Exponent’s consulting staff has a broad experience base and unmatched capabilities related to many aspects of the amusement and entertainment industry, including capabilities in biomechanics, human factors, statistics and data sciences, civil engineering, and materials engineering.
Our engineers have performed investigations of amusement park ride components and equipment; conducted analysis of accident patterns using statistical analysis of occupational injury, accident databases, and experimental methods; and performed accident risk and injury analyses related to amusement park rides. In addition, we have published research in brain injury biomechanics and amusement ride biomechanics.
Our engineers apply this expertise to understand how specific incidents occur, to assess the role of various design features in a specific event, and to evaluate the implications associated with the design.
Engineering Evaluations
Exponent has conducted independent engineering evaluations of the safety of roller coasters, including evaluating data and information on roller coaster incidents, assessing potential risks, and conducting new measurements related to g-forces and roller coasters. We have also performed comprehensive analyses of government injury data on amusement park ride safety.
The engineering implications of design factors, such as changes in usage or design, or an alternative design, are assessed to evaluate potential failure mechanisms or injury risk. This evaluation may consider not only the scenario associated with the specific incident or event in question, but also alternative scenarios that a user may encounter during normal use, misuse, and accidents. Additionally, field data from various databases, and information from the scientific, engineering, and medical literature are used to answer questions regarding risk during the subject incident, and during alternative scenarios.
Statistical Analysis
To quantify how machines, vehicles, consumer products, and components – including amusement park rides – behave in their real-world environments, we have developed one of the largest in-house collections of accident and incident data in the country. Our statisticians are trained to review this and other literature databases in order to obtain data on accidents associated with amusement park attractions, roller coaster design, occupant kinematics, occupant injury reports, and the medical facts behind reported associated injury types. We can also conduct detailed examinations of the data of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in relationship to internal accident data provided by a client.
Our engineers sit on committees and organizations related to amusement park safety, including American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) International’s Committee F24 on Amusement Rides and Devices, the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA), and the National Association of Amusement Ride Safety Officials (NAARSO).
We have experience investigating scenarios such as the following:
Motion sickness on an amusement ride
- Brain and eye injury potential on roller coasters
- Human modeling and accelerometry on water slide
- Swimming pool accidents
- Wire rope and structural failures in launched rides
- Restraint design evaluation
- Slip and fall in ride queue
- Effect of warnings on ride passengers
- Safety of fire effect installations:
- Elevator failure evaluation in baseball stadium
- Hazards posed to parking lot by soil erosion
- Playground safety evaluation and pediatric tolerance
Types of Testing
Standards Testing—Exponent can test amusement rides and installations according to the specifications found in most international standards, including ASTM, EN, ISO, and NFPA standards. Our Testing and Engineering Center in Phoenix, Arizona, has a variety of testing equipment and devices to meet the needs of most standards, or to perform custom investigations.
Real World Testing—Exponent has a unique set of facilities and support staff that allow its engineers to design, construct, and use novel testing setups that recreate real world accident scenarios.
Relevant Publications and Presentations
Bussone W, Moore T, Richards D, Bove R, Scher I, Prange MT. Measurements of non-injurious head accelerations of a pediatric population. Society of Automotive Engineers, SAE 2009-01-0383, 2009.
Bussone W. Biomechanics of amusement rides and devices. Presented at the Pennsylvania Spring Amusement Ride Safety Seminar, Grantville, PA, February 24–27, 2009.
Bussone W. Biomechanics of amusement rides and devices. Presented at the Pennsylvania Spring Amusement Ride Safety Seminar, Grantville, PA, February 26–29, 2008.
Heller M, Mkandawire C, Scher I, Gloeckner D, Bussone W, Cargill R. Head motion in the coronal plane during low-speed lateral impact collisions. Abstract presented at the Biennial Meeting of the International Society of Biomechanics, Taipei, Taiwan, July 2007.
Cargill RS, Bussone WR, Scher I, Heller MF. Current trends in amusement industry biomechanics: introduction to biomechanics and rider kinematics. Presented at the IAAPA Attractions Expo Education Programs, Atlanta, GA, November 13–17, 2006.
Scher I, Cargill R, Vijayakumar V, Richards D, Kuzel M. Examining bumper cars as a surrogate for low-speed rear-end and frontal collisions. Paper presented at the Quadrennial Meeting of the World Congress of Biomechanics, Munich, Germany, July 2006.
Vijayakumar V, Scher I, Gloeckner DC, Pierce J, Bove R, Young, Cargill R. Head kinematics and upper neck loading during simulated low-speed rear-end collisions: A comparison with vigorous activities of daily living. Paper 2006-01-0247 presented at the 2006 SAE World Congress, April 3–6, 2006.
Kennedy EL. Analyses of amusement park injury data. American Society of Safety Engineers Risk Management/Insurance Practice Specialty Newsletter 2006; 6(2).
Mkandawire C, Mazzucco D, Vijayakumar V, Scher I, Heller M, Morrison H. Head kinematics and upper neck loading during simulated low-speed lateral impact collisions. FISITA Paper F2006T044, FISITA 2006 World Automotive Congress, Yokohama, Japan, 2006.
Richards D, Scher I, Vijayakumar V, Carhart M, Larson R, Taylor S, Corrigan C. Repetitive head loading: Accelerations during cyclic, everyday activities. Paper presented at the Biennial Meeting of the International Society of Biomechanics, Cleveland, OH, August 2005.
Scher I, Richards D, Vijayakumar V, Carhart M, Corrigan C, Jaekel D. Coronal head accelerations during vigorous activities of daily living. Abstract presented at the Annual Bioengineering Conference of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Vail, CO, June 2005.
Kennedy EL. Wild Wonder amusement ride accident investigation. Extreme Evidence, Court TV, January 2005.
Arndt SR, Hammoud SA, Cargill RS. Head accelerations experienced during everyday activities and while riding roller coasters. Proceedings, 48th Annual Meeting of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, New Orleans, LA, 2004.
Arndt SR, Cargill RS. Everyday life accelerations. Injury Insights, Publication of the National Safety Council, p. 6–7, June/July 2003.
Arndt SR, Al-Tarawneh IS. Fixed-site amusement park injuries: An examination of two sources of data. Proceedings, 47th Annual Meeting of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, Santa Monica, CA, 2003.
Investigation of amusement park and roller coaster injury likelihood and severity. Exponent Failure Analysis Associates Report, prepared for Six Flags, New York, August 2002.
Ross B. Guest Panel Member, KRON Television, Channel 4, Take Issue Series, Amusement Park Ride Accidents and Safety, Michael Krasny, Moderator, San Francisco, CA, 2000.