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A 2-D finite element model representing the human thorax

The purpose of this investigation was to create a finite element model of the thorax to study injury mechanisms and restraint conditions in an automotive environment. A two-dimensional (2-D) model was selected to achieve a fast run time on a standard PC, while still maintaining enough detail to represent the behavior of the full human thorax during impact. The model represents the thorax of a 50th percentile male and consists of six parts: rib, sternum, viscera, elastic spine, rigid spine, and spine/rib joint. A piecewise linear plasticity material model was used for the rib, sternum, viscera, and spine/rib joint. The stiffness and yield stress for each material were based on a review of the literature. Thoracic impact experiments by Kroell et al. were used as a benchmark of realistic thoracic response. Fourteen tests were simulated, including both fixed and free back conditions. The impactor mass varied from 1.6 to 23 kg and the initial velocity ranged from 15 to 48 km/h. For each simulation, the model was scaled to represent the size and mass of the cadaver used. The contact forces in both the 2-D slice model and the full thorax experiments were compared by scaling the simulation force by a factor based on the contact area between the chest and the impactor. Good agreement was found between the force – displacement curves for the simulations and experiments across all test conditions. The 2-D slice model is capable of representing the response of a full human thorax and can be used to study other impact conditions.