Modular incorporation of deformable spine and 3D neck musculature into a simplified human body finite element model

Spinal injuries are a concern for automotive applications, requiring large parametric studies to understand spinal injury mechanisms under complex loading conditions. Finite element computational human body models (e.g. Global Human Body Models Consortium (GHBMC) models) can be used to identify spinal injury mechanisms. However, the existing GHBMC detailed models (with high computational time) or GHBMC simplified models (lacking vertebral fracture prediction capabilities) are not ideal for studying spinal injury mechanisms in large parametric studies. To overcome these limitations, a modular 50th percentile male simplified occupant model combining advantages of both the simplified and detailed models, M50-OS + DeformSpine, was developed by incorporating the deformable spine and 3D neck musculature from the detailed GHBMC model M50-O (v6.0) into the simplified GHBMC model M50-OS (v2.3). This new modular model was validated against post-mortem human subject test data in four rigid hub impactor tests and two frontal impact sled tests. The M50-OS + DeformSpine model showed good agreement with experimental test data with an average CORrelation and Analysis (CORA) score of 0.82 for the hub impact tests and 0.75 for the sled impact tests. CORA scores were statistically similar overall between the M50-OS + DeformSpine (0.79 ± 0.11), M50-OS (0.79 ± 0.11), and M50-O (0.82 ± 0.11) models (p > 0.05). This new model is computationally 6 times faster than the detailed M50-O model, with added spinal injury prediction capabilities over the simplified M50-OS model.

Preliminary validation of the GHBMC average male occupant models and 70YO aged model in far-side impact

The objective of the current study was to perform a preliminary validation of the Global Human Body Models Consortium (GHBMC) average male occupant models, simplified (M50-OS) and detailed (M50-O) and the 70YO aged model in Far-side impacts and compare the head kinematics against the PMHS responses published by Petit et al. (2019). The buck used to simulate the far-side impacts comprised a seat, headrest, center console plate, leg support plate, and footrest plate with rigid material properties. The three occupant models were gravity settled onto the rigid seat and belted with a 3-point seatbelt. Positioning details of the PMHS were followed in the model setup process. A deceleration pulse with ΔV of 8 m/s was applied. The far-side crash simulations were performed with and without the addition of a plexiglass cover around the setup similar to the experimental setup. The head kinematics were extracted from the models for comparison against the PMHS data. Peak head displacements in Y and Z axes from the three models were compared to the PMHS data in addition to the head rotation along X axes. The peak head displacement values for the M50-OS, M50-O, and M50-O 70YO aged models are 594.10 mm, 568.44 mm, and 567.90 mm along Y and 325.21 mm, 402.66 mm, and 375.92 mm respectively along Z when the plexiglass cover is included in the test. The peak head rotation values for the M50-OS, M50-O, and M50-O 70YO aged models are 95.64°, 122.15°, and 129.08° respectively when the plexiglass cover is included in the test. The three occupant models capture the general trend of the PMHS data. The detailed occupant models have higher head rotation compared to the simplified model because of the deformable structure of the spine and intervertebral discs modeled. These three occupant models can be used for further parametric studies in this condition to study the influence of restraint parameters.

Assessment of finite element human body and ATD models in estimating injury risk in far-side impacts using field-based injury risk

The objective of this study was to assess the ability of finite element human body models (FEHBMs) and Anthropometric Test Device (ATD) models to estimate occupant injury risk by comparing it with field-based injury risk in far-side impacts. The study used the Global Human Body Models Consortium midsize male (M50-OS+B) and small female (F05-OS+B) simplified occupant models with a modular detailed brain, and the ES-2Re and SID-IIs ATD models in the simulated far-side crashes. A design of experiments (DOE) with a total of 252 simulations was conducted by varying lateral ΔV (10-50kph; 5kph increments), the principal direction of force (PDOF 50°, 60°, 65°, 70°, 75°, 80°, 90°), and occupant models. Models were gravity-settled and belted into a simplified vehicle model (SVM) modified for far-side impact simulations. Acceleration pulses and vehicle intrusion profiles used for the DOE were generated by impacting a 2012 Camry vehicle model with a mobile deformable barrier model across the 7 PDOFs and 9 lateral ΔV's in the DOE for a total of 63 additional simulations. Injury risks were estimated for the head, chest, lower extremity, pelvis (AIS 2+; AIS 3+), and abdomen (AIS 3+) using logistic regression models. Combined AIS 3+ injury risk for each occupant was calculated using AIS 3+ injury risk estimations for the head, chest, abdomen, and lower extremities. The injury risk calculated using computational models was compared with field-based injury risk derived from NASS-CDS by calculating their correlation coefficient. The field-based injury risk was calculated using risk curves that were created based on real-world crash data in a previous study (Hostetler et al., 2020). Occupant age (40 years), seatbelt use (belted occupant), collision deformation classification, lateral ΔV, and PDOF of the crash event were used in these curves to estimate field injury risk. Large differences in the kinematics were observed between HBM and ATD models. ATD models tended to overestimate risk in almost every case whereas HBMs yielded better risk estimates overall. Chest and lower extremity risks were the least correlated with field injury risk estimates. The overall risk of AIS 3+ injury risk was the strongest comparison to the field data-based risk curves. The HBMs were still not able to capture all the variance but future studies can be carried out that are focused on investigating their shortfalls and improving them to estimate injury risk closer to field injury risk in far-side crashes.

