Computational Human Body Models to Investigate Neck Response and Potential for Injury in Impact Environments

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Accidental injury is a leading cause of hospitalization and fatality throughout the world. The World Health Organization estimates 1.25 million fatalities and up to 50 million injuries per year, globally, resulting from road traffic accidents. Crash Induced Injuries (CII) are recognized as preventable and Transport Canada has committed to reducing the number of road traffic fatalities and serious injuries.******The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has identified the importance of computer models and Human Body Models (HBM) capable of predicting injury as a vital biomechanics priority to improve safety. Advanced finite element modeling has been used successfully in the complex HBM environment with higher-speed and lower-cost computing enabling significant advances over the last decade. However, gaps in current knowledge include injury prediction capabilities, incorporation of active musculature, and gender/size effects on injury outcome in crash scenarios. The long-term goal of the Impact Biomechanics program led by the applicant is to develop biofidelic (response similar to the human body) and frangible (sustains damage similar to human tissues) numerical models to: interpret experimental and epidemiological data, investigate impact response and injury mechanisms, and to generate new approaches to mitigate injury.******The proposed program integrates with a global automotive industry effort dedicated to the development and validation of human body models, to advance the most detailed HBM in existence today, including a mid-sized (50th percentile, M50) male and small stature (5th percentile, F05) female model, to address urgent safety challenges. This novel and sophisticated modeling is essential to assess crash safety, to reduce vehicle design cycle times, and for the adoption of lightweight materials to meet Canada's 2025 reduced emissions goal through virtual evaluation and enhancement of crash safety. This research program will build on previous and existing activities in HBM. ******The objectives of this program are to:***a) Further enhance HBM for traumatic and low severity injury assessment. ***b) Investigate human response, the potential for injury, and injury mitigation strategies to address urgent crash safety issues in frontal, lateral impact and rollover.******The outcomes of the proposed program will enable us to overcome limitations of physical testing by gaining a fundamental understanding of injury mechanisms and ultimately the development of predictive models to mitigate injury. The students trained in this program will be exceptionally well placed to contribute to the transportation, protection, and safety sectors. The resulting new knowledge will provide the global research community with novel methods for predicting injury, aiming to reduce CIIs to benefit all Canadians and support Transport Canada's goal to reduce road traffic fatalities.