Four mathematical models representing 3-, 6-, 9- and 15-year-old children were developed based on a validated mathematical model of adult pedestrian. The basic anthropometric data of these child models were generated by GEBOD program according to the age and body height/weight. Due to the absence of biomechanical data of children, scaling methods were applied to derive the stiffnesses of joints and the contact properties of body segments from that used in the validated adult model. Differences in anatomy structures between adults and children, as well as age-dependent properties of bone and ligament, were incorporated into these child models. In the present study, the main efforts were focused on the scaling of neck, thoracic, lumbar and knee joint properties, as well as the contact stiffnesses of the lower extremities.

To evaluate the validity of these child pedestrian models, two real-world child accidents were reconstructed by using the accident data from in-depth case studies. The dynamic responses of the mathematical models agreed reasonably well with the injury outcomes in accidents.