Citation

Soni A, Chawala A, Mukherjee S, Malhorta R. Proc. Int. Tech. Conf. Enhanced Safety Vehicles 2009; 2009.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, In public domain, Publisher National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This study investigates the effect of muscle contraction on lower extremity injuries in low speed car-pedestrian lateral impacts for a walking pedestrian. The full body model, PMALE, which was configured in symmetric standing posture, has been repositioned in the walking posture. FE simulations have then been performed for its impact with the front structures of a car. Two impact configurations, i.e. impact on the right and on the left leg have been simulated. Two preimpact conditions, that of a symmetrically standing pedestrian, representing a cadaver and an unaware pedestrian have been simulated for both the impact configurations. Stretch based reflex action was modeled for the unaware pedestrian. It is concluded that (1) with muscle contraction, risk of ligament failure decreases whereas risk of bone fracture increases (2) in lateral impacts, MCL could be considered as the most vulnerable and LCL as the safest ligament and (3) for a walking pedestrian, PCL would be at a higher risk in case of impact on rear leg whereas, in case of impact on front leg, ACL would fail. The full text of this paper may be found at: http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/esv/esv21/09-0366.pdf