A Coupled Finite Element-Mathematical Surrogate Modeling Approach to Assess Occupant Head and Neck Injury Risk Due to Vehicular Impacts

This study presents mathematical surrogate models, derived from finite element kinematic response data, to predict car crash-induced occupant head and neck injury risk for a broad range of impact velocities (10 – 45 mph), impact locations, and angles of impact (-45° to 45°). The development of these models allowed for wide-scale injury prediction while significantly reducing the overall required number of impact test cases. From these, increases in both the impact velocity and the impact’s locational proximity to the occupant were determined to result in the greatest head and neck injury risks. Additionally, strong interactions between the impact orientation variables (location and angle) produced significant changes in the head injury risk, while the neck injury risk was relatively insensitive to these interactions; likely due to the uniaxiality of the current standard neck injury risk metrics. Overall, this methodology showed potential for future applications in wide-scale injury prediction or vehicular design optimization.

Year	Entry
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2009	Danelson KA, Gayzik FS, Yu MM, Martin RS, Duma SM, Stitzel JD. Bilateral carotid artery injury response in side impact using a vessel model integrated with a human body model. In: 53rd Annual Proceedings, Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine (AAAM). October 5-7, 2009; Baltimore, MD.271-279.
2005	Belingardi G, Chiandussi G, Gaviglio I. Development and validation of a new finite element model of human head. In: Proceedings of the 19th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). June 6-9, 2005; Washington, DC.
2002	Oshita F, Omori K, Nakahira Y, Miki K. Development of a finite element model of the human body. In: 7th International LS-DYNA Users Conference. May 19-21, 2002; Detroit, MI.3-37–3-48.
2000	Linder A, Schmitt K-U, Walz F, Ono K. Neck modelling for rear-end impact simulations: a comparison between a multi body system (MBS) and a finite element (FE) model. In: Proceedings of the 2000 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Impact. September 20-22, 2000; Montpellier, France.491-494.
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Year

Entry

2007

Iwamoto M, Nakahira Y, Tamura A, Kimpara H, Watanabe I, Miki K. Development of advanced human models in THUMS. In: European LS-DYNA Users' Conference. May 29-30, 2007; Gothenburg, Sweden.47-56.

2009

Danelson KA, Gayzik FS, Yu MM, Martin RS, Duma SM, Stitzel JD. Bilateral carotid artery injury response in side impact using a vessel model integrated with a human body model. In: 53rd Annual Proceedings, Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine (AAAM). October 5-7, 2009; Baltimore, MD.271-279.

2005

Belingardi G, Chiandussi G, Gaviglio I. Development and validation of a new finite element model of human head. In: Proceedings of the 19th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). June 6-9, 2005; Washington, DC.

2002

Oshita F, Omori K, Nakahira Y, Miki K. Development of a finite element model of the human body. In: 7th International LS-DYNA Users Conference. May 19-21, 2002; Detroit, MI.3-37–3-48.

2000

Linder A, Schmitt K-U, Walz F, Ono K. Neck modelling for rear-end impact simulations: a comparison between a multi body system (MBS) and a finite element (FE) model. In: Proceedings of the 2000 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Impact. September 20-22, 2000; Montpellier, France.491-494.