Tara L.A. Moore, Ph.D., P.E.

Dr. Moore addresses issues involving human injury biomechanics. She has over 10 years of experience in the area of human tolerance to mechanical loads, especially bone fracture tolerance during traumatic and repetitive loading. Her work includes biomechanical accident reconstruction to determine the severity and mechanism of injuries occurring in transportation, occupational, and industrial accidents; injuries occurring in falls; and injuries to children. She evaluates events, such as automotive collisions and falls, to assess whether the motions, accelerations, and loads caused injury. She analyzes motor vehicle accidents, including frontal collisions, rear-end impacts, lateral collisions, rollovers, and collisions involving child restraints, to determine occupant kinematics, contacts, and mechanism of injuries. She performs biomechanical reconstructions of incidents involving industrial equipment, including forklifts and industrial lifts, to determine how traumatic injuries occurred. She also evaluates biomechanical issues and injury potential associated with alternate scenarios, such as changes in design or safety equipment, and uses biomechanical analyses to evaluate whether a described scenario could have occurred.

Dr. Moore’s current research interests include applying field accident data to understand biomechanical issues in rollovers, pediatric inertial neck injuries in motor vehicle collisions, balance retention while operating material handling equipment, and the effect of occupant size (height, weight, BMI) on injury risk. Her past research activities have included studies of trabecular bone mechanics, solid mechanics of cellular materials, materials systems for rapid prototyping, and fatigue of materials. Dr. Moore also has extensive experience and training in microscopy, rapid prototyping manufacturing systems, materials testing, including fatigue testing of metals and bone, and aerospace engineering.

Prior to joining Exponent, Dr. Moore was a Research Assistant at the Orthopedic Biomechanics Laboratory of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School and in the Cellular Solids Lab in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dr. Moore’s training during that time included medical school coursework in human anatomy, physiology, and pathology.

Prange M, Newberry W, Moore T, Peterson D, Smyth B, Corrigan CF. Inertial neck injuries in children involved in frontal collisions. Presented at the SAE World Congress, SAE 2007-01-1170, Detroit, MI, April 16–19, 2007.

Parker D, Ray R, Moore T, Keefer RE. Rollover severity and occupant protection: A review of NASS/CDS Data. Presented at the SAE World Congress, SAE 2007-01-0676, Detroit, MI, April 16–19, 2007.

Gloeckner DC, Bove R, Croteau J, Corrigan CF, Moore, T. Timing of head-to-vehicle perimeter contacts in rollovers. Presented at the SAE World Congress, SAE 2007-01-0370, Detroit, MI, April 16–19, 2007.

Yamaguchi G, Ashby B, Luepke P, Moore T, Bove R, Corrigan CF. Theoretical analysis of a method of computing dynamic roof crush during rollovers. Transactions of the Society of Automotive Engineers, SAE 2007-01-0366, 2007.

Gloeckner C, Steffey D, Le-Resnick H, Bare C, Corrigan CF. Implications of vehicle roll direction on occupant ejection and injury risk. Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine, 50th Annual Scientific Conference. Chicago, IL, October 15–18, 2006.

Bove RT, Fisher JL, Ciccarelli L, Cargill RS, Moore TLA. The effects of anthropometry on driver position and clearance measures. Presented at the SAE World Congress, SAE 2006-01-0454, Detroit, MI, April 3–6, 2006.

Mkandawire C, Nicosia MA, Moore TLA, Corrigan CF. Postural stability of stand-up forklift operators in response to normal braking procedures. ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, Orlando, FL, November 5–11, 2005.

Moore TLA, Vijayakumar V, Steffey DL, Ramachandran K, Corrigan CF. Biomechanical factors and injury risk in high-severity rollovers. 49th Annual Proceedings of the Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine, pp. 133–150, 2005.

Moore TLA, O’Brien FJ, Gibson LJ. Creep does not contribute to fatigue in bovine trabecular bone. Journal of Biomechanical Engineering 2004; 126:321–329.

