Crash Tests and the Head Injury Criterion

The Head Injury Criterion (HIQ model has been developed to measure quantitatively tbe head injury risk in crash situations. Using a computer algebra system (here MAPLE), students are able to analyse results reported from a real crash test carried out with Mercedes-Benz cars. The discussion of the model provides first an excellent motivation for the Riemann integral, serves secondly as a piece of real consumer enlightenment, and demonstrates thirdly that the need to (oversimplify reality may produce hardly meaningful results, despite considerable mathematical expenditure. The negative acceleration during a crash FORTUNATELY, today many consumers pay mor