Comparison of morphing techniques to develop subject-specific finite element models of vertebrae

This study compared two morphing techniques (and their serial combination) to create subject-specific finite element models of 15 astronaut vertebrae. Surface deviations of the morphed models were compared against subject geometries extracted from medical images. The optimal morphing process yielded models with minimal difference in root-mean-square (RMS) deviation (C3, 0.52 ± 0.14 mm; T3, 0.34 ± 0.04 mm; L1, 0.59 ± 0.16 mm) of the subject's vertebral geometry. <1% of model elements failed quality checks and compression simulations ran to completion. This research lays the foundation for the development of subject-specific finite element models to quantify musculoskeletal changes and injury risk from spaceflight.

Development and Validation of an Active Muscle Simplified Finite Element Human Body Model in a Standing Posture

Active muscles play an important role in postural stabilization, and muscle-induced joint stiffening can alter the kinematic response of the human body, particularly that of the lower extremities, under dynamic loading conditions. There are few full-body human body finite element models with active muscles in a standing posture. Thus, the objective of this study was to develop and validate the M50-PS+Active model, an average-male simplified human body model in a standing posture with active musculature. The M50-PS+Active model was developed by incorporating 116 skeletal muscles, as one-dimensional beam elements with a Hill-type material model and closed-loop Proportional Integral Derivative (PID) controller muscle activation strategy, into the Global Human Body Models Consortium (GHBMC) simplified pedestrian model M50-PS. The M50-PS+Active model was first validated in a gravity standing test, showing the effectiveness of the active muscles in maintaining a standing posture under gravitational loading. The knee kinematics of the model were compared against volunteer kinematics in unsuited and suited step-down tests from NASA's active response gravity offload system (ARGOS) laboratory. The M50-PS+Active model showed good biofidelity with volunteer kinematics with an overall CORA score of 0.80, as compared to 0.64 (fair) in the passive M50-PS model. The M50-PS+Active model will serve as a useful tool to study the biomechanics of the human body in vehicle-pedestrian accidents, public transportation braking, and space missions piloted in a standing posture.

Sensitivity Analysis for Multidirectional Spaceflight Loading and Muscle Deconditioning on Astronaut Response

A sensitivity analysis for loading conditions and muscle deconditioning on astronaut response for spaceflight transient accelerations was carried out using a mid-size male human body model with active musculature. The model was validated in spaceflight-relevant 2.5-15 g loading magnitudes in seven volunteer tests, showing good biofidelity (CORA: 0.69). Sensitivity analysis was carried out in simulations varying pulse magnitude (5, 10, and 15 g), rise time (32.5 and 120 ms), and direction (10 directions: frontal, rear, vertical, lateral, and their combination) along with muscle size change (± 15% change) and responsiveness (pre-braced, relaxed, vs. delayed response) changes across 600 simulations. Injury metrics were most sensitive to the loading direction (50%, partial-R²) and least sensitive to muscle size changes (0.2%). The pulse magnitude also had significant effect on the injury metrics (16%), whereas muscle responsiveness (3%) and pulse rise time (2%) had only slight effects. Frontal and upward loading directions were the worst for neck, spine, and lower extremity injury metrics, whereas rear and downward directions were the worst for head injury metrics. Higher magnitude pulses and pre-bracing also increased the injury risk.

Effect of Active Muscles on Astronaut Kinematics and Injury Risk for Piloted Lunar Landing and Launch While Standing

While astronauts may pilot future lunar landers in a standing posture, the response of the human body under lunar launch and landing-related dynamic loading conditions is not well understood. It is important to consider the effects of active muscles under these loading conditions as muscles stabilize posture while standing. In the present study, astronaut response for a piloted lunar mission in a standing posture was simulated using an active human body model (HBM) with a closed-loop joint-angle based proportional integral derivative controller muscle activation strategy and compared with a passive HBM to understand the effects of active muscles on astronaut body kinematics and injury risk. While head, neck, and lumbar spine injury risk were relatively unaffected by active muscles, the lower extremity injury risk and the head and arm kinematics were significantly changed. Active muscle prevented knee-buckling and spinal slouching and lowered tibia injury risk in the active vs. passive model (revised tibia index: 0.02-0.40 vs. 0.01-0.58; acceptable tolerance: 0.43). Head displacement was higher in the active vs. passive model (11.6 vs. 9.0 cm forward, 6.3 vs. 7.0 cm backward, 7.9 vs. 7.3 cm downward, 3.7 vs. 2.4 cm lateral). Lower arm movement was seen with the active vs. passive model (23 vs. 35 cm backward, 12 vs. 20 cm downward). Overall simulations suggest that the passive model may overpredict injury risk in astronauts for spaceflight loading conditions, which can be improved using the model with active musculature.

