Principal Investigator: Declan Patton, PhD

This study aims to further the understanding of interactions between rear-facing child restraint system (CRS) models and the front-row seatback, particularly the relationship between CRS-seatback distance and head injury metrics, using finite element (FE) analysis. The research team will model a FE environment comprising a pediatric anthropomorphic test device (ATD) seated in a rearward-facing infant CRS installed in a vehicle, validate the model against existing full-scale crash test data, and evaluate variables that influence the interaction between the CRS and the front-row seatback parametrically in terms of head injury metrics of the pediatric ATD FE model.