Exponent
Statement of Qualifications
February 2010
1
Contents
Page
Company Profile
3 Practice Areas and Offices
4 Main Service Areas
5 Representative Projects
7 Vehicle Engineering Practice
10 Test & Engineering Center
11 Vehicle Design & Analysis
11 Vehicle Electrical and Electronic Systems
12 Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) Analysis
13 Computer Software
13 Accident Data Analysis
14 Biomechanical Accident Reconstruction
16 Contact Information
17 Appendix A –
18 Test & Engineering Center Test Facilities
18 Sled
19 Crash Rail
19 Track / Skidpad
20 All-Terrain Area
20 Hydraulic Loading
21 Anthropomorphic Test Dummy (ATD) Laboratory
21 Controlled Rollover Impact System (CRIS) / Roll Spit
22 Inverted Drop
23 Dynamometer
23 Roller Coaster Dolly
23 2
Company Profile
Exponent is a scientific and engineering consulting firm that provides solutions to complex
technical problems. Our multidisciplinary team of scientists, engineers, physicians, and
business consultants performs in-depth research and analysis in more than 90 technical
disciplines. At Exponent, we pride ourselves on the high quality of our approximately 900
employees. More than 600 are degreed technical professionals, and more than 350 have
earned an M.D. or Ph.D. Operating in 19 regional offices and 4 international locations,
Exponent is publicly traded on the NASDAQ exchange under the symbol EXPO.
Over the years, we have received recognition for assisting clients with their most important
challenges or dire disasters. We have investigated most of the major industry crises that
make the news: the grounding of the Exxon Valdez, the walkway collapse at the Kansas City
Hyatt, the flooding of downtown Chicago,
and the attack on the World Trade Center.
However, most of our work is actually
helping clients assess their daily technical
issues and make informed business
decisions.
The problems that Exponent tackles take
many forms other than disasters or
accidents involving a product or property.
It may be a technical, health, or
environmental issue related to a
developing product, such as potential
radiation from cell phones, whose
resolution needs to be accurate, innovative, and cost effective. A regulatory issue may have
a critical impact on a client's future business, and may turn on how the product can be sold or
serviced. Often, a client calls because a production facility is suffering unusual down time, or
a production machine has failed, or the recently received component parts just don't seem to
work right. We assist clients contemplating any business transaction that requires careful
scientific research and analysis as part of the due diligence, including assessments of the
value of intellectual property and patents.
When a major disaster strikes, the media is not far behind, and an affected client needs
answers now. Our team will perform either in-depth scientific research and analysis, or very
rapid-response evaluations, to provide our clients with the critical information they need. The
Exponent name is recognized for its integrity, objectivity, independence, and professionalism.
Our corporate core values drive a commitment to client service that enables us to provide
consistently high quality to client’s world wide. We are proud to say that our in-house quality
management system is certified to ISO 9001. Exponent is also authorized by the General
Services Administration to provide professional engineering services to federal agencies.
Our clients include a wide range of manufacturers, utilities, insurers, industry groups,
government agencies, venture capital companies, and law firms. Our professionals have
provided consulting services to many of the Fortune 500 companies and numerous
government agencies.
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Practice Areas and Offices
Exponent's integrated practices offer a multifaceted perspective that leads to innovative
solutions that produce bottom-line results. Through our network of U.S. and international
office locations, we offer more than 90 different disciplines, including capabilities in:
Environmental Sciences
Ecological & Biological Sciences
Environmental & Earth Sciences
Health Sciences
Epidemiology & Computational Biology
Toxicology & Mechanistic Biology
Exposure Assessment & Dose Reconstruction
Occupational & Environmental Health
Chemical Regulation & Food Safety
Engineering
Biomechanics
Buildings & Structures
Civil Engineering
Electrical & Semiconductors
Materials & Corrosion Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Polymer Science & Materials Chemistry
Thermal Sciences
Vehicle Engineering
Sectors
Other Sciences
Human Factors
Statistical & Data Sciences
Construction
Defense Technology Development
Medical Devices
Visual Communications
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Main Service Areas
The four main areas of consulting that Exponent provides are: Failure Analysis and
Prevention, Environmental and EcoSciences, Health Sciences, Technology Development.
Failure Analysis and Prevention (formerly Failure Analysis Associates)
Our Failure Analysis and Prevention practice is the nation’s largest and most experienced
consulting group that specializes in the investigation, analysis, and prevention of failures and
accidents. Whether we are investigating an incident that happened in the past, or assisting in
the development of a new product or service, Exponent offers specialized knowledge and
resources to assist its clients in making informed decisions. We believe in a multi-disciplinary
approach to scientific problems that provides new perspectives and insights and enables
development of creative, cost-effective solutions. For over 40 years, we have conducted
more than 30,000 investigations in areas such as fires and explosions, human performance,
electrical engineering, civil and structural engineering, product and process risk assessment,
and biomechanics.