Effects of Standing, Upright Seated, vs. Reclined Seated Postures on Astronaut Injury Biomechanics for Lunar Landings

Astronauts may pilot a future lunar lander in a standing or upright/reclined seated posture. This study compared kinematics and injury risk for the upright/reclined (30°; 60°) seated vs. standing postures for lunar launch/landing using human body modeling across 30 simulations. While head metrics for standing and upright seated postures were comparable to 30 cm height jumps, those of reclined postures were closer to 60 cm height jumps. Head linear acceleration for 60° reclined posture in the 5 g/10 ms pulse exceeded NASA's tolerance (10.1 g; tolerance: 10 g). Lower extremity metrics exceeding NASA's tolerance in the standing posture (revised tibia index: 0.36-0.53; tolerance: 0.43) were lowered in seated postures (0.00-0.04). Head displacement was higher in standing vs. seated (9.0 cm vs. 2.4 cm forward, 7.0 cm vs. 1.3 cm backward, 2.1 cm vs. 1.2 cm upward, 7.3 cm vs. 0.8 cm downward, 2.4 cm vs. 3.2 cm lateral). Higher arm movement was seen with seated vs. standing (40 cm vs. 25 cm forward, 60 cm vs. 15 cm upward, 30 cm vs. 20 cm downward). Pulse-nature contributed more than 40% to the injury metrics for seated postures compared to 80% in the standing posture. Seat recline angle contributed about 22% to the injury metrics in the seated posture. This study established a computational methodology to simulate the different postures of an astronaut for lunar landings and generated baseline injury risk and body kinematics data.

A detailed finite element model of a mid-sized male for the investigation of traffic pedestrian accidents

The pedestrian is one of the most vulnerable road users and comprises approximately 23% of the road crash-related fatalities in the world. To protect pedestrians during Car-to-Pedestrian Collisions (CPC), subsystem impact tests are used in regulations. These tests provide insight but cannot characterize the complex vehicle-pedestrian interaction. The main purpose of this study was to develop and validate a detailed pedestrian Finite Element (FE) model corresponding to a 50th percentile male to predict CPC induced injuries. The model geometry was reconstructed using a multi-modality protocol from medical images and exterior scan data corresponding to a mid-sized male volunteer. To investigate injury response, this model included internal organs, muscles and vessels. The lower extremity, shoulder and upper body of the model were validated against Post Mortem Human Surrogate (PMHS) test data in valgus bending, and lateral/anterior-lateral blunt impacts, respectively. The whole-body pedestrian model was validated in CPC simulations using a mid-sized sedan and simplified generic vehicles bucks and previously unpublished PMHS coronal knee angle data. In the component validations, the responses of the FE model were mostly within PMHS test corridors and in whole body validations the kinematic and injury responses predicted by the model showed similar trends to PMHS test data. Overall, the detailed model showed higher biofidelity, especially in the upper body regions, compared to a previously reported simplified pedestrian model, which recommends using it in future pedestrian automotive safety research.

Finite element reconstruction of a vehicle-to-pedestrian impact

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to reconstruct a real-world Crash Injury Research and Engineering Network vehicle-to-pedestrian impact to supplement the determination of pedestrian kinematics and injury causation.

METHODS

A case involving a 46-year-old male pedestrian with a height of 163 cm and mass of 100 kg that was impacted by a 2019 Dodge Charger Pursuit police cruiser at an approximate velocity of 20.1 m/s was reconstructed. The case vehicle was represented by a rigid shell of a 2019 Dodge Charger vehicle exterior from an open-source database. The case pedestrian was represented by the Global Human Body Models Consortium (GHBMC) 50th percentile male simplified pedestrian human body model. The GHBMC model was isometrically scaled to a height of 163 cm and the external layer of flesh was morphed to a male reference geometry with the same age, height, and body mass index as the case pedestrian. The approximate location and position of the pedestrian at the time of impact was determined from case vehicle dashboard camera images and the pedestrian model was adjusted accordingly.

RESULTS

Reconstruction kinematics aligned with proposed CIREN case kinematics. The GHBMC model predicted fractures of the left inferior ischiopubic ramus, superior pubic ramus, ilium, sacral ala, acetabulum, and right ilium.

CONCLUSIONS

Finite element reconstructions of real-world pedestrian impacts are useful for analyzing pedestrian kinematics and provide an effective tool for improving pedestrian impact injury analyses.

Comparison of Neck Injury Criteria Values Across Human Body Models of Varying Complexity

Due to the severity and frequency of cervical spine injuries, the neck injury criterion (Nij) was developed to provide a quantitative relationship between forces and moments of the upper neck with accompanied injury risk. The present study was undertaken to evaluate differences in calculated Nij for the Global Human Body Model Consortium's detailed and simplified average 50th percentile male models. The simplified model is a computationally light version of the more detailed model and therefore it is of interest to achieve similar Nij values between the two models. These models were compared in 15 match paired conditions of rigid head impact and a mixture of seven full body rigid hub and sled pulses, for 44 total simulations. Collectively, Nij values of the simplified model were found to exhibit a second-degree polynomial fit, allowing for a conversion to the prediction of the detailed model. Correlates were also derived for impact and inertial loading cases individually, for which the latter may be the subject of future work. The differences in Nij may be attributed to a variety of modeling approach differences related to neck muscles (attachment location and morphometric implementation), localization of head mass within the M50-OS, head geometry, and intervertebral joint space properties. With a primary focus on configurations in the anterior-posterior direction, there is a potential limitation in extensibility to lateral loading cases. In response to the relatively low Nij values exhibited, future work should evaluate the appropriateness of the established critical intercepts of Nij for computational human body models.

