The effect of muscle contraction on lower extremity injuries in car-pedestrian lateral impact were investigated. A full body pedestrian model with active muscles was developed. FE simulations were conducted using the full body model and front structures of a car. Two pre-impact conditions, that of a symmetrically standing pedestrian, representing a cadaver and an unaware pedestrian, have been simulated. Stretch based reflexive action was included in the simulations for an unaware pedestrian. Results show that due to muscle contraction (1) peak strain in all the knee ligaments reduces (2) Von Mises stresses in tibia and fibula increase to their ultimate stress limits and are predicted to fail and (3) knee joint effective stiffness increases by 67% in lateral bending. For the covering abstract see ITRD E144229.
Samenvatting