Environmental and EcoSciences
Exponent’s Environmental Sciences and EcoSciences practices have a large and diverse
team of scientists, biologists, toxicologists, natural resource analysts, and engineers that
provide proven, cost-effective, scientifically defensible, and realistic assessments and
solutions to complex environmental issues related to contaminated land and water, industrial
and other development, and sustainability and restoration of resources, and technologies and
products. Our practices are nationally and internationally recognized for their expertise in
environmental risk and impact assessment, ecotoxicology, natural resource damage
assessment (NRDA), and ecological restoration. Our services include environmental air
quality evaluation, ecological and human health risk assessment, environmental economics
analysis, natural resource damage assessment, site investigation and liability management,
toxic tort claims investigation, toxicology consultation, and water resources and water quality
management. We offer technical, regulatory, and litigation support to industries that include
mining and minerals, petrochemicals, forest products, shipbuilding, railroads, aerospace, and
defense, along with trade associations and law firms.
Health Sciences
Exponent's Health Sciences practice specializes in solving complex problems related to
health and the environment, especially problems that require an experienced,
multidisciplinary team of scientists and regulatory consultants. Exponent has one of the
foremost health sciences consulting practices in the United States. Our staff evaluates
environmental and public health issues that face our nation and the world. These issues
include potential health effects associated with environmental agents, chemicals, consumer
products, food safety and nutrition, and pharmaceutical products. Indeed, members of our
staff are leaders in developing the risk assessment methodologies that are essential to
address the complexities of these health issues. Our national and international clients rely on
us for incisive and objective assessments that address physical, chemical, and biological
phenomena in order to arrive at solutions that can be relied upon to make important
decisions.
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Technology Development
Drawing on our multidisciplinary engineering, testing, and failure analysis and prevention
expertise, Exponent’s Technology Development practice specializes in harnessing
commercial technologies to develop effective military and industrial equipment and systems.
Exponent assisted the U.S. Army with the first robots used in military combat in Afghanistan
and is currently working in the field for the U.S. Army’s Rapid Equipping Force to meet a
critical operational need identified during combat operations.
Additional Facilities and Resources
Vehicle Test and Engineering Center: Exponent operates a 147-acre Test and Engineering
Center (TEC) in Phoenix, Arizona. This laboratory facility provides product development and
testing support for a variety of industries. We study vehicle performance and re-create onand off-road collisions under virtually every condition, for vehicles ranging from bicycles to
tractor-trailers. We develop specific test methodologies to assist our clients with their product
development efforts. Our test facility includes a two-mile oval track, durability course, 10-acre
skid pad, and 1,200-foot crash rail, allowing engineers to study vehicle performance and
recreate collisions under virtually every condition, for vehicles ranging from bicycles to
tractor-trailers.
Materials Analysis Laboratory: Exponent operates laboratory facilities that provide
comprehensive materials analysis services, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM),
energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS), high-magnification metallography, hardness
testing, and surface evaluation. We provide lab capabilities for mechanical testing, electronic
testing, and chemical and thermal evaluation. We integrate our lab with a number of
Exponent's other 90 technical disciplines to offer complete programs in failure analysis,
materials evaluation, and failure prevention.
Visual Communication: Exponent's visual communications staff combines art and science
to help clients create compelling, fact-based visual displays that communicate complex
subject matter, conveying important information to audiences unfamiliar with the matters at
hand. We rely on pictures — printed, displayed on a computer, projected onto a screen, or
presented as virtual reality — to reveal and explain what words alone cannot. Specific
components include animation, graphics, multimedia, video, and photography. Through
these media, we present comprehensible explanations of complex issues, conveying
important information to audiences unfamiliar with the matters at hand.
Comprehensive Database: Exponent also maintains one of the largest collections of
computerized failure, accident, and incident data in the world. Our databases contain more
than 350 million accident and incident records on motor vehicles, air crashes, consumer
products, fires, occupational injuries, and most other accident-related topics.
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Representative Projects
The MARCbot is a robot that U.S. Army soldiers are currently
using to help identify IEDs in Iraq. It was developed by
Exponent for the U.S. Army’s Rapid Equipping Force to meet a
critical operational need identified during combat operations as
observed by Exponent employees in theater. Based upon the
first Exponent robots sent to Afghanistan in 2002, the first
improved MARCbot IIs for IED sweeps were initially sent to Iraq
in May 2004. Spiral improvements were made in direct
response to soldier feedback obtained from IED sweep
missions, resulting in the current MARCbot IV configuration.
The deaths of 11 children who got locked in car trunks during
the summer of 1998 prompted renewed calls for manufacturers
to install escape handles inside trunks. General Motors,
working with the National SAFE KIDS Campaign®, retained
Exponent to help determine what type of trunk release
mechanism children could identify and operate if they became
trapped. Exponent’s consultants tested nine different types of
escape mechanisms and two types of “trap-resistant” latches
that prevent the trunk from shutting unless an adult resets it.
Over 400 young children participated in Exponent’s testing
program.
