Modeling spatial trajectories in dynamics testing using basis splines: application to tracking human volunteers in low-speed frontal impacts.

Designing motor vehicle safety systems requires knowledge of whole body kinematics during dynamic loading for occupants of varying size and age, often obtained from sled tests with postmortem human subjects and human volunteers. Recently, we reported pediatric and adult responses in low-speed (<4 g) automotive-like impacts, noting reductions in maximum excursion with increasing age. Since the time-based trajectory shