Research Test Center (RTC)

Physicians, most of whom also have engineering degrees, or who have a Ph.D. in engineering perform various types of research, testing and experimentation related primarily to human acceleration, acceleration tolerance, and acceleration protection. Much of this research has been performed under contract with the United States Air Force and the Department of Defense. In addition, BRC has performed analyses on behalf of NASCAR and has completed an analysis of the Columbia Space Shuttle Accident for NASA. Some research is performed independently and funded exclusively by BRC.

The scope of BRC’s research activities at its Research Test Center includes the following:

• Plan, conduct, and report research efforts including mathematical modeling; tests of components, equipment, and vehicles or systems that may be related to injury causation; and experimentation ranging from demonstrations of concepts or principles to experiments designed to evaluate scientific hypotheses.
• Research is accomplished to support individual case-specific or generic case-related injury causation analysis, and to support biomechanical investigations of interest to external clients or to BRC.
• Develop, experimentally validate, and use mathematical models and analytical tools to support the analysis of experiments and case-specific events, and to further the understanding of mechanisms of injury.
• Design, construct, acquire, and/or use specialized test fixtures, manikins or other anatomical models, physical models, demonstrative models, data collection schemes, instrumentation, and analytical methods to meet research requirements.
• Conduct tests and scientific experiments using specialized facilities and equipment including an impact pendulum, vehicle impact test ramp, hydraulic test machine, drop tower, horizontal accelerator, hydraulic compression-tension test machine, and portable data acquisition systems.
• Research results are documented as confidential, case-specific presentations and reports, or published in technical reports and scientific peer-reviewed journals.