To provide a repeatable test technique for evaluating a roof-toground impact in a vehicle rollover event, Exponent (in
conjunction with Ford Motor Co.) recently developed a
translating and rotating vehicle drop system. This system
releases a vehicle at a pre-set height and selectable roll, pitch,
and yaw attitudes, and roll velocity, from a fixture traveling at
speeds up to 50 mph. Synchronous release of both ends of the
vehicle is provided to ensure the proper vehicle orientation
upon contact with the ground. The system is well-suited to
developmental testing of rollover occupant protection systems
and investigation of roof strength issues. High speed cameras
suspended from the test fixture provide detailed information
regarding occupant-roof-ground interactions. Such views are
not available in less-controlled rollover testing techniques, such
as dolly rollovers.
The estimated average life expectancy in the U.S. reached a
record 77.3 years in 2002—an increase of 12.7 percent over
the last 50 years. The trend is clear: demand for total joint
replacement is poised to increase dramatically in the next 25
years. Also expected to become more prevalent is the repair or
replacement of the artificial joint, known as revision joint
replacement. If joint replacement surgeries increase at the rate
predicted by current research, they will burden an already
financially challenged health care system. Exponent scientists
analyzed the prevalence of primary and revision total hip and
knee arthroplasty in the United States between 1990 and 2002
to determine if the national revision burden is changing over
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time
Exponent structural engineers were on the Federal Emergency
Management Agency’s (FEMA) Search and Rescue Team
during the aftermath of September 11, 2001. In the months
following the disaster, Exponent was retained by the insurers of
the WTC to provide a detailed analysis of the effects of the
attack on the Twin Towers and surrounding buildings.
Specifically, Exponent conducted a detailed study of the
collapse and debris patterns for each tower and analyzed
damage to the sub-grade mechanical, electrical, and plumbing
infrastructure to predict the effects of heavy and light debris
impacts caused by the collapse of each tower. Our analysis
included the effects of fire spread, smoke, and dust
contamination and wind tunnel studies of the performance of
the towers.
Exponent conducted a large occupational health study among
Motorola employees to examine the question of whether
workplace RF exposure produces any excess risk of brain
cancer and cancer of the lymphatic/hematopoietic system.
This study involved extensive data analysis, data management,
vital status ascertainment, cohort verification, and exposure
assessment research activities for a cohort of approximately
200,000 employees. RF exposure assessment protocols
involved a job-title/business-sector classification system, an
extensive expert reviewer process to assign RF exposure
scores, and numerous validation, data identification, and review
procedures. The study showed little support for a link between
occupational RF exposure and cancer. Results were published
in the journal Epidemiology (March 2000).
Exponent's engineers were deployed to New Orleans and the
surrounding area as part of FEMA’s Urban Search and Rescue
program to assist with evacuation and recovery efforts. In
addition, we have provided structural and geotechnical
evaluation services for properties and structures affected by the
hurricane. Our health and environmental scientists also
assessed health and environmental effects of the disaster.
On November 17, 1992, the NBC television investigative news
magazine show Dateline NBC broadcast a segment alleging
safety defects in the 1973-1987 General Motors (GM) C/K
pickup truck design. The episode showed a filmed
demonstration of an alleged 30 mph car-into-truck side collision
that resulted in a fire, implying a problem with the truck's fuel
tank. The broadcast was contemporaneous with a National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) investigation of
the C/K trucks. Exponent engineers investigated the test
performed for NBC by The Institute for Safety Analysis (TISA).
Analysis of the test videos and inspections of the fuel tank and
incendiary device led to the conclusion that the crash test had
been rigged to produce a fire which was not the natural result
of the collision as claimed by Dateline NBC. Video analysis
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also revealed that the televised collision was closer to 40 mph
than 30 mph reported. In March 1993, Dateline NBC retracted
its conclusions and apologized to both GM and its viewers.
The incident redefined the use and quality control of tests
performed for television.
In 2003, Exponent completed an independent engineering
evaluation of the safety of roller coasters for Six Flags, Inc—the
world’s largest regional theme park company. Exponent and
the American Association of Neurological Surgeons conducted
the studies. Exponent evaluated data and information on roller
coaster incidents, assessed potential risks, and conducted new
measurements related to g-forces and roller coasters. We also
performed a comprehensive analysis of government injury data
on amusement park ride safety. Exponent found that the gforce levels on rides evaluated do not cause injuries and that
the durations of the accelerations on these roller coasters are
so short that they will not cause a loss of consciousness even
for the people who may be the most susceptible to G-LOC. In
summary, the speeds on these roller coasters may be high, but
the g-forces of roller coaster rides take place in a short period
of time and can be similar to everyday disturbances that people
experience.
The Presidential Panel investigating the January 28, 1986
Challenger explosion determined that the loss of the
Challenger was caused by destruction of seals (O-rings) One
element that had exhibited distress in post-flight examinations
and was evaluated for redesign was the solid rocket motor
nozzle liner. The internal temperatures, stresses, and failure
modes of the liner under these extreme conditions of space
flight launches needed to be better understood. Exponent
engineers developed a finite element code named
“FANTASTIC” (Failure Analysis Nonlinear Thermal and
Structural Integrated Code) to perform coupled structural and
thermal analysis of a three-dimensional anisotropic inelastic
material system that changes loading, dimensions, and
material properties with time. The code became a valuable tool
for assessing the integrity of the rocket motor nozzle composite
material design as well as other structural elements.