Lumbar Spine Response of Computational Finite Element Models in Multidirectional Spaceflight Landing Conditions

The goals of this study are to compare the lumbar spine response variance between the hybrid III, test device for human occupant restraint (THOR), and global human body models consortium simplified 50th percentile (GHBMC M50-OS) finite element models and evaluate the sensitivity of lumbar spine injury metrics to multidirectional acceleration pulses for spaceflight landing conditions. The hybrid III, THOR, and GHBMC models were positioned in a baseline posture within a generic seat with side guards and a five-point restraint system. Thirteen boundary conditions, which were categorized as loading condition variables and environmental variables, were included in the parametric study using a Latin hypercube design of experiments. Each of the three models underwent 455 simulations for a total of 1365 simulations. The hybrid III and THOR models exhibited similar lumbar compression forces. The average lumbar compression force was 45% higher for hybrid III (2.2 ± 1.5 kN) and 51% higher for THOR (2.0 ± 1.6 kN) compared to GHBMC (1.3 ± 0.9 kN). Compared to hybrid III, THOR sustained an average 64% higher lumbar flexion moment and an average 436% higher lumbar extension moment. The GHBMC model sustained much lower bending moments compared to hybrid III and THOR. Regressions revealed that lumbar spine responses were more sensitive to loading condition variables than environmental variables across all models. This study quantified the intermodel lumbar spine response variations and sensitivity between hybrid III, THOR, and GHBMC. Results improve the understanding of lumbar spine response in spaceflight landings.

Validated thoracic vertebrae and costovertebral joints increase biofidelity of a human body model in hub impacts

Objective: A recent emphasis on nontraditional seating and omnidirectional impact directions has motivated the need for deformable representation of the thoracic spine (T-spine) in human body models. The goal of this study was to develop and validate a deformable T-spine for the Global Human Body Models Consortium (GHBMC) M50-O (average male occupant) human model and to demonstrate improved biofidelity.Methods: Eleven functional spinal units (FSUs) were developed with deformable vertebrae (cortical and trabecular), spinal and costovertebral ligaments, and intervertebral discs. Material properties for all parts were obtained from the literature.FSUs were subjected to quasistatic loads per Panjabi et al. (1976) in 6 degrees of freedom. Stiffness values were calculated for each moment (Nm/°) and translational force (N/µm). Updated costovertebral (CV) joints of ribs 2, 6, and 10 were subjected to moments along 3 axes per Duprey et al. (2010). The response was optimized by maximum force and laxity in the ligaments. In both cases, updated models were compared to the baseline approach, which employed rigid bodies and joint-like behavior. The deformable T-spine and CV joints were integrated into the full M50-O model Ver. 5.0β and 2 full-body cases were run: (1) a rear pendulum impact per Forman et al. (2015) at speeds up to 5.5 m/s. and (2) a lateral shoulder impact per Koh (2005) at 4.5 m/s. Quantitative evaluation protocols were used to evaluate the time history response vs. experimental data, with an average correlation and analysis (CORA) score of 0.76.Results: All FSU responses showed reduced stiffness vs. baseline. Tension, extension, torsion, and lateral bending became more compliant than experimental data. Like the experimental results, no trend was observed for joint response by level. CV joints showed good biofidelity. The response at ribs 2, 6, and 10 generally followed the experimental data.Conclusions: Deformable T-spine and CV joint validation has not been previously published and yielded high biofidelity in rear impact and notable improvement in lateral impact at the full body level. Future work will focus on localized T-spine injury criteria made possible by the introduction of this fully deformable representation of the anatomy.

Evaluation of finite element human body models for use in a standardized protocol for pedestrian safety assessment

Objective: Finite element human body models (HBMs) must be certified for use within the EuroNCAP pedestrian safety assessment protocol. We demonstrate that the Global Human Body Model Consortium (GHBMC) simplified pedestrian series of HBMs meet all criteria set forth in Technical Bulletin (TB) 024 (v 1.1 Jan. 2019) for model certification. We further explore variation in head contact time (HIT) and location by HBM size and impact speed across 48 full body impact simulations.Methods: The EuroNCAP Pedestrian Protocol (v. 8.5, Oct. 2018) assesses the overall safety of adult and child pedestrians by outlining a variety of physical tests and finite element simulations using HBMs. These tests are designed to assess the efficacy of vehicle safety technology such as active bonnets. The 50th percentile male simplified pedestrian model (M50-PS, H:175 cm, W:74.5 kg), six-year-old (6YO-PS, H:117 cm, W:23.4 kg), 5th percentile female (F05-PS, H:150 cm, W:50.7 kg), and 95th percentile male (M95-PS, H:190 cm, W:102 kg) were simulated through the suite of cases totaling 48 simulations (12 each). The process gathers three kinematic trajectories and contact force data from designated anatomical locations. The impacting vehicles include a family car (FCR), multi-purpose vehicle (MPV), roadster (RDS), and sports utility vehicle (SUV), all provided by TU Graz, Vehicle Safety Institute as part of the Coherent Project, each simulated at 30 kph, 40 kph, and 50 kph. Each simulation underwent a 23-point pre-simulation check and post-simulation model response comparison. The posture of all HBMs met criteria consisting of 15 measures. All simulations were conducted in LS-Dyna R. 7.1.2.Results and Conclusions: All simulations normal terminated. For each of the simulations, sagittal plane coordinate histories of the center of the head, 12th thoracic vertebrae, and center of acetabulum were compared with standard corridors and did not exceed the tolerance of 50 mm deviation. Head contact time was also compared with the reference values and did not exceed the tolerance interval of +3.5% and -7%. Comparison of contact forces was required for monitoring purposes only. The head contact time of the models for each simulation was recorded and compared by model size, impact speed, and vehicle geometry. Head contact times varied by roughly 3-fold, were lowest for the child model, and showed the greatest sensitivity for the tallest stature model (M95-PS). As stated in the certification process, other body sizes within a model family qualify for certification if the 50th percentile male model passes, provided that model sizes meet the required posture.

