A customized chest response finite element model for a crash test dummy is disclosed. A method of creating the customized chest response finite element model for the crash test dummy includes the steps of identifying two borderline sets that match with certification test data profiles for a chest of the crash test dummy, varying material properties of components of the chest for the crash test dummy, defining a mapping function and allowing intermediate sets to be interpolated from the certification test data profiles, and creating a single chest response finite element model for the crash test dummy with a user-defined input parameter for the customized chest response finite element model that defines the customized response.