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Vehicle Engineering Practice
Exponent has performed thousands of investigations for the automotive, trucking,
recreational vehicle, marine, aviation, aerospace, and rail industries. Information gained from
these analyses has assisted clients in assessing preventive measures related to the design
of their products as well as evaluating failures. Exponent’s Test and Engineering Center
(TEC) located in Phoenix, Arizona, is the setting for Exponent’s most exciting and complex
tests, along with rigorous analysis of results. We have gained a worldwide reputation for our
ability to mobilize resources expeditiously and efficiently, integrate a broad array of technical
disciplines, and provide valuable insight that is objective and withstands rigorous scrutiny.
Many of our projects involve addressing the cause of accidents. Our clients rely on us to
determine what happened in an accident and why it happened. In many cases, they also
want us to discover what could have been done to reduce the severity of the accident or to
reduce injuries to those involved. Exponent performs thorough analyses to develop a
sequential "history" of the accident that is consistent with physical evidence. Our analytical
procedure consists of a series of systematic steps that includes reviewing documents,
identifying technical issues, documenting the accident site, and conducting vehicle and
component inspections. Our analyses also include conducting information searches,
analyzing the dynamic behavior of vehicles, testing vehicles or components, and
communicating technical results in a clear and timely manner. Whether the objective is
design analysis, component testing, or accident reconstruction, our knowledge of vehicle
systems and accident reconstruction principles and our experience from conducting full-scale
tests add insight and proficiency to every project.
Exponent offers a broad range of consulting services for the transportation industry:
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Accident Reconstruction/Analysis
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Design Analysis
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Handling and Stability
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Insurance Claims Investigations
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Occupant Kinematics
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Rapid Response Inspections
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Ride Quality/Vibration/NVH
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Seatbelts/Restraints/Airbags
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Electronics
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Test & Engineering Center
Located in Phoenix, Arizona, the Test and Engineering Center (TEC) is one of the largest
vehicle test and engineering centers outside the automotive industry. Exponent’s clients have
come to know the TEC as the place they prefer to go when the testing is complicated and the
answers are all-important. Our 147-acre test facility includes a two-mile oval track, durability
course, 10-acre skid pad, and 1,200-foot crash rail, allowing engineers to study vehicle
performance and recreate collisions under virtually every condition, for vehicles ranging from
bicycles to tractor-trailers. In addition, our engineers in our Technology Development area
work on sophisticated off-the-shelf technologies for government clients.
Some of the more prominent vehicle test facilities include:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Sled
Crash Rail
Track/Skidpad
All-Terrain Area
Hydraulic Loading
Anthropomorphic Test Dummy
(ATD) Laboratory
Controlled Rollover Impact System
(CRIS) / Roll Spit
Inverted Drop
Dynamometer
Roller Coaster Dolly
Like every other Exponent office, we do sophisticated engineering and scientific analysis at
TEC. We also maintain several special testing facilities, including a burn facility, a battery
testing site, and an ammunition/firearms range
Vehicle Design & Analysis
Exponent provides design analysis services to meet a wide range of client objectives. One
client may be faced with a potential regulatory issue and wish to have an independent
assessment of product safety. Another client may be interested in buying a product to
incorporate into a system they are developing. A
manufacturer may be looking for new ideas to help them
bring a design to production. All of these clients can
benefit from coming to Exponent. Whether it's a new
way of analyzing the design, or a unique test
methodology that ultimately helps them over their
design obstacle, we have expertise they can rely on.
Because conventional test methods don't always
provide answers to our clients' questions, Exponent
frequently develops new test methodologies and
systems. Exponent conducts not only full system tests
but also tests focused on specific components or subsystems. Frequently, the client does not
know what kinds of tests should be run in order to answer their questions. This is where our
experience in testing hundreds of products becomes invaluable.
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Not only is Exponent effective at helping clients with design analysis and test methods we are
best known for figuring out "what happened" when something fails or develops a problem
while in service. These projects can come in all sizes.
We have demonstrated results for our clients needs for such products as:
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Trains
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Boats
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Ride quality/vibration/NVH
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Heavy truck/commercial vehicles
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Recreational vehicles (RVs, motorhomes)
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Forklifts/industrial equipment/earthmoving equipment
Exponent offers a broad range of analysis and testing services for components:
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Occupant safety systems/airbags
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Engine systems
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Control systems/electronics
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Handling
•
Structural systems
•
Crashworthiness
Vehicle Electrical and Electronic Systems
Electrical and electronic system content in
both automotive and commercial vehicles will
continue to become more complex as new
technologies are accepted and implemented.
