions.
    (d) The structural properties of the dummy are such that the dummy 
conforms to this part in every respect before its use in any test 
similar to those specified in Standard Nos. 208, Occupant Crash 
Protection, and 213, Child Restraint Systems.


Sec. 572.142  Head assembly and test procedure.

    (a) The head assembly for this test consists of the assembly 
(drawing 210-1000), the adapter plate (drawing ATD 6259), accelerometer 
mounting block (drawing SA-572-S80), mass simulation of 1/2 neck load 
transducer (drawing TE-107-001), and 3 accelerometers (drawing SA-572-
S4).
    (b) When the head assembly in paragraph (a) of this section is 
dropped from a height of 376.0+/-1.0 mm (14.8+/-0.04 in) in accordance 
with paragraph (c) of this section, the peak resultant acceleration at 
the location of the accelerometers at the head CG shall not be less 
than 250 g or more than 280 g. The resultant acceleration versus time 
history curve shall be unimodal, and the oscillations occurring after 
the main pulse shall be less than 10 percent of the peak resultant 
acceleration. The lateral acceleration shall not exceed +/-15 g's.
    (c) Head test procedure. The test procedure for the head is as 
follows:
    (1) Soak the head assembly in a controlled environment at any 
temperature between 18.9 and 25.6  deg.C (66 and 78  deg.F) and at any 
relative humidity between 10 and 70 percent for at least four hours 
prior to a test.
    (2) Prior to the test, clean the impact surface of the head skin 
and the steel impact plate surface with isopropyl alcohol, 
trichlorethane, or an equivalent. Both impact surfaces must be clean 
and dry for testing.
    (3) Suspend the head assembly with its midsagittal plane in 
vertical orientation as shown in Figure P1. The lowest point on the 
forehead is 376.0+/-1.0 mm (14.8 +/-0.04 in) from the steel impact 
surface. The 1.57 mm (0.062 in.) diameter holes located on either side 
of the dummy's head in transverse alignment with the CG, are used to 
ensure that the head transverse plane is level with respect to the 
impact surface. The angle between the lower surface plane of the neck 
transducer mass simulator (TE-107-001) and the

[[Page 4389]]

plane of the impact surface is 62 +/-1 degrees.
    (4) Drop the head assembly from the specified height by a means 
that ensures a smooth, instant release onto a rigidly supported flat 
horizontal steel plate which is 51 mm (2 in) thick and 610 mm (24 in) 
square. The impact surface shall have a finish of not less than 0.2 
microns (8 micro inches) (RMS) and not more than 2 microns (80 micro 
inches) (RMS).
    (5) Allow at least 2 hours between successive tests on the same 
head.


Sec. 572.143  Neck-headform assembly and test procedure.

