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Exponent Statement of Qualifications February 2010

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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 

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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

Other Sciences

Human Factors Statistical & Data Sciences

Engineering

Biomechanics Buildings & Structures Civil Engineering Electrical & Semiconductors Materials & Corrosion Engineering Mechanical Engineering Polymer Science & Materials Chemistry Thermal Sciences Vehicle Engineering

Sectors

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 on- and 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-to-ground 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 g-force 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:

• Accident Reconstruction/Analysis • Design Analysis • Handling and Stability • Insurance Claims Investigations • Occupant Kinematics • Rapid Response Inspections • Ride Quality/Vibration/NVH • Seatbelts/Restraints/Airbags • 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:

• Trains • Boats • Ride quality/vibration/NVH • Heavy truck/commercial vehicles • Recreational vehicles (RVs, motorhomes) • Forklifts/industrial equipment/earthmoving equipment

Exponent offers a broad range of analysis and testing services for components:

• Occupant safety systems/airbags • Engine systems • Control systems/electronics • 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, electro-magnetic 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)

• Consumer & home (appliances, audio/visual equipment, PDAs and cell phones, computer peripherals, exercise equipment)

• Building (elevators, security systems, heating and air conditioning) • Medical equipment (implanted devices, monitoring equipment, information

management) • Transportation (motor controllers, traffic control systems, amusement park rides) • Military (weapons guidance systems, GPS equipment, communications devices) • Process control (power generation systems, manufacturing, chemical processing) • 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:

• 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.

• 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 ten-acre 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:

• 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: 12-month-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.