Modeling Human Volunteers in Multidirectional, Uni-axial Sled Tests Using a Finite Element Human Body Model

A goal of the Human Research Program at National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is to analyze and mitigate the risk of occupant injury due to dynamic loads. Experimental tests of human subjects and biofidelic anthropomorphic test devices provide valuable kinematic and kinetic data related to injury risk exposure. However, these experiments are expensive and time consuming compared to computational simulations of similar impact events. This study aimed to simulate human volunteer biodynamic response to unidirectional accelerative loading. Data from seven experimental studies involving 212 volunteer tests performed at the Air Force Research Laboratory were used to reconstruct 13 unique loading conditions across four different loading directions using finite element human body model (HBM) simulations. Acceleration pulses and boundary conditions from the experimental tests were applied to the Global Human Body Models Consortium (GHBMC) simplified 50th percentile male occupant (M50-OS) using the LS-Dyna finite element solver. Head acceleration, chest acceleration, and seat belt force traces were compared between the experimental and matched simulation signals using correlation and analysis (CORA) software and averaged into a comprehensive response score ranging from 0 to 1 with 1 representing a perfect match. The mean comprehensive response scores were 0.689 ± 0.018 (mean ± 1 standard deviation) in two frontal simulations, 0.683 ± 0.060 in four rear simulations, 0.676 ± 0.043 in five lateral simulations, and 0.774 ± 0.013 in two vertical simulations. The CORA scores for head and chest accelerations in these simulations exceeded mean scores reported in the original development and validation of the GHBMC M50-OS model. Collectively, the CORA scores indicated that the HBM in these boundary conditions closely replicated the kinematics of the human volunteers across all loading directions.

A preliminary study of human model head and neck response to frontal loading in nontraditional occupant seating configurations

OBJECTIVE

Computational human body models (HBMs) are nominally omnidirectional surrogates given their structural basis in human anatomy. As a result, such models are well suited for studies related to occupant safety in anticipated highly automated vehicles (HAVs). We utilize a well-validated HBM to study the head and neck kinematics in simulations of nontraditional occupant seating configurations.

METHODS

The GHBMC M50-O v. 4.4 HBM was gravity settled into a generic seat buck and situated in a seated posture. The model was simulated in angular increments of 15 degrees clockwise from forward facing to rear facing. A pulse of 17.0 kph (NASS median) was used in each to simulate a frontal impact for each of the 13 seating configurations. Belt anchor points were rotated with the seat; the airbag was appropriately powered based on delta-V, and was not used in rear-facing orientations. Neck forces and moments were calculated.

RESULTS

The 30-degree oblique case was found to result in the maximum neck load and sagittal moment, and thus Neck Injury Criteria (NIJ). Neck loads were minimized in the rear facing condition. The moments and loads, however, were greatest in the lateral seating configuration for these frontal crash simulations.

CONCLUSIONS

In a recent policy statement on HAVs, the NHTSA indicated that vehicle manufacturers will be expected to provide countermeasures that will fully protect occupants given any planned seating or interior configurations. Furthermore, the agency indicated that virtual tests using human models could be used to demonstrate such efficacy. While the results presented are only appropriate for comparison within this study, they do indicate that human models provide reasonable biomechanical data for nontraditional occupant seating arrangements.

Failed rib region prediction in a human body model during crash events with precrash braking

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study is 2-fold. We used a validated human body finite element model to study the predicted chest injury (focusing on rib fracture as a function of element strain) based on varying levels of simulated precrash braking. Furthermore, we compare deterministic and probabilistic methods of rib injury prediction in the computational model.

METHODS

The Global Human Body Models Consortium (GHBMC) M50-O model was gravity settled in the driver position of a generic interior equipped with an advanced 3-point belt and airbag. Twelve cases were investigated with permutations for failure, precrash braking system, and crash severity. The severities used were median (17 kph), severe (34 kph), and New Car Assessment Program (NCAP; 56.4 kph). Cases with failure enabled removed rib cortical bone elements once 1.8% effective plastic strain was exceeded. Alternatively, a probabilistic framework found in the literature was used to predict rib failure. Both the probabilistic and deterministic methods take into consideration location (anterior, lateral, and posterior). The deterministic method is based on a rubric that defines failed rib regions dependent on a threshold for contiguous failed elements. The probabilistic method depends on age-based strain and failure functions.

RESULTS

Kinematics between both methods were similar (peak max deviation: ΔX_head = 17 mm; ΔZ_head = 4 mm; ΔX_thorax = 5 mm; ΔZ_thorax = 1 mm). Seat belt forces at the time of probabilistic failed region initiation were lower than those at deterministic failed region initiation. The probabilistic method for rib fracture predicted more failed regions in the rib (an analog for fracture) than the deterministic method in all but 1 case where they were equal. The failed region patterns between models are similar; however, there are differences that arise due to stress reduced from element elimination that cause probabilistic failed regions to continue to rise after no deterministic failed region would be predicted.

CONCLUSIONS

Both the probabilistic and deterministic methods indicate similar trends with regards to the effect of precrash braking; however, there are tradeoffs. The deterministic failed region method is more spatially sensitive to failure and is more sensitive to belt loads. The probabilistic failed region method allows for increased capability in postprocessing with respect to age. The probabilistic failed region method predicted more failed regions than the deterministic failed region method due to force distribution differences.

