A new biomechanical FE model of the Human Thorax/Abdomen/Pelvis system for high speed dynamic simulation

Finite element analysis is frequently used in several fields such as automotive simulations or biomechanics. It helps researchers and engineers to understand the mechanical behaviour of complex structures. The development of computer science brought the possibility to develop realistic computational models which can behave like physical ones, avoiding the difficulties and costs of experimental tests. In the framework of biomechanics, lots of FE models have been developed in the last few decades, enabling the investigation of the behaviour of the human body submitted to heavy damage such as in road traffic accidents or in ballistic impact. In both cases, the Thorax/Abdomen/Pelvis system is frequently injured. The understanding of the behaviour of this complex system is of extreme importance. In order to explore the dynamic response of this system to impact loading, a Finite Element model of the human Thorax/Abdomen/Pelvis system has, therefore, been developed including the main organs: Heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, spleen, the skeleton (with vertebrae,, intervertebral discs, ribs), stomach, intestines, muscles, and skin. The FE model is based on a 3D reconstruction, which has been made from medical records of anonymous patients, who have had medical scans with no relation to the present study. Several scans have been analysed, and specific attention has been paid to the anthropometry of the reconstructed model, which can be considered as a 50th percentile male model. The biometric parameters and laws have been implemented in the dynamic FE code (Radioss, Altair Hyperworks 10 ©) used for dynamic simulations. Key words Finite Element Analysis, impact biomechanics, Thorax/Abdomen/Pelvis system.

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