TU Graz - Vehicle Safety Institute (VSI). The Vehicle Safety Institute has done research in vehicle safety for some years and has gained
knowledge especially in the field of neck injuries as well as restraint systems. It has performed more than 300 sled tests simulating rear-end impacts with
volunteers and Dummies. Several publications have been presented at various conferences (e.g. IRCOBI) Also, it is well experienced in computer simulations
of crash impacts (MADYMO, PAM-Crash, LS-Dyna) and reconstruction of car accidents (PC-Crash, PC-Rect).
Target one is the development of software for the reconstruction of car accidents. Two software programs have been developed in a reasonable time, which
have gained an important position in the international field of accident reconstruction. Their names are PC-Crash and PC-Rect and they allow to simulate all
kinds of accidents (including roll-overs, pedestrian and motorcycle accidents) and to calculate the forces on the involved road users and occupants. In
addition, the Institute has gained significant experience in numerical simulations of occupant kinematics and kinetics for several years by using MADYMO,
PAM-Crash and LS-Dyna. The third main research target within the Institute is the bio-mechanical research. The main interest within this type of research is
focused on seat and restraint system development to reduce the injury risk of vehicle occupants. Several studies have been published to show the importance
of well developed restraint systems (e.g. regarding rear end impacts). These studies have been performed by running sled tests with human subjects and
dummies. From these test series, the Institute gained knowledge about some weak points of current restraint systems and seat constructions.
Also the institute is conducting research projects in the field of vehicle and road safety on industrial, governmental as well as European level by
combining and integrating the knowledge of the other three pillars.
Univ.-Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Dr.techn. Hermann Steffan, Head of VSI