From vehicle level integration requirements to
individual subsystem and component design
validation, Exponent’s vehicle electronics
group has significant expertise and industry
experience that includes powertrain, body,
chassis, safety, and entertainment electrical
and electronic systems hardware and
software. Our staff has experience designing and analyzing vehicle wiring and circuits,
starting and charging systems, batteries, motors, switches, lamps, internal combustion and
hybrid engine management systems, instrumentation, power mirrors and windows, automatic
headlamp aiming, heads-up display, electric assist power steering, wireless tire pressure
monitoring, electronic suspension control, antilock brakes, electronic stability control, traction
control, electronic throttle control, electric brake systems, passive seat belt systems, mobile
communication systems, and front and side multi-stage supplemental restraint systems.
Exponent personnel are versed in the failure modes of high duty cycle sensors and actuators,
both inert and detrimental effects of electromagnetic interference, and relevant mitigation
methods.
Exponent engineers and scientists are trained in Taguchi’s robustness design practices
including total cost function, control factors, and life cycle cost management. In order to
optimize product design, validation, and life testing processes for vehicle electronic systems,
our engineers have implemented the design of experiments and are capable of exploring
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factors not understood or previously considered during initial product design and
development. Failure mode and effect analyses (FMEA) for both hardware and software, as
well as fault tree analysis (FTA), are important tools used in any analysis process. In addition,
worst-case parameter evaluation is often used to verify a system’s ability to provide its
intended function in the varied environmental conditions typically experienced by any vehicle.
Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) Analysis
Electro-magnetic interference (EMI), is radio frequency
energy generated as a byproduct of electrical equipment.
When speaking of multiple systems, EMC, electromagnetic compatibility, is generally used because it deals
with both emissions and immunity of radio frequency
energy. In addition, the interference can be conducted
(through the wire connections) or radiated (through the
air). The CE mark on equipment indicates that it passes
a group of European Union standards, some of which
include EMC requirements. The Society of Automotive
Engineers (SAE) also has standards for component and vehicle testing.
Exponent’s Electrical and Semiconductor and Vehicle Practices have significant expertise
and industry experience with a myriad of vehicle systems including electrical and software
subsystems. Through Exponent’s collective vehicle related project experience, we have
gained a tremendous amount of electrical experience testing vehicle systems for electrical
overstresses, electromagnetic coupling, radio-frequency interference (RFI), electromagnetic
immunity (EMI), electrical transients, and semiconductor failures. Exponent engineers have
measured conducted EMI from both radiated and conducted sources using standard methods
(e.g., standardized termination networks, ground plane, spectrum analyzer). One aim of this
testing was to determine if new power electronics systems and cable harnesses met SAE
conducted EMI specs.
Computer Software
To solve complex technical problems, Exponent often analyzes computer software or stored
programmable logic derived from software. Today, embedded software is found in many
consumer products, automotive vehicles, entertainment products, cell phones, etc.
Exponent's software analysts have a thorough understanding of software engineering
principles, programming, and software product qualification tests. Under the software
umbrella, one can find many different programming languages, operating systems, and
numerous application packages.
Exponent’s consultants have experience in the many
aspects of software development, design, testing, and
performance analysis, including interpreting the
intellectual property of a software product. Whether
software is a part of the product or software IS the
product, Exponent’s systems and software consultants
have the background and experience to assist clients
with safety and reliability issues related to software
and its interaction with hardware in many different
applications.
Much of our work has been focused on computer systems that control hardware, which can
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be the most critical with regard to safety as well as intellectual property evaluation of software
products. Examples include:
•
Automotive (engine and transmission control and monitoring, stability control
systems, electric power steering, suspension control, cruise control, information and
entertainment systems)
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Consumer & home (appliances, audio/visual equipment, PDAs and cell phones,
computer peripherals, exercise equipment)
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Building (elevators, security systems, heating and air conditioning)
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Medical equipment (implanted devices, monitoring equipment, information
management)
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Transportation (motor controllers, traffic control systems, amusement park rides)
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Military (weapons guidance systems, GPS equipment, communications devices)
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Process control (power generation systems, manufacturing, chemical processing)
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Evaluation of intellectual property in software products
These services fall into the following broad areas of investigation:
Software Engineering
Software engineering starts with a definition of the functions to be performed by the software
product. This includes a definition of the environment and the hardware or system in which
the software is to operate. The software is typically composed of software modules that will
eventually be integrated and tested as a software product. Following the release of a
software product, support and maintenance are often needed. Exponent engineers have
expertise in all aspects of the software life cycle.
Software Failure Analysis
Software failure analysis is the investigation of systems and the software controlling them to
determine what went wrong. This includes review of the code, simulations, and full-scale
testing to understand how the code and systems interact to find the rare “bugs” that cause
issues.
Software Reliability and Testing
After the code has been developed, a number of tools can be used to test the software.
These include virtual testing of the code itself (essentially exercising it within a computer),
testing on target hardware with simulated inputs, and finally, full scale testing on target
hardware.