Numerical investigation of driver lower extremity injuries in finite element frontal crash reconstruction

OBJECTIVE

Lower extremity injuries are the most frequent Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) 2 injury for drivers in frontal crashes. The objective was to reconstruct 11 real-world motor vehicle crashes (2 with AIS 2+ distal lower extremity injury and 9 without lower extremity injury) and to analyze the vehicle parameters and driver attributes that affect injury risk.

METHODS

Eleven frontal crashes were reconstructed with a finite element simplified vehicle model (SVM) using a semi-automated optimization method. The SVM was tuned to each corresponding vehicle and the Total HUman Model for Safety (THUMS) Ver 4.01 was scaled and positioned in a baseline configuration to mimic the documented precrash driver posture. The event data recorder crash pulse was applied as the boundary condition for each case. Additionally, for the 2 cases with lower extremity injury, 120 simulations to quantify the uncertainty and response variation were performed varying the following parameters using a Latin hypercube design of experiment (DOE): seat track position, seatback angle, steering column angle, steering column position, and D-ring height. Injury metrics implemented within THUMS were calculated from the femur, tibia, and ankle and cross-compared among the 11 baseline cases using tibia index and multiple injury risk functions. Kinetic and kinematic data from the 120-simulation DOE were analyzed and fit to regression models to examine any causal relationship between occupant positioning and lower extremity injury risk.

RESULTS

Of the 11 real-world crashes, both cases with lower extremity injuries resulted in elevated tibia axial forces and resultant bending moments, compared to the 9 cases without lower extremity injury. The average tibia index of the 2 cases with distal lower extremity injury (left: 1.79; right: 1.19) was higher than that in the 9 cases without lower extremity injury (left: 1.16, P =.024; right: 0.82, P =.024). An increased risk of AIS 2+ tibia shaft (33.6%), distal tibia and hindfoot (20.0%), as well as ankle malleolar (14.5%) fracture was also observed for the injured compared to the noninjured cases. Rearward seat track position, reclined seat back angle, and reduced seat height were correlated with elevated tibia axial force and increased tibia index, imposing additional lower extremity injury risk.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides a computational framework for assessing lower extremity injuries and elucidates the effect of precrash driver posture on lower extremity injury risk while accounting for vehicle parameters and driver attributes. Results from the study aid in the evaluation of real-world injury data, the understanding of factors contributing to injury risk, and the prevention of lower extremity injuries.

A Finite Element Model of a Midsize Male for Simulating Pedestrian Accidents

Pedestrians represent one of the most vulnerable road users and comprise nearly 22% the road crash-related fatalities in the world. Therefore, protection of pedestrians in car-to-pedestrian collisions (CPC) has recently generated increased attention with regulations involving three subsystem tests. The development of a finite element (FE) pedestrian model could provide a complementary component that characterizes the whole-body response of vehicle–pedestrian interactions and assesses the pedestrian injuries. The main goal of this study was to develop and to validate a simplified full body FE model corresponding to a 50th male pedestrian in standing posture (M50-PS). The FE model mesh and defined material properties are based on a 50th percentile male occupant model. The lower limb-pelvis and lumbar spine regions of the human model were validated against the postmortem human surrogate (PMHS) test data recorded in four-point lateral knee bending tests, pelvic\abdomen\shoulder\thoracic impact tests, and lumbar spine bending tests. Then, a pedestrian-to-vehicle impact simulation was performed using the whole pedestrian model, and the results were compared to corresponding PMHS tests. Overall, the simulation results showed that lower leg response is mostly within the boundaries of PMHS corridors. In addition, the model shows the capability to predict the most common lower extremity injuries observed in pedestrian accidents. Generally, the validated pedestrian model may be used by safety researchers in the design of front ends of new vehicles in order to increase pedestrian protection.

Modular use of human body models of varying levels of complexity: Validation of head kinematics

OBJECTIVE

The significant computational resources required to execute detailed human body finite-element models has motivated the development of faster running, simplified models (e.g., GHBMC M50-OS). Previous studies have demonstrated the ability to modularly incorporate the validated GHBMC M50-O brain model into the simplified model (GHBMC M50-OS+B), which allows for localized analysis of the brain in a fraction of the computation time required for the detailed model. The objective of this study is to validate the head and neck kinematics of the GHBMC M50-O and M50-OS (detailed and simplified versions of the same model) against human volunteer test data in frontal and lateral loading. Furthermore, the effect of modular insertion of the detailed brain model into the M50-OS is quantified.

METHODS

Data from the Navy Biodynamics Laboratory (NBDL) human volunteer studies, including a 15g frontal, 8g frontal, and 7g lateral impact, were reconstructed and simulated using LS-DYNA. A five-point restraint system was used for all simulations, and initial positions of the models were matched with volunteer data using settling and positioning techniques. Both the frontal and lateral simulations were run with the M50-O, M50-OS, and M50-OS+B with active musculature for a total of nine runs.

