Intrathoracic pressure variations in an anthropomorphic dummy exposed to air blast, blunt impact, and missiles.

Experiments with an anthropomorphic dummy for blast research demonstrated that pressures recorded in the lung model of the dummy could be correlated to primary air blast effects on the lungs of experimental animals. The results presented here were obtained with a dummy of the type mentioned above, but with the lung model modified to improve geometric similarity to man. Blast experiments were performed in a shock tube, and impact experiments in a special impact machine. Experiments with nonpenetrating missiles were performed with small-caliber firearms and the dummy protected by body armor. Severity indices derived from the blast experiments were related to established criteria for primary lung injury in man. Impacts delivered in the impact machine and by nonpenetrating missiles are compared. Relationships between severity of impact based on experiments with animals and primary lung injury in man are discussed.