Ganguly P, Moore TLA, Gibson LJ. A phenomenological model for predicting fatigue life in bovine trabecular bone. Journal of Biomechanical Engineering 2004; 126:330–339.

Moore TLA, Gibson LJ. Fatigue microdamage in bovine trabecular bone. Journal of Biomechanical Engineering 2003; 125:761–768.

Moore TLA, Gibson LJ. Fatigue of bovine trabecular bone. Journal of Biomechanical Engineering 2003; 125:769–776.

Moore TLA, Gibson LJ. Microdamage accumulation in bovine trabecular bone in uniaxial compression. Journal of Biomechanical Engineering 2002; 124:63–71.

Moore TLA, Gibson LJ. Modeling microdamage accumulation in bovine trabecular bone in uniaxial compression. Journal of Biomechanical Engineering 2001; 123:613–622.

Moore TLA. Microdamage accumulation in bovine trabecular bone. Ph.D. Thesis, Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2001.

Lee TC, Arthur TL, Gibson LJ, Hayes WC. Sequential labeling of microdamage in bone using chelating agents. Journal of Orthopaedic Research 2000; 18:322–32 (as TL Arthur).

Arthur TL. Factors limiting the surface finish of three dimensional printed parts. S.M. Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1996 (as TL Arthur).

Presentations and Published Abstracts

Prange M, Newberry W, Moore T, Peterson D, Smyth B, Corrigan CF. Inertial neck injuries in children involved in frontal collisions: Sled testing using the 6-Year-old ATD. Proceedings, ASME 2007 Summer Bioengineering Conference, Keystone, CO, 2007.

Steffey DL, Bove RT, Fisher JL, Ciccarelli L, Cargill RS, Moore TLA. Characterization of occupant anthropometry and clearance measures in passenger cars. Joint Statistical Meetings, Seattle, WA, August 6–10, 2006.

Fisher JL, Newberry WN, Krishnan R, Pierce J, Moore TLA. Late-phase occupant rebound after rear-end impact. Proceedings, Summer Bioengineering Conference, Abstract 188080, Vail, CO, June 22–26, 2005.

Ganguly P, Moore TLA, Gibson LJ. Analysis of fatigue damage in bovine trabecular bone. American Society of Biomechanics Annual Meeting, September 8–11, 2004.

Hastings A, Gibson LJ, Moore TLA, Cheng DW, Guo XE. Endurance limit for bovine trabecular bone. Transactions of the 50th Annual Meeting of the Orthopedic Research Society, Vol. 29, p. 34, 2004.

Moore TLA, O’Brien FJ, Gibson LJ. Creep does not contribute to fatigue in bovine trabecular bone. Transactions of the 50th Annual Meeting of the Orthopedic Research Society, Vol. 29, p. 36, 2004.

Moore TLA, Gibson LJ. The effect of number of cycles on microdamage accumulation in bovine trabecular bone. Proceedings, ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exhibition, IMECE2001/BED-23026, 2001.

Moore TLA, Gibson LJ. An endurance limits exists for compressive fatigue of bovine trabecular bone. Annals of Biomedical Engineering 2001; 29:S-34.

Moore TLA, Gibson LJ. Microdamage accumulation during compressive fatigue of bovine trabecular bone. Proceedings, ASME Bioengineering Conference, pp. 291–292, 2001.

Arthur TL, Gibson LJ. Microdamage accumulation in trabecular bone in compression. Proceedings, 12th Conference of the European Society of Biomechanics, p. 40, 2000 (as TL Arthur).

Arthur TL, Gibson LJ. Prediction of stiffness reduction using microdamage parameters in bovine trabecular bone. Proceedings, 12th Conference of the European Society of Biomechanics, p. 334, 2000 (as TL Arthur).

Arthur TL, Pierce RK, Gibson LJ. Microdamage in creep and monotonic compression of bovine trabecular bone. Transactions, 46th Annual Meeting of the Orthopaedic Research Society, Vol. 25, p.736, 2000 (as TL Arthur).