RESULTS

Normalized run times for the various models used in this study were 8.4 min/ms for the M50-O, 0.26 min/ms for the M50-OS, and 0.97 min/ms for the M50-OS+B, a 32- and 9-fold reduction in run time, respectively. Corridors were reanalyzed for head and T1 kinematics from the NBDL studies. Qualitative evaluation of head rotational accelerations and linear resultant acceleration, as well as linear resultant T1 acceleration, showed reasonable results between all models and the experimental data. Objective evaluation of the results for head center of gravity (CG) accelerations was completed via ISO TS 18571, and indicated scores of 0.673 (M50-O), 0.638 (M50-OS), and 0.656 (M50-OS+B) for the 15g frontal impact. Scores at lower g levels yielded similar results, 0.667 (M50-O), 0.675 (M50-OS), and 0.710 (M50-OS+B) for the 8g frontal impact. The 7g lateral simulations also compared fairly with an average ISO score of 0.565 for the M50-O, 0.634 for the M50-OS, and 0.606 for the M50-OS+B. The three HBMs experienced similar head and neck motion in the frontal simulations, but the M50-O predicted significantly greater head rotation in the lateral simulation.

CONCLUSION

The greatest departure from the detailed occupant models were noted in lateral flexion, potentially indicating the need for further study. Precise modeling of the belt system however was limited by available data. A sensitivity study of these parameters in the frontal condition showed that belt slack and muscle activation have a modest effect on the ISO score. The reduction in computation time of the M50-OS+B reduces the burden of high computational requirements when handling detailed HBMs. Future work will focus on harmonizing the lateral head response of the models and studying localized injury criteria within the brain from the M50-O and M50-OS+B.

A finite element model of a six-year-old child for simulating pedestrian accidents

Child pedestrian protection deserves more attention in vehicle safety design since they are the most vulnerable road users who face the highest mortality rate. Pediatric Finite Element (FE) models could be used to simulate and understand the pedestrian injury mechanisms during crashes in order to mitigate them. Thus, the objective of the study was to develop a computationally efficient (simplified) six-year-old (6YO-PS) pedestrian FE model and validate it based on the latest published pediatric data. The 6YO-PS FE model was developed by morphing the existing GHBMC adult pedestrian model. Retrospective scan data were used to locally adjust the geometry as needed for accuracy. Component test simulations focused only the lower extremities and pelvis, which are the first body regions impacted during pedestrian accidents. Three-point bending test simulations were performed on the femur and tibia with adult material properties and then updated using child material properties. Pelvis impact and knee bending tests were also simulated. Finally, a series of pediatric Car-to-Pedestrian Collision (CPC) were simulated with pre-impact velocities ranging from 20km/h up to 60km/h. The bone models assigned pediatric material properties showed lower stiffness and a good match in terms of fracture force to the test data (less than 6% error). The pelvis impact force predicted by the child model showed a similar trend with test data. The whole pedestrian model was stable during CPC simulations and predicted common pedestrian injuries. Overall, the 6YO-PS FE model developed in this study showed good biofidelity at component level (lower extremity and pelvis) and stability in CPC simulations. While more validations would improve it, the current model could be used to investigate the lower limb injury mechanisms and in the prediction of the impact parameters as specified in regulatory testing protocols.

Development and Full Body Validation of a 5th Percentile Female Finite Element Model

To mitigate the societal impact of vehicle crash, researchers are using a variety of tools, including finite element models (FEMs). As part of the Global Human Body Models Consortium (GHBMC) project, comprehensive medical image and anthropometrical data of the 5th percentile female (F05) were acquired for the explicit purpose of FEM development. The F05-O (occupant) FEM model consists of 981 parts, 2.6 million elements, 1.4 million nodes, and has a mass of 51.1 kg. The model was compared to experimental data in 10 validation cases ranging from localized rigid hub impacts to full body sled cases. In order to make direct comparisons to experimental data, which represent the mass of an average male, the model was compared to experimental corridors using two methods: 1) post-hoc scaling the outputs from the baseline F05-O model and 2) geometrically morphing the model to the body habitus of the average male to allow direct comparisons. This second step required running the morphed full body model in all 10 simulations for a total of 20 full body simulations presented. Overall, geometrically morphing the model was found to more closely match the target data with an average ISO score for the rigid impacts of 0.76 compared to 0.67 for the scaled responses. Based on these data, the morphed model was then used for model validation in the vehicle sled cases. Overall, the morphed model attained an average weighted score of 0.69 for the two sled impacts. Hard tissue injuries were also assessed and the baseline F05-O model was found to predict a greater occurrence of pelvic fractures compared to the GHBMC average male model, but predicted fewer rib fractures.

Development of a computationally efficient full human body finite element model

INTRODUCTION

A simplified and computationally efficient human body finite element model is presented. The model complements the Global Human Body Models Consortium (GHBMC) detailed 50th percentile occupant (M50-O) by providing kinematic and kinetic data with a significantly reduced run time using the same body habitus.

METHODS

The simplified occupant model (M50-OS) was developed using the same source geometry as the M50-O. Though some meshed components were preserved, the total element count was reduced by remeshing, homogenizing, or in some cases omitting structures that are explicitly contained in the M50-O. Bones are included as rigid bodies, with the exception of the ribs, which are deformable but were remeshed to a coarser element density than the M50-O. Material models for all deformable components were drawn from the biomechanics literature. Kinematic joints were implemented at major articulations (shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee, and ankle) with moment vs. angle relationships from the literature included for the knee and ankle. The brain of the detailed model was inserted within the skull of the simplified model, and kinematics and strain patterns are compared.

