Department of Mechanical Engineering

Clay Gabler


Clay Gabler


Assistant Director - SBES
Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering
445 ICTAS

(540) 231-7190
gabler@vt.edu



Education Research
Teaching
Experience
Honors
Publications


Education

Ph.D. Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Princeton University 1998
M.A. Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Princeton University 1994
M.E. Nuclear Engineering University of Virginia 1980
B.S. Nuclear Engineering University of Virginia 1976

 

Research

For more information, please go to Dr. Gabler's web page, the Center for Injury Biomechanics or go to the School of Biomedical and Engineering Sciences.

  • Impact Biomechanics

  • Vehicle Crashworthiness

  • Vehicle Active Safety Technologies

  • Crash Modeling and Simulation

  • Impact Injury Reconstruction


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Teaching Activities

BME 5174 Biomechanics of Crash Injury Prevention
Principles of design and analysis of crash injury prevention methods in vehicle crashes. The course encompasses three major focus areas for occupant protection in crashes: crash energy absorption in (1) the vehicle structure, (2) the occupant, and (3) the occupant restraints. Topics include the biomechanics of impact injury, analysis of occupant response in crash tests, vehicle crash kinematics, modeling of vehicle impact response, modeling of human impact response, and occupant restraint design. Pre: Background in statics, solid mechanics, dynamics, and ordinary differential equations. Co-requisite - Mammalian Physiology (BMES 5004) Graduate standing (3H, 3C)

BME 5984 Injury Physiology
Introduction to the physiology of injury. The course will focus on the pathophysiology, mechanisms, and outcomes of injury in humans. The course explores injury physiology at the organ, tissue, and cellular level. Topics include physiology of injury to the peripheral and central nervous systems, the musculoskeletal system, the pulmonary system, the abdomen, and the eye. The course will include the injury physiology of adults as well as the special populations of children, pregnant females, and the elderly. Pre: Graduate standing. Graduate standing (3H, 3C)

ME 5754 Advanced Impact Biomechanics
A review of impact biomechanics and critical investigation of the impact response of the human body. Participants will study the dynamic response of the head, neck, chest, abdomen, upper extremities and lower extremities. Real world examples from automobile safety, military applications, and sport biomechanics. Pre: 3504, 3614 or ESM 3054, ESM 3124 (3H, 3C)

ME 6754 Computational Modeling in Impact Biomechanics
Dynamic modeling of the human body subjected to transient impact loading. A combination of finite element analysis and multi-body simulation techniques. Utilizes software packages with dynamic solvers. Applications include computer-aided design for automobile safety, sports biomechanics, and military restraint systems. Pre: 5754 (3H, 3C)

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Experience

Associate Professor Dept. of Mechanical Engineering
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, VA		 2005 - Present
Associate Professor

Dept. of Mechanical Engineering
Rowan University
Glassboro, NJ 		1998 - 2004
Research Program Manager

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
U.S. Dept. of Transportation 		1984 - 1998
Research Engineer University of Virginia 1983 - 1984
Research Engineer Babcock & Wilcox Co. 1976 - 1983

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Honors

  • SAE Ralph H. Isbrandt Automotive Safety Engineering Award (2005)

  • SAE Award for Excellence in Oral Presentation at the 2007 SAE Industry/Government Conference (2007)

  • SAE Award for Excellence in Oral Presentation at the 2005 SAE World Congress (2005)

  • SAE Ralph R. Teetor Educational Award (2003)

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Publications

Journal Papers

  • Gabauer, D.J., and Gabler, H.C., "Comparison of Roadside Crash Injury Metrics Using Event Data Recorders", Accident Analysis and Prevention (in press)

  • Gabler, H.C., Digges, K., Fildes, B.N., and Sparke, L., "Side Impact Injury Risk for Belted Far Side Passenger Vehicle Occupants", SAE Transactions, Journal of Passenger Car - Mechanical Systems, v.114, Section 6, Paper No. 2005-01-0287 (2005)

  • Gabauer, D.J., and Gabler, H.C., "Evaluation of Acceleration Severity Index Threshold Values Utilizing Event Data Recorder Technology", Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, No. 1904, Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, pp. 37-45, Washington, DC (2005)

  • Gabauer, D.J., and Gabler, H.C., "A Methodology to Evaluate the Flail Space Model Utilizing Event Data Recorder Technology," Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, No. 1890, Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, pp.49-57, Washington, DC (2004)