Accident Data Analysis
All living humans continually bear a certain degree of risk of injury or death. Exponent’s
statisticians and data scientists specialize in determining whether a particular activity or
product poses an unreasonable risk. Risk estimation involves establishing a reference period
and then collecting information about the number of accidents, injuries (or other adverse
events) suffered, and the amount of exposure during this period. Because risk is expressed
as a rate, measures of both frequency (numerator) and exposure (denominator) are required.
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Risk of injury or fatality associated with an activity or a consumer product may be difficult to
understand in the abstract. Comparison with the injury or fatality risk associated with familiar
products and activities allows the reader to put the risk into context. Information on the
frequency of adverse events is usually obtained from observational data collected in reporting
systems maintained by government or private sources.
To quantify how machines, vehicles, consumer products,
and components behave in their real-world environments,
we have developed one of the largest in-house collections of
accident and incident data in the country. The in-house
accident databases that we maintain include federal traffic
crash data:
•
•
•
Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS)
National Automotive Sampling System (NASS)
Large Truck Crash Causation Study (LTCCS)
We also have access to Police Accident Report data (PARS) from 23 states. Other incident
databases that we access regularly are the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS)
and the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSC’s) National Electronic Injury
Surveillance System (NEISS), and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s
(NHTSA’s) Complaint, Recall and Special Crash Investigation (SCI) databases.
We apply our expertise in accident data analysis in a number of areas, including:
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•
•
•
•
•
•
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Motor vehicles
Consumer products
Fires
Medical devices
Health and environment
Engineering reliability
Economics
Law
Judging whether the risk of an activity or product is "unreasonable" is typically not as
straightforward as merely estimating its risk. In some instances, there may be an absolute
standard or risk threshold that cannot be exceeded. When no standard exists, the approach
developed at Exponent—and subsequently adopted by such federal agencies as the U.S.
Consumer Product Safety Commission—involves comparing the risk and benefits of the
activity or product in question to other activities or products judged to be similar in key
respects.
Exposure is usually determined from administrative records or sample surveys. Because
most accident data analyses are conducted using observational studies, rather than
controlled experiments, care must be taken in making comparative risk and benefit
judgments. Specifically, before declaring a difference in risk to be significant, one should
consider whether any factors other than the factor of primary interest could also have
influenced (or "confounded") the outcome and, if so, should adjust for such an effect. This
consideration has stimulated the development of increasingly sophisticated statistical
approaches to accident data analysis. Exponent is well known for our development of
graphical methods for expressing the idea of relative risk and the concept of rare event.
These methods help to put risk into perspective.
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Biomechanical Accident Reconstruction
Exponent has considerable expertise in evaluating
accidents and injuries. In accidents involving
personal injury, biomechanics can be used to
reconstruct the accident. A biomechanical
accident reconstruction can be especially helpful
in events that are unwitnessed or in which witness
testimony conflicts about the events leading up to
the injury.
The biomechanical accident reconstruction uses
the same tools as other reconstruction techniques:
the application of engineering principles and the scientific method to the analysis of factual
information. The sources of information that distinguish the biomechanical accident
reconstruction are the medical records and medical imaging films. These records provide the
foundational evidence for the biomechanical accident reconstruction. Biomechanical
engineers do not diagnose the injuries; rather, they analyze the diagnoses made by medical
personnel and determine the forces, torques, and exact injury mechanisms that created the
injuries. Traumatic injuries can be differentiated from chronic or degenerative conditions. The
injuries described in the medical records can thus be used as a "damage assessment" for the
injured party, separating what happened in the accident from injuries that might have
happened due to other causes.
Exponent performs biomechanical accident reconstructions in both collision and non-collision
events, involving passenger cars, light and heavy trucks (including SUVs and vans), bicycles,
and motorcycles. When performing these types of injury analyses, we use medical data, as
well as information from vehicle and scene inspections, accident reconstruction information,
crash and sled testing, and computer modeling to answer biomechanical questions related to
the use and performance of seats, seatbelts, airbags, roof structures, glazing, child restraint
systems, and other vehicle components. We use this information to evaluate occupant
kinematics, contacts, and injuries during an event. We use field accident data from the
National Automotive Sampling System (NASS), the Fatal Analysis Reporting System (FARS),
and state databases to evaluate relationships between collision, vehicle, and occupant
parameters and injury risk. Exponent’s biomechanical engineers are also active in the
automotive injury research community and have published numerous peer-reviewed articles
pertaining to injuries in the automotive environment, addressing areas such as rollovers,
glazing, vehicle restraints (seatbelts, airbags), low-energy collisions, and child restraint
systems.
Biomechanical engineers can introduce a whole body of evidence beyond what a traditional
engineer can testify to, and can reconstruct events leading up to and during non-vehicular
injury-producing events. Typical accidents include slips and trips, falls and throws, criminal
investigations involving injury or death, workplace injuries, and others. Human injury
tolerance information including bone breaking strengths, joint ranges of motion and injury
thresholds, and soft tissue properties provide additional evidence beyond what is obtained
from the accident scene. Findings related to the user's position and actions at the time of the
event are used to address issues related to product use. We use our expertise in pediatric
injury and the functional capabilities and the anthropometry of children to evaluate injuries to
children and address biomechanical questions pertaining to age-appropriate strength and
capability.