Arthur TL, Gibson LJ. Accumulation of microdamage with increasing strain in bovine trabecular bone. Advances in Bioengineering 1998; 335–336 (as TL Arthur).

Lee TC, Arthur TL, Gibson LJ, Myers ER, Hayes WC. Specific labelling of fatigue damage in bone using fluorescent chelating agents. Irish Journal of Medical Science 1998; 167:117 (as TL Arthur).

Lee TC, Arthur TL, Hayes WC, Gibson LJ. Detection of fatigue crack growth in bone. Proceedings, ASME Bioengineering Conference, pp. 309–310, 1997 (as TL Arthur).

• Research Assistant, Orthopedic Biomechanics Laboratory, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, 1996–2001
• Research Assistant, Cellular Solids Lab, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1996–2001
• Research Assistant, Three Dimensional Printing Lab, Lab for Manufacturing and Productivity, Department of Mechanical Engineering, MIT, 1994–1996
  

Analyzed occupant kinematics and injury mechanisms in frontal, rear-end, side impact, and rollover automotive collisions, including occupant ejections in rollover; rollover collisions with issues pertaining to roof deformation and restraint performance; impacts involving seat back yielding; collisions involving intrusion of vehicle structures; and crashes involving airbag deployment. Addressed biomechanical issues pertaining to proposed design changes.

Assessed injury mechanism and occupant kinematics associated with injuries of children restrained in child restraint systems and vehicle restraints in automotive collisions. Evaluated changes in injury potential associated with different restraint configurations, including misuse. Planned and conducted sled tests using pediatric anthropomorphic dummies and various restraint configurations, including child restraint system (CRS) use and misuse and vehicle seatbelts alone, to investigate inertial neck loading during frontal collisions.

Evaluated maternal and fetal injury mechanisms in transportation collisions, including frontal collisions, rear-end collisions, and rollover. Evaluated issues pertaining to interaction between the pregnant abdomen and restraint systems (seatbelts, airbags).

Planned and directed roll-spit tests with human surrogates in the context of biomechanical analyses of real-world accidents involving rolling or pitching (end-over-end motion) of the vehicle.

Used field accident data and statistical analyses from real-world collisions to investigate relationships between accident severity, vehicle and occupant parameters, and injury risk. Utilized field accident data to determine relative severity of a given collision. Evaluated effect of number of rolls and roll direction on injury risk to ejected and non-ejected occupants in rollovers. Assessed effect of changes in velocity (delta-V) and restraint status on injury risk in frontal, rear-end, and lateral collisions.

Performed numerous analyses of low-energy automotive accidents, including sideswipes and low-speed rear-end, frontal, and lateral collisions, and elevator “sudden stops” to evaluate injury causation. Determined vehicle and occupant kinematics based on vehicle damage, information from crash testing, and the principles of physics. Compared motions, accelerations and loads experienced by occupants during low-energy collisions to established tolerance levels and to levels experienced during daily activities.

Applied engineering principles to reconstruct impacts causing bone fractures. Determined type, extent, and direction of loading on bones, based on the specific nature of the fracture described in medical records and depicted in medical imaging studies. Used experimental data regarding facial bone fractures to determine direction and speed of objects striking the face.

Performed biomechanical reconstructions of lower extremity crush injuries to operators of material handling systems, including lift trucks. Used information from medical records and medical imaging studies, information regarding the geometry of the vehicle and scene (including computer-generated models), and descriptions of the event to reconstruct operator position at the time of the injury. Related accelerations experienced by lift truck operators to accelerations require to cause a loss of balance.

Applied medical data to answer biomechanical questions. Used information regarding severity and extent of burn injuries to determine positioning when the burn was sustained and to determine if a proposed scenario occurred. Utilized anthropomorphic data and functional capabilities of children to reconstruct scenarios leading up to an injury.

• American Society of Mechanical Engineers (member)
• Society of Automotive Engineers (member)
• American Society of Biomechanics (member)
• Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine (member)