Pedestrians represent one of the most vulnerable road users and comprise nearly 22% the road crash-related fatalities in the world. Therefore, protection of pedestrians in car-to-pedestrian collisions (CPC) has recently generated increased attention with regulations involving three subsystem tests. The development of a finite element (FE) pedestrian model could provide a complementary component that characterizes the whole-body response of vehicle–pedestrian interactions and assesses the pedestrian injuries. The main goal of this study was to develop and to validate a simplified full body FE model corresponding to a 50th male pedestrian in standing posture (M50-PS). The FE model mesh and defined material properties are based on a 50th percentile male occupant model. The lower limb-pelvis and lumbar spine regions of the human model were validated against the postmortem human surrogate (PMHS) test data recorded in four-point lateral knee bending tests, pelvic\abdomen\shoulder\thoracic impact tests, and lumbar spine bending tests. Then, a pedestrian-to-vehicle impact simulation was performed using the whole pedestrian model, and the results were compared to corresponding PMHS tests. Overall, the simulation results showed that lower leg response is mostly within the boundaries of PMHS corridors. In addition, the model shows the capability to predict the most common lower extremity injuries observed in pedestrian accidents. Generally, the validated pedestrian model may be used by safety researchers in the design of front ends of new vehicles in order to increase pedestrian protection.
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January 2018
Research-Article
A Finite Element Model of a Midsize Male for Simulating Pedestrian Accidents
Costin D. Untaroiu,
Costin D. Untaroiu
Department of Biomedical
Engineering and Mechanics,
Virginia Tech,
Blacksburg, VA 24060
e-mail: costin@vt.edu
Engineering and Mechanics,
Virginia Tech,
Blacksburg, VA 24060
e-mail: costin@vt.edu
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Wansoo Pak,
Wansoo Pak
Department of Biomedical
Engineering and Mechanics,
Virginia Tech,
Blacksburg, VA 24060
Engineering and Mechanics,
Virginia Tech,
Blacksburg, VA 24060
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Yunzhu Meng,
Yunzhu Meng
Department of Biomedical
Engineering and Mechanics,
Virginia Tech,
Blacksburg, VA 24060
Engineering and Mechanics,
Virginia Tech,
Blacksburg, VA 24060
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Jeremy Schap,
Jeremy Schap
Department of Biomedical Engineering,
Wake Forest University School of Medicine,
Winston-Salem, NC 27101
Wake Forest University School of Medicine,
Winston-Salem, NC 27101
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Bharath Koya,
Bharath Koya
Department of Biomedical Engineering,
Wake Forest University School of Medicine,
Winston-Salem, NC 27101
Wake Forest University School of Medicine,
Winston-Salem, NC 27101
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Scott Gayzik
Scott Gayzik
Department of Biomedical Engineering,
Wake Forest University School of Medicine,
Winston-Salem, NC 27101
Wake Forest University School of Medicine,
Winston-Salem, NC 27101
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Costin D. Untaroiu
Department of Biomedical
Engineering and Mechanics,
Virginia Tech,
Blacksburg, VA 24060
e-mail: costin@vt.edu
Engineering and Mechanics,
Virginia Tech,
Blacksburg, VA 24060
e-mail: costin@vt.edu
Wansoo Pak
Department of Biomedical
Engineering and Mechanics,
Virginia Tech,
Blacksburg, VA 24060
Engineering and Mechanics,
Virginia Tech,
Blacksburg, VA 24060
Yunzhu Meng
Department of Biomedical
Engineering and Mechanics,
Virginia Tech,
Blacksburg, VA 24060
Engineering and Mechanics,
Virginia Tech,
Blacksburg, VA 24060
Jeremy Schap
Department of Biomedical Engineering,
Wake Forest University School of Medicine,
Winston-Salem, NC 27101
Wake Forest University School of Medicine,
Winston-Salem, NC 27101
Bharath Koya
Department of Biomedical Engineering,
Wake Forest University School of Medicine,
Winston-Salem, NC 27101
Wake Forest University School of Medicine,
Winston-Salem, NC 27101
Scott Gayzik
Department of Biomedical Engineering,
Wake Forest University School of Medicine,
Winston-Salem, NC 27101
Wake Forest University School of Medicine,
Winston-Salem, NC 27101
1Corresponding author.
Manuscript received February 9, 2017; final manuscript received August 31, 2017; published online October 19, 2017. Assoc. Editor: Brian D. Stemper.
J Biomech Eng. Jan 2018, 140(1): 011003 (8 pages)
Published Online: October 19, 2017
Article history
Received:
February 9, 2017
Revised:
August 31, 2017
Citation
Untaroiu, C. D., Pak, W., Meng, Y., Schap, J., Koya, B., and Gayzik, S. (October 19, 2017). "A Finite Element Model of a Midsize Male for Simulating Pedestrian Accidents." ASME. J Biomech Eng. January 2018; 140(1): 011003. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4037854
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