Human rib response to different restraint systems in frontal impacts: a study using a human body model

Abstract

Finite-element human body models (FE-HBMs) can be used to evaluate restraint systems by predicting thoracic injury. The biofidelity assessment of an FE-HBM Total HUman Model for Safety (THUMS) 50th percentile male occupant and the characterisation of its rib response to loads from frontal car crashes are the objectives of this study. The rib-cage mesh of THUMS version 3.0 was refined to improve the shoulder-belt interaction, material properties of lungs and skin modified, and the model biofidelity assessed against tests representative of frontal crashes. The modified THUMS response improved with respect to the baseline model. The modified THUMS was used to analyse the rib loading in frontal impacts. The rib response included shear, torsion and bending in belt and airbag-like load cases. This indicates that a criterion based only on rib anteroposterior compression may not be enough to predict fractures and that a criterion should consider compression, torsion and shear.

Keywords:

• thorax
• rib
• load
• human body model
• finite-element analysis

Acknowledgements

This study was jointly funded by the SAFER – Vehicle and Traffic Safety Centre at Chalmers, Sweden, and the European Commission in the Seventh Framework Programme, Theme 7 Transport, SST.2007.4.1.2: Human physical and behavioural components, grant no. 218516. Bengt Pipkorn and Krystoffer Mroz at Autoliv Research are acknowledged for their valuable contribution and support with the refined mesh for THUMS v3-R. The computations were performed on C3SE computing resources.