This study aimed to clarify the feasibility to develop a biofidelic Pedestrian Pelvis Impactor (PPI) CAE model with the potential to address detailed pelvic loading and injury mechanisms. First, three simplified car front-end models (Sedan, SUV with a low/high bonnet leading edge) were applied to simulate impacts at different locations along the thigh of a biofidelic 50th percentile male human body model (HBM). Based on these simulations, the loads and the stresses sustained by the pelvis were analysed, and the pelvic ring and the ilium on the struck side were identified as the minimum structural elements required to represent the pelvic loading condition adequately. Based on the analysis, a PPI CAE model that incorporated the assumed structural simplifications was developed. In order to enable a biofidelity evaluation of the PPI model, the model was complemented with the lower limb and the pelvis flesh at the struck side from the HBM. Both the complemented PPI model and the complete HBM were subjected to a variety of simulated impacts with 36 simplified car front-end models (18 Sedan and 18 SUVs). The PPI model response highly correlated with the HBM response in terms of peak pelvis injury measures except for sacroiliac force.
Keywords:
Impactor pedestrian safety; pelvis injury