Overview
ISO/TR 12349-1:2015 is a Technical Report from ISO that recommends adult crash test dummies and associated instrumentation for evaluating restraint systems. The report covers use in frontal, side, high-severity rear impact and out-of-position (OOP) airbag test procedures. Recommendations reflect expert review criteria such as biofidelity, repeatability, durability, instrumentation capability and ease of use.
This second edition updates the 1999 report and represents ISO/TC 22/SC 36's consensus on widely available adult dummies at the time of publication. It clarifies which dummy models and measurement channels are recommended for specific test types and notes limitations (for example, designs protected by intellectual property were not considered).
Key Topics
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Recommended adult dummies by test type:
- Frontal impact: Hybrid III small adult female (with harmonized jacket), Hybrid III midsize adult male, Hybrid III large adult male.
- Side impact: SID-IIs build level D small adult female (interim), WorldSID midsize adult male.
- High-severity rear impact: Hybrid III midsize adult male.
- OOP airbag tests: Hybrid III small adult female for frontal airbags; SID-IIs small adult female for side torso/curtain airbags. Neck shield ABA-211 is recommended when specified by test procedures.
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Instrumentation categories:
- Head: linear and angular accelerations, angular rate.
- Neck: upper and lower neck loads and moments.
- Thorax and ribcage: accelerations and deflection (sternum/rib measurements where relevant).
- Lumbar and pelvis: loads, moments and accelerations (including ASIS loads).
- Lower extremities: femur and tibia loads, displacements and clevis loads.
- Upper extremities for arm-airbag interaction: upper arm, elbow and forearm loads, moments and accelerations.
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Scope of recommendations: Instrumentation specified includes channels required by at least one ISO test procedure; some optional channels and additional useful instrumentation are also noted.
Applications
- Regulatory and consumer test development: Use the recommended dummy types and instrumentation to align test setups with ISO guidance for occupant protection evaluation.
- Vehicle and restraint system design validation: Assess belt systems, airbags (frontal and side), seats and head restraints across frontal, side and rear impact scenarios.
- Airbag OOP interaction testing: Select appropriate small-female dummies and instrumented arms to evaluate interactions and potential injury mechanisms.
- Sled and component testing: Apply recommended measurement channels to capture biofidelic responses in dynamic sled tests.
Related Standards
The report references ISO test procedures and related documents that define test methods and criteria. Key related standards include:
For practitioners, ISO/TR 12349-1:2015 is a practical reference to select dummies and measurement channels that support consistent, reproducible occupant protection testing and development.