RESULTS

The M50-OS model has 11 contacts and 354,000 elements; in contrast, the M50-O model has 447 contacts and 2.2 million elements. The model can be repositioned without requiring simulation. Thirteen validation and robustness simulations were completed. This included denuded rib compression at 7 discrete sites, 5 rigid body impacts, and one sled simulation. Denuded tests showed a good match to the experimental data of force vs. deflection slopes. The frontal rigid chest impact simulation produced a peak force and deflection within the corridor of 4.63 kN and 31.2%, respectively. Similar results vs. experimental data (peak forces of 5.19 and 8.71 kN) were found for an abdominal bar impact and lateral sled test, respectively. A lateral plate impact at 12 m/s exhibited a peak of roughly 20 kN (due to stiff foam used around the shoulder) but a more biofidelic response immediately afterward, plateauing at 9 kN at 12 ms. Results from a frontal sled simulation showed that reaction forces and kinematic trends matched experimental results well. The robustness test demonstrated that peak femur loads were nearly identical to the M50-O model. Use of the detailed model brain within the simplified model demonstrated a paradigm for using the M50-OS to leverage aspects of the M50-O. Strain patterns for the 2 models showed consistent patterns but greater strains in the detailed model, with deviations thought to be the result of slightly different kinematics between models. The M50-OS with the deformable skull and brain exhibited a run time 4.75 faster than the M50-O on the same hardware.

CONCLUSIONS

The simplified GHBMC model is intended to complement rather than replace the detailed M50-O model. It exhibited, on average, a 35-fold reduction in run time for a set of rigid impacts. The model can be used in a modular fashion with the M50-O and more broadly can be used as a platform for parametric studies or studies focused on specific body regions.

Driver Injury Risk Variability in Finite Element Reconstructions of Crash Injury Research and Engineering Network (CIREN) Frontal Motor Vehicle Crashes

OBJECTIVE

A 3-phase real-world motor vehicle crash (MVC) reconstruction method was developed to analyze injury variability as a function of precrash occupant position for 2 full-frontal Crash Injury Research and Engineering Network (CIREN) cases.

METHOD

Phase I: A finite element (FE) simplified vehicle model (SVM) was developed and tuned to mimic the frontal crash characteristics of the CIREN case vehicle (Camry or Cobalt) using frontal New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) crash test data. Phase II: The Toyota HUman Model for Safety (THUMS) v4.01 was positioned in 120 precrash configurations per case within the SVM. Five occupant positioning variables were varied using a Latin hypercube design of experiments: seat track position, seat back angle, D-ring height, steering column angle, and steering column telescoping position. An additional baseline simulation was performed that aimed to match the precrash occupant position documented in CIREN for each case. Phase III: FE simulations were then performed using kinematic boundary conditions from each vehicle's event data recorder (EDR). HIC15, combined thoracic index (CTI), femur forces, and strain-based injury metrics in the lung and lumbar vertebrae were evaluated to predict injury.

RESULTS

Tuning the SVM to specific vehicle models resulted in close matches between simulated and test injury metric data, allowing the tuned SVM to be used in each case reconstruction with EDR-derived boundary conditions. Simulations with the most rearward seats and reclined seat backs had the greatest HIC15, head injury risk, CTI, and chest injury risk. Calculated injury risks for the head, chest, and femur closely correlated to the CIREN occupant injury patterns. CTI in the Camry case yielded a 54% probability of Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) 2+ chest injury in the baseline case simulation and ranged from 34 to 88% (mean = 61%) risk in the least and most dangerous occupant positions. The greater than 50% probability was consistent with the case occupant's AIS 2 hemomediastinum. Stress-based metrics were used to predict injury to the lower leg of the Camry case occupant. The regional-level injury metrics evaluated for the Cobalt case occupant indicated a low risk of injury; however, strain-based injury metrics better predicted pulmonary contusion. Approximately 49% of the Cobalt occupant's left lung was contused, though the baseline simulation predicted 40.5% of the lung to be injured.

CONCLUSIONS

A method to compute injury metrics and risks as functions of precrash occupant position was developed and applied to 2 CIREN MVC FE reconstructions. The reconstruction process allows for quantification of the sensitivity and uncertainty of the injury risk predictions based on occupant position to further understand important factors that lead to more severe MVC injuries.

Finite element analysis to characterize how varying patellar loading influences pressure applied to cartilage: model evaluation

A finite element analysis (FEA) modeling technique has been developed to characterize how varying the orientation of the patellar tendon influences the patellofemoral pressure distribution. To evaluate the accuracy of the technique, models were created from MRI images to represent five knees that were previously tested in vitro to determine the influence of hamstrings loading on patellofemoral contact pressures. Hamstrings loading increased the lateral and posterior orientation of the patellar tendon. Each model was loaded at 40°, 60°, and 80° of flexion with quadriceps force vectors representing the experimental loading conditions. The orientation of the patellar tendon was represented for the loaded and unloaded hamstrings conditions based on experimental measures of tibiofemoral alignment. Similar to the experimental data, simulated loading of the hamstrings within the FEA models shifted the center of pressure laterally and increased the maximum lateral pressure. Significant (p < 0.05) differences were identified for the center of pressure and maximum lateral pressure from paired t-tests carried out at the individual flexion angles. The ability to replicate experimental trends indicates that the FEA models can be used for future studies focused on determining how variations in the orientation of the patellar tendon related to anatomical or loading variations or surgical procedures influence the patellofemoral pressure distribution.