  • Lefler, D.E. and Gabler, H.C., "The Fatality and Injury Risk of Light Truck Impacts with Pedestrians in the United States", Accident Analysis and Prevention, v.36, pp. 295-304, Elsevier (2004)

  • Bowen, D., and Gabler, H.C., "Modeling of Commuter Category Aircraft Seats Under Crash Loading", SAE Transactions, Journal of Aerospace, v.112, Sec. 1, Paper No. 2003-01-3028 (2003)

  • Gabler, H.C., "The Evolution of Side Crash Compatibility Between Cars, Light Trucks and Vans", SAE Transactions, Journal of Passenger Car - Mechanical Systems, v.112, sec. 6, Paper No. 2003-01-0899 (2003)

Conference Papers

  • Gabler, H.C. and Hinch, J., "Characterization of Advanced Air Bag Field Performance using Event Data Recorders", Proceedings of the Twentieth International Conference on Enhanced Safety of Vehicles, Paper No. 07-0349, Lyons, France (June 2007)

  • Gabler, H.C., "The Risk of Fatality in Motorcycle Crashes with Roadside Barriers", Proceedings of the Twentieth International Conference on Enhanced Safety of Vehicles, Paper No. 07-0474, Lyons, France June 2007)

  • Wang, Q. and Gabler, H.C., "Accuracy of Vehicle Frontal Stiffness Estimates for Crash Reconstuction" , Proceedings of the Twentieth International Conference on Enhanced Safety of Vehicles, Paper No. 07-0513, Lyons, France (June 2007)

  • Gabauer, D.J. and Gabler, H.C., "Occupant Injury in Longitudinal Barrier Collisions: Webster, G.D. and Gabler, H.C. "Feasibility of Transdermal Ethanol Sensing for the Detection of Intoxicated Drivers", 51st Annual Proceedings of the Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine, Melbourne, Australia (October 2007)

  • Gabler, H.C. and Gabauer, D.J., "Opportunities for Reduction of Fatalities in Vehicle-Guardrail Collisions", 51st Annual Proceedings of the Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine, Melbourne, Australia (October 2007)

  • Effects of Restraints", Proceedings of the 44th International ISA Biomedical Sciences Instrumentation Symposium (April 2007)

  • Gabler, H.C., "The Emerging Risk of Fatal Motorcycle Crashes with Guardrails", Proceedings of the 86th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Record, Washington, DC (January 2007)

  • Gabauer, D.J., and Gabler, H.C., "Comparison of Roadside and Vehicle Crash Test Injury Criteria in Frontal Crash Tests", Proceedings of the 86th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Record, Washington, DC (January 2007)

  • Niehoff, P. and Gabler, H.C., "The Accuracy of WinSmash Delta-V Estimates: The Influence of Vehicle Type, Stiffness, and Impact Mode", 50th Annual Proceedings of the Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine, Chicago, IL (October 2006)

  • Gabauer, D.J. and Gabler, H.C., "Comparison of Delta-V and Occupant Impact Velocity Crash Severity Metrics using Event Data Recorders", 50th Annual Proceedings of the Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine, Chicago, IL (October 2006)

  • Hampton, C.E., Gabler, H.C., and Rzigalinski, B., "Evaluation of Two Methods to Induce Mechanical Injury to Neuronal Cell Cultures", Proceedings of the American Society of Biomechanics 2006 Annual Meeting, Blacksburg, VA (September 2006)

  • Gabauer, D.J. and Gabler, H.C., "Development of Point Mass Injury Criteria Using Event Data Recorders", Proceedings of the 43rd International ISA Biomedical Sciences Instrumentation Symposium (April 2006)

  • Hampton, C.E., Gabler, H.C., and Rzigalinski, B., "Numerical Simulation of a Cellular-Level Experiment to Induce Traumatic Injury to Neurons", Proceedings of the 43rd International ISA Biomedical Sciences Instrumentation Symposium (April 2006)

  • Gabler, H.C., Fitzharris, M., Scully, J., Fildes, B.N., Digges, K. and Sparke, L., "Far Side Impact Injury Risk for Belted Occupants in Australia and the United States", Proceedings of the Nineteenth International Conference on Enhanced Safety of Vehicles, Paper No. 05-0420-O, Washington, DC (June 2005)

  • Niehoff, P., Gabler, H.C., Brophy, J. Chidester, A., Hinch, J., and Ragland, C., "Evaluation of Event Data Recorders in Full Systems Crash Tests", Proceedings of the Nineteenth International Conference on Enhanced Safety of Vehicles, Paper No. 05-0271-O, Washington, DC (June 2005)

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