ABSTRACT
The biomechanical response of the body has three components, inertial resistance by acceleration of body masses, elastic resistance by compression of sti structures and tissues, and viscous resistance by rate-dependent properties of tissue. Injury is due to the viscous or rate-sensitive nature of human tissue as biomechanical responses diet for low-and high-speed impact. The reaction force developed by the chest varies with the velocity of deformation, and biomechanics is best characterized by a family of force-deflection responses. J. W. Melvin et al. analyzed frontal biomechanics of the chest. The dynamic compliance is related to viscous, inertial, and elastic properties of the body. The reaction force developed by the chest varies with the velocity of impact, so biomechanics is best characterized by the force-deflection response of the torso. The commonly accepted procedure involves equal stress and velocity, which enabled H. J. Mertz et al. to predict injury tolerances and biomechanical responses for different size adult dummies.