    (a) The neck and headform assembly for the purposes of this test 
consist of the neck (drawing 210-2015), neck cable (drawing 210-2040), 
lower mount plate insert (drawing 9001373), upper mount plate insert 
(drawing 910420-048), bib simulator (drawing TE208-050), urethane 
washer (drawing 210-2050), neck mounting plate (drawing TE250-021), two 
jam nuts (drawing 9001336), load-moment transducer (drawing SA-572-
S19), and head form (drawing TE208-000).
    (b) When the neck and headform assembly, as defined in paragraph 
(a) of this section, is tested according to the test procedure in 
paragraph (c) of this section, it shall have the following 
characteristics:
    (1) Flexion.
    (i) Plane D referenced in Figure P2 shall rotate in the direction 
of preimpact flight with respect to the pendulum's longitudinal 
centerline not less than 70 degrees and not more than 82 degrees 
occurring between 45 milliseconds (ms) and 60 ms after time zero.
    (ii) The peak moment measured by the neck transducer (drawing SA-
572-S19) about the occipital condyles shall have a value not less than 
44 Nm (32.4 ft-lb) and not more than 56 Nm (41.3 ft-lbs) occurring 
within the minimum and maximum rotation interval and the positive 
moment shall decay for the first time to 10 Nm (7.4 ft-lb) between 60 
ms and 80 ms.
    (2) Extension.
    (i) Plane D referenced in Figure P3 shall rotate in the direction 
of preimpact flight with respect to the pendulum's longitudinal 
centerline not less than 80 degrees and not more than 90 degrees 
occurring between 50 ms and 65 ms after time zero.
    (ii) The peak negative moment measured by the neck transducer 
(drawing SA-572-S19) about the occipital condyles shall have a value 
not more than -42 Nm (-31.0 ft-lb) and not less than -53 Nm (-39.1 ft-
lb) occurring within the minimum and maximum rotation interval and the 
negative moment shall decay for the first time to -10Nm (-7.4 ft-lb) 
between 60 and 80 ms after time zero.
    (3) Time-zero is defined as the time of initial contact between the 
pendulum striker plate and the honeycomb material.
    (c) Test Procedure.
    (1) Soak the neck assembly in a controlled environment at any 
temperature between 20.6 and 22.2  deg.C (69 and 72  deg.F) and at any 
relative humidity between 10 and 70 percent for at least four hours 
prior to a test.
    (2) Torque the jam nut (drawing 9001336) on the neck cable (drawing 
210-2040) to 0.2 Nm to 0.35Nm (2 in-lb to 3 in-lb).
    (3) Mount the neck-headform assembly, defined in paragraph (a) of 
this section, on the pendulum so the midsagittal plane of the headform 
is vertical and coincides with the plane of motion of the pendulum as 
shown in Figure P2 for flexion and Figure P3 for extension tests.
    (i) The moment and rotation data channels are defined to be zero 
when the longitudinal centerline of the neck and pendulum are parallel.
    (ii) The test shall be conducted without inducing any torsion type 
twisting of the neck.
    (4) Release the pendulum and allow it to fall freely to achieve an 
impact velocity of 5.50+/-0.10 m/s (18.05 + 0.40 ft/s) for flexion and 
3.65 +/-0.1 m/s (11.98+/-0.40 ft/s) for extension tests, measured at 
the center of the pendulum accelerometer at the instant of contact with 
the honeycomb.
    (i) Time-zero is defined as the time of initial contact between the 
pendulum striker plate and the honeycomb material. The pendulum 
accelerometer data channel shall be at the zero level at this time.
    (ii) Stop the pendulum from the initial velocity with an 
acceleration vs. time pulse which meets the velocity change as 
specified below. Integrate the pendulum acceleration data channel to 
obtain the velocity vs. time curve as indicated in Table B:

                                                     Table B
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              Time                            Flexion                  Time                  Extension
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
               ms                       m/s            ft/s             ms              m/s            ft/s
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                 Pendulum Pulse
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10..............................         2.0-2.7         6.6-8.9               6         1.0-1.4         3.3-4.6
15..............................         3.0-4.0        9.8-13.1              10         1.9-2.5         6.2-8.2
20..............................         4.0-5.1       13.1-16.7              14         2.8-3.5        9.2-11.5
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sec. 572.144  Thorax assembly and test procedure.

    (a) Thorax assembly. The thorax consists of the part of the torso 
assembly shown in drawing 210-3000.
    (b) When the thorax of a completely assembled dummy (drawing 210-
0000) is impacted by a test probe conforming to Sec. 572.146(a) at 6.0 
+/-0.1 m/s (19.7 +/-0.3 ft/s) according to the test procedure in 
paragraph (c) of this section,
    (1) Maximum sternum displacement relative to the spine, measured 
with the chest deflection transducer (SA-572-S50), shall not be less 
than 32mm (1.3 in) and not more than 38mm (1.5in). During this 
displacement interval, the peak force, measured by the probe-mounted 
accelerometer in accordance with paragraph Sec. 572.146(a), shall not 
be less than 0.6 kN (135 lb) and not more than 0.8 kN (180 lb).
    (2) The internal hysteresis of the ribcage in each impact, as 
determined from the force vs deflection curve, shall be not less than 
65 percent and not more than 85 percent.
    (c) Test procedure.
    (1) Soak the dummy in a controlled environment at any temperature 
between 20.6 and 22.2  deg.C (69 and 72  deg.F) and at any relative 
humidity between 10 and 70 percent for at least four hours prior to a 
test.
    (2) Seat and orient the dummy, that wears light-weight-cotton 
stretch short-sleeve shirt and above-the-knee pants, on a seating 
surface without back support as shown in Figure P4, with the lower 
limbs extended horizontally and forward, the upper arms parallel to the

