Prediction of Long Bone Fractures via Reconstruction of Pedestrian Accidents Using Multi-Body System and FE Models

Journal article, 2015

This study aimed at prediction of long bone fractures and analysis of lower extremity injury mechanisms in real world passenger car to pedestrian collision. For this purpose, two cases of car to pedestrian accidents with detail recorded lower extremity injuries were reconstructed using Multi-body system (MBS) and Finite element (FE) models. The MBS models were used to determine lower extremity impact conditions, such as impact velocity, contact location as well as impact orientation. Furthermore, impact conditions were used to define initial boundary conditions in the simulation of lower extremity colliding with car front end using FE models. The bending moment and von Mises stress distributions of long bone were calculated in FE model to evaluate long bone fracture risks. Then, injury outcomes from simulations were compared with hospital recorded injury data. The simulation results of long bone fracture were consistent with the injury pattern and positions from hospital records. Moreover, the calculated fracture moments of tibia and fibula shaft as well as femur neck region were 310.8, 21.4 and 304.7Nm, respectively. The FE model is capable to reproduce the dynamic injury process and is an effective tool to demonstrate the dynamic response of the injury and to predict the risk of long bone fractures.