Experimental studies on leg injuries in car-pedestrian accidents

Bunketorp, O.; Aldman, B.; Jonson, R.; Romanus, B.; Roos, B.; Thorngren, L.

Affiliations

¹Department of Orthopaedic Surgery II, University of Göteborg

²Traffic Safety, Chalmers University of Technology

³Radiation Physics Department, University of Göteborg,Gothenburg, Sweden

Abstract

A biomechanical model was used for experimental studies of leg injuries in car-pedestrian accidents. Human leg specimens including the hip joint were loaded by a concentrated body mass, balanced on an instrumented platform and impacted by a simulated car front mounted on a test cart. Injuries to the different parts of the leg specimens were analysed for various bumper levels, bumper lead angles, and bonnet edge heights at impact velocities 20 - 28 km/h. An energy absorbing and force limiting bumper was tested at 23 and 42 cm impact levels. A comparison is made of the injuries seen in real accidents and the possibility to mitigate these injuries by modifying the car front is discussed.

Cited Works (5)

Year	Entry
1979	Aldman B, Lundell B, Thorngren L, Bunketorp O, Romanus B. Physical simulation of human leg-bumper impacts. In: Proceedings of the 1979 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Impact. September 5-7, 1979; Goeteborg, Sweden.232-242.
1980	Aldman B, Thorngren L, Bunketorp O, Romanus B. An experimental model for the study of lower leg and knee injuries in car-pedestrian impacts. In: Proceedings of the 1980 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Impact. September 9-11, 1980; Birmingham, England.180-193.
1981	Bunketorp O, Romanus B. Clinical studies on leg injuries in car-pedestrian accidents. In: Proceedings of the 1981 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Impact. September 8-10, 1981; Salon de Provence, France.235-242.
1973	Kramer M, Burow K, Heger A. Fracture mechanism of lower legs under impact load. In: Proceedings of the 17th Stapp Car Crash Conference. November 17-19, 1973; Coronado, CA. Warrendale, PA: Society of Automotive Engineers:81-100. SAE 730966.
1980	Lestrelin D, Brun-Cassan F, Fayon A, Tarrière C, Castan F. "PRAKIMOD": mathematical simulation of accident victims, validation and application to car-pedestrian collisions. In: Proceedings of the 8th International Technical Conference on Experimental Safety Vehicles (ESV). October 21-24, 1980; Wolfsburg, Germany.902-926.

Cited By (14)

Year	Entry
2003	Bhalla K, Bose D, Madeley NJ, Kerrigan J, Crandall J, Longhitano D, Takahashi Y. Evaluation of the response of mechanical pedestrian knee joint impactors in bending and shear loading. In: Proceedings of the 18th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). May 19-22, 2003; Nagoya, Japan.
2007	Soni A, Chawla A, Mukherjee S. Effect of muscle contraction on knee loading for a standing pedestrian in lateral impacts. In: Proceedings of the 20th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). June 18-21, 2007; Lyon, France.
1982	Bunketorp O, Aldman B, Thorngren L, Romanus B. Clinical and experimental studies on leg injuries in car-pedestrian accidents. In: Proceedings of the 9th International Technical Conference on Experimental Safety Vehicles (ESV). November 1-4, 1982; Kyoto, Japan.376-386.
1982	European Experimental Vehicle Committee. Pedestrian injury accidents. In: Proceedings of the 9th International Technical Conference on Experimental Safety Vehicles (ESV). November 1-4, 1982; Kyoto, Japan.638-671.
1985	Aldman B, Kajzer J, Anderlind T, Malmqvist M, Mellander H, Turbell T. Load transfer from the striking vehicle in side and pedestrian impacts. In: Proceedings of the 10th International Technical Conference on Experimental Safety Vehicles (ESV). July 1-4, 1985; Oxford, England.620-637. SAE 856082.
1985	Aldman B, Kajzer J, Bunketorp O, Eppinger R. An experimental study of a modified compliant bumper. In: Proceedings of the 10th International Technical Conference on Experimental Safety Vehicles (ESV). July 1-4, 1985; Oxford, England.1035-1040. SAE 856118.
1985	European Experimental Vehicles Committee. Cycle and light-powered two-wheeler accidents. In: Proceedings of the 10th International Technical Conference on Experimental Safety Vehicles (ESV). July 1-4, 1985; Oxford, England.1152-1206. SAE 856132.
1981	Bunketorp O, Romanus B. Clinical studies on leg injuries in car-pedestrian accidents. In: Proceedings of the 1981 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Impact. September 8-10, 1981; Salon de Provence, France.235-242.
2009	Konosu A, Issiki T, Takahashi Y. Evaluation of the validity of the tibia fracture assessment using the upper tibia acceleration employed in the TRL legform impactor. In: Proceedings of the 2009 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Impact. September 9-11, 2009; York, UK.251-267.
2005	Konosu A, Issiki T, Tanahashi M. Development of a biofidelic flexible pedestrian leg-form impactor (Flex-PLI 2004) and evaluation of its biofidelity at the component level and at the assembly level. In: Proceedings of the SAE World Congress & Exhibition. April 11-14, 2005; Detroit, MI. Warrendale, PA: Society of Automotive Engineers. SAE 2005-01-1879.
1983	Bunketorp O, Romanus B, Hansson T, Aldman B, Thorngren L, Eppinger RH. Experimental study of a compliant bumper system. In: Proceedings of the 27th Stapp Car Crash Conference. October 17-19, 1983; San Diego, CA. Warrendale, PA: Society of Automotive Engineers:287-297. SAE 831623.
2000	Takahashi Y, Kikuchi Y, Konosu A, Ishikawa H. Development and validation of the finite element model for the human lower limb of pedestrians. Stapp Car Crash J. 2000;44:335-355. SAE 2000-01-SC22.
2014	Petit P, Trosseille X, Dufaure N, Dubois D, Potier P, Vallancien G. The effect of upper body mass and initial knee flexion on the injury outcome of post mortem human subject pedestrian isolated legs. Stapp Car Crash J. November 2014;58:197-211.
2008	Kerrigan JR. A Computationally Efficient Mathematical Model of the Pedestrian Lower Extremity [PhD thesis]. Charlottesville, VA: University of Virginia; January 2008.