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Contact Information
Additional information, including in-depth practice and capability information, as well as
consultant biographies, can be found on our award-winning web site: www.exponent.com
888-656-EXPO
info@exponent.com
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Appendix A –
Test & Engineering Center
Test Facilities
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Sled
Our indoor sled facility has a pneumatic acceleration system, a wire-bending decelerator, a
170-ft rail that minimizes test article disturbance during the acceleration phase, pre-impact
braking, and 200 kW of lighting for high-quality photography. The indoor sled is capable of
generating up to 35 g deceleration or 60 inches of deceleration displacement. The sled can
reach a maximum speed of approximately 40 mph and the wire-bending decelerator can
sustain a maximum load of 175,000 lbs. We have applied similar pre-impact braking
technology on our roller coaster dolly.
Our outdoor sled facility has been operating since 1984. The outdoor sled uses a drop weight
accelerator system and decelerates the sled using a combination of a honeycomb energy
absorber and a fixed barrier. The outdoor sled is capable of speeds up to 40 mph and
decelerations exceeding 50 g.
The sled pre-impact braking feature can provide up to 50 feet of low-level deceleration prior
to impact. This video clip shows the effects of 16 ft of 0.6g (average) pre-impact braking on a
three-year-old lap-belted dummy.
Crash Rail
The majority of the crash tests conducted at the TEC are one of a kind, in terms of impact
configuration. We have reproduced accident scene features such as ditches, poles, trees,
walls, guardrails, and ramps.
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1200 feet long monorail system
Speed capabilities up to 100 mph with a
mid-size passenger car (single-moving)
o Higher speeds possible with power
supplementation from push vehicle or
towed vehicle's own power
Two-moving vehicle capable
o Any impact angle
o At least one vehicle can be oriented
with a pre-impact yaw angle
o Transmission system allows speed
ratios up to 6.7:1
Use of cable and pulleys allows towing vehicles in other areas of the facility such as
dirt embankments
Camera pits at fixed barrier and mid-rail allow photographic coverage of vehicle
underbody components
Dedicated area for FMVSS 208 dolly rollover tests on both soil and concrete surfaces
Crash rail test surface can be modified to accommodate installation of various
barriers and fixtures
Portable temperature control shed to meet pre-test environmental requirements
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Track / Skidpad
Our 147-acre test facility in Phoenix includes a
two-mile oval track, durability course, and tenacre skid pad which allow engineers to study
vehicle performance.
Oval Track
The two-mile oval track surrounds a large part
of the facility and is designed for tests such as
mileage endurance and braking tests, which
require a continuous track. The track features
banked curves with a neutral steer at
approximately 45 mph for low lateral
acceleration turns.
Endurance and Ride Quality Course
Included as a part of the oval track is a 1700 foot course designed for endurance and ride
quality testing. Road characteristics simulated by these concrete surfaces include random
chuckholes, a sine-wave generator, a railroad crossing, a high crown to crown intersection, a
Belgian Block (cobblestone) course and several dips and bumps designed for single wheel
and full axle engagement. Fresh and salt water troughs are also available.
Skidpad
The ten-acre dynamics pad is intended for
vehicle handling and skid testing. It is semicircle
in shape with a 300-foot radius. Adjacent to the
skid pad apron is an area for off-road excursion
testing.
Brake System Test Facilities
Facilities designed to test vehicle brake systems
are available on the oval track and skid pad.
Parking brake testing can be performed on 20
and 30 percent ramps.
All-Terrain Area
The Exponent Test and Engineering Center (TEC) has more than 20 acres of natural landscape. This
area incorporates standard off-road features that are commonly used to evaluate off-road capability.
For example, various hills, jumps, tabletops, and a dirt skidpad are available. In addition, when client
needs dictate, we can create specific topography. In past projects, we have used photogrammetric
techniques to re-create features that no longer exist, but were documented photographically. After
these features are re-created, demonstrations of vehicles operating through the terrain can be
evaluated.
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Hydraulic Loading
Two large fixtures have been designed to load entire roof systems and parts of roof systems at
different angles. A software configured controller and data acquisition system are setup to control the
hydraulic servo valves that drive the pistons. Tests can be conducted to a desired load or
displacement at different displacement rates. Several different mounting methods can be used to
reach loads on the full body, cab, or frame of a vehicle. A large slotted test bed is used to adjust
positioning of the fixtures and vehicles, as well as hold everything in place when test conditions are
finalized. A large flat plate fixture was designed to accommodate heavy truck cabs as well as full
passenger vehicles. Tests using our roof crush systems are quasi-static, offering a slow but controlled
load application.