[[Page 4390]]

torso and the lower arms extended horizontally and forward all parallel 
to the midsagittal plane. The midsagittal plane is vertical within +/-1 
degree and the posterior surface of the upper spine box is aligned at 
90+/-1 degrees from the horizontal.
    (3) Establish the impact point at the chest midsagittal plane so 
that the impact point of the longitudinal centerline of the probe 
coincides with the dummy's midsagittal plane and is centered on the 
center of No. 2 rib within +/-2.5mm and 0.5 degrees of a horizontal 
plane.
    (4) Impact the thorax with the test probe so that at the moment of 
contact the probe's longitudinal center line falls within 2 degrees of 
a horizontal line in the dummy's midsagittal plane.
    (5) Guide the test probe during impact so that there is no 
significant lateral, vertical or rotational movement.
    (6) Allow at least 30 minutes between successive tests.


Sec. 572.145  Upper and lower torso assemblies and torso flexion test 
procedure.

    (a) Upper/lower torso (drawing 210-3000) and upper leg assembly 
(drawings 210-5100-1(left) and -2(right)). The test objective is to 
determine the resistance of the lumbar spine and abdomen of a fully 
assembled dummy (drawing 210-0000) to flexion articulation between 
upper and lower halves of the torso assembly.
    (b) When the upper half of the torso assembly of a seated dummy is 
subjected to a force continuously applied at the occipital condyle 
level through the rigidly attached adaptor bracket as shown in Figure 
P5 according to the test procedure set out in paragraph (c) of this 
section, the lumbar spine-abdomen assembly shall:
    (1) Flex by an amount that permits the upper half of the torso as 
measured at the posterior surface of the spine accelerometer box 
(drawing 210-8020) to rotate in midsagittal plane 45 degrees with 
respect to the vertical, at which time the force level is not less than 
130 N (28.8 lb) and not more than 180 N (41.2 lb), and
    (2) Upon removal of the force, the upper torso assembly returns to 
within 10 degrees of its initial position.
    (c) Test procedure. The procedure for the upper/lower torso flexion 
stiffness test is as follows:
    (1) Soak the dummy in a controlled environment at any temperature 
between 20.6 deg. and 22 deg. C (69 and 72 deg. F) and at any relative 
humidity between 10 and 70 percent for at least 4 hours prior to a 
test.
    (2) Assemble the complete dummy (with or without the lower legs) 
and position at the fixture in a seated posture as shown in Figure P5.
    (i) Secure the pelvis to the fixture where the lumbar load 
transducer or its structural replacement bolts to the pelvis weldment 
(drawing 219-4510) with a rigid bracket as shown in Figure P5.
    (ii) Tighten the mountings so that the pelvis-lumbar joining 
surface is horizontal within +/-1 deg and the dummy as seated is in 
contact with the test surface.
    (3) Install a low weight rigid loading adapter bracket (not to 
exceed 0.75 kg (1.65 lb)) to the posterior surface of the upper spine 
box as shown in Figure P5. The loading bracket is designed such that 
the point of load application coincides with the level of the occipital 
condyle and also provides means for measuring the rotation of the upper 
torso.
    (4) Point the upper arms vertically downward and the lower arms 
forward.
    (5) Inspect and adjust, if necessary, the seating of the abdominal 
insert within the pelvis cavity.
    (6) The initial orientation of the angle reference plane of the 
seated, unsupported dummy shall not exceed 15 degrees of flexion as 
shown in Figure P5. The angle reference plane is defined by the 
transverse plane of the posterior surface of the upper thoracic 
instrumentation cavity makes with respect to the vertical as shown in 
Figure P5.
    (7) Apply a forward force in the midsagittal plane through the 
adaptor bracket as shown in Figure P5 at any upper torso flexion rate 
between 0.5 and 1.5 degrees per second, until the angle reference plane 
reaches 45 degrees of flexion with the applied force at 62 degrees to 
65 degrees from horizontal.
    (8) Continue to apply a force sufficient to maintain 45 degrees of 
flexion for 10 seconds, and record the highest applied force during the 
10 seconds period.
    (9) Release all force as rapidly as possible, and measure the 
return angle with respect to the initial angle reference plane as 
defined in paragraph (c)(7) of this section 3 minutes after the 
release.