Exponent conducts structural loading tests on complete vehicles and vehicle sub-systems, from
automotive glass to heavy truck cabs. Some examples of the
TEC's capabilities are:
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Hydraulic power supplies and equipment
currently capable of supplying up to 3,000 psi
and 70,000 lbs of force
Standard or custom-made reaction structures to
conduct any load test
Three slotted test beds
Force application through load or position
feedback control
Static or dynamic loading capability
Anthropomorphic Test Dummy (ATD) Laboratory
Anthropomorphic Test Devices, a.k.a. crash test
dummies, are often times a critical element of a
test or evaluation. An environmentally controlled
laboratory at Exponent's TEC includes fixtures and
equipment for test dummy calibration and
maintenance. The family of Hybrid III dummies: 12month-old, three-year-old, six-year-old, 5th
percentile adult females, 50th percentile males,
and the 95th percentile male, are included in TEC's
test dummy inventory. In addition to Hybrid III
dummies, Exponent's TEC has side-impact, Hybrid
II test dummies and a six-month CAMI. TEC's test dummies can be modified to meet the
anthropometry (height, weight, and body measurements) required for an investigation or
evaluation. Furthermore, special application test dummies can also be made available at
Exponent's TEC upon a client's request.
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Controlled Rollover Impact System (CRIS) / Roll Spit
To provide a repeatable test technique for evaluating roof-to-ground impact in a vehicle
rollover event, Exponent (in conjunction with Ford Motor Co.) developed a translating and
rotating vehicle drop system. This system releases a vehicle at a pre-set height and
selectable roll, pitch, and yaw attitudes, and roll velocity, from a fixture traveling at speeds up
to 50 mph. Synchronous release of both ends of the vehicle is provided to ensure the desired
vehicle orientation on contact with the ground. The system is well suited to developmental
testing of rollover occupant protection systems and investigation of roof strength issues.
High-speed cameras suspended from the test fixture provide detailed information regarding
occupant/roof/ground interactions. Such views are not available in less-controlled rollover
testing techniques, such as dolly rollovers.
Indoor Roll Spit Demonstration Fixture
The Exponent indoor roll spit provides a means to
conduct full-scale quasi-static simulations of
vehicle rollovers. Highlights of Exponent's indoor
roll spit demonstration fixture include the ability to
conduct ground-level surrogate inspections
followed by the inversion demonstration, easy
evaluation of parameters such as restraint
geometry and head clearance in an inverted
position, an open design that allows unobstructed
photography quick vehicle change-out times, and a
climate- and lighting-controlled environment.
Outdoor Roll Spit Demonstration Fixture
Exponent also operates an outdoor roll spit
demonstration fixture. This device provides a
means to conduct full-scale quasi-static
simulations of vehicle rollovers. The fixture can
accommodate most passenger vehicles. It is
conveniently positioned next to our outdoor crash
rail and can be used to quickly invert vehicles
following a crash test, to comply with such
standards as FMVSS 301. The ramp-loading
feature allows for quick vehicle change-out times,
permitting multiple vehicle inversions to be
completed in a given day.
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Inverted Drop
Exponent is equipped to offer our clients "inverted
drop" testing, in which a vehicle is suspended above a
level surface at a specified height and orientation,
then released. Test vehicles are often oriented to
simulate test conditions used to conduct the FMVSS
216 roof-strength test, and the drop height determines
the vehicle’s impact energy.
This testing might be used to analyze structural
deformation, to compare roof structures among peer
vehicles, to analyze occupant kinematics or seatbelt
performance, or to determine the potential for
occupant injury in a rollover event.
Dynamometer
The Test and Engineering Center (TEC) in Phoenix, Arizona, provides clients with two
environmental chambers. The largest measures 56 ft long, 13 ft high, and 16 ft wide, and is
home to our Clayton IM 240IL chassis dynamometer.
The dynamometer has unidirectional double rollers
and can accommodate a single drive axle. The system
is air-cooled, with a radial-designed eddy-current
absorber. The rollers are 8.65 inches in diameter and
108 inches wide, with a center spacing of 30 inches
and a vehicle axle weight capacity of 6000 lbs, which
accommodates most vehicle designs. The
dynamometer is ideal for conducting the Electric
Vehicle Energy Consumption and Range Test
Procedure (SAE J1634).
Roller Coaster Dolly
The Roller Coaster Dolly releases a vehicle at speed onto flat or sloping terrain, with any
desired initial roll, pitch, and yaw angle. The vehicle slides smoothly from the dolly onto the
terrain, with or without elevation change. This system can be used to create rollover crashes
from the trip stage on, including scenarios such as furrow tripping on inclined road edges and
medians. This system can also be used for lateral pole impacts, such as FMVSS 201P, and
certain real-world accident scenarios.
We have additional capacity for creating controlled, low-level deceleration over the last
several feet of dolly travel. The deceleration simulates tire scrub or soil furrowing. With this
system, occupant motions leading up to and during rollover can be investigated with a
repeatable test. This feature can be used during development testing of occupant protection
systems. We have also applied similar pre-impact braking technology to our indoor sled
facility.
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