Sec. 572.146  Test conditions and instrumentation

    (a) The test probe used for thoracic impact tests is a 50.8 mm (2 
in) diameter cylinder that weighs 1.7+/-.02 kg (3.75 lb) including 
instrumentation. Its impacting end has a flat right angle face that is 
rigid and has an edge radius of 12.7 mm (0.5 in). The test probe has an 
accelerometer mounted on the end opposite from impact with its 
sensitive axis co-linear to the longitudinal centerline of the 
cylinder.
    (b) Head accelerometers have the dimensions, response 
characteristics, and sensitive mass locations specified in drawing SA-
572-S4 and are mounted in the head as shown in drawing 210-0000.
    (c) The neck force-moment transducer has the dimensions, response 
characteristics, and sensitive axis locations specified in drawing SA-
572-S19 and is mounted for testing as shown in the head-neck assembly 
consisting of drawing 210-0000.
    (d) The shoulder force transducers have the dimensions and response 
characteristics specified in drawing SA-572-S21 and are allowed to be 
mounted as an option in the torso assembly as shown 210-0000.
    (e) The thorax accelerometers have the dimensions, response 
characteristics, and sensitive mass locations specified in drawing SA-
572-S4 and are mounted in the torso assembly in triaxial configuration 
at the T4 location, and as options at T1, and T12, and in uniaxial 
configuration on the sternum at the midpoint level of ribs 1 and 3 and 
on the spine coinciding with the midpoint level of #3 rib as shown in 
drawing 210-0000.
    (f) The chest deflection potentiometer has the dimensions and 
response characteristics specified in drawing SA-572-50 and is mounted 
in the torso assembly as shown drawing 210-0000.
    (g) The lumbar spine force/moment transducer has the dimensions and 
response characteristics specified in drawing SA-572-S20 and is allowed 
to be mounted as an option in the torso assembly as shown drawing 210-
0000.
    (h) The pubic force transducer has the dimensions and response 
characteristics specified in drawing SA-572-S18 and is allowed to be 
mounted as an option in the torso assembly as shown 210-0000.
    (i) The acetabulum force transducers have the dimensions and 
response characteristics specified in drawing SA-572-S22 and are 
allowed to be mounted as options in the torso assembly as shown 210-
0000.
    (j) The anterior-superior iliac spine transducers have the 
dimensions and response characteristics specified in drawing SA-572-S17 
and are allowed to be mounted as options in the torso assembly as shown 
drawing 210-0000.
    (k) The pelvis accelerometers have the dimensions, response 
characteristics, and sensitive mass locations specified in drawing SA-
572-S4 and are mounted within the pelvis in triaxial configuration as 
shown drawing 210-0000.

[[Page 4391]]

    (l) The outputs of acceleration and force-sensing devices installed 
in the dummy and in the test apparatus specified by this part are 
recorded in individual data channels that conform to the requirements 
of SAE Recommended Practice J211, Mar95 ``Instrumentation for lmpact 
Tests,'' with channel classes as follows:
    (1) Head acceleration--Class 1000
    (2) Neck
    (i) force--Class 1000
    (ii) moments--Class 600
    (iii) pendulum acceleration--Class 180
    (3) Thorax:
    (i) rib/sternum acceleration--Class 1000
    (ii) spine and pendulum accelerations--Class 180
    (iii) Thorax deflection--Class 600
    (4) Lumbar: Forces and moments--Class 1000
(5) Pelvis: accelerations, forces and moments--Class 1000.
    (m) Coordinate signs for instrumentation polarity conform to the 
Sign Convention For Vehicle Crash Testing, Surface Vehicle Information 
Report, SAE J1733, 1994-12.
    (n) The mountings for sensing devices shall have no resonance 
frequency within range of 3 times the frequency range of the applicable 
channel class.
    (o) Limb joints shall be set at lg, barely restraining the weight 
of the limb when it is extended horizontally. The force required to 
move a limb segment shall not exceed 2 g throughout the range of limb 
motion.
    (p) Performance tests of the same component, segment, assembly, or 
fully assembled dummy shall be separated in time by a period of not 
less than 30 minutes unless otherwise noted.
    (q) Surfaces of dummy components are not painted except as 
specified in this part or in drawings subtended by this part.

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    Issued on: January 22, 1999.
L. Robert Shelton,
Associate Administrator for Safety Performance Standards.
[FR Doc. 99-1939 Filed 1-27-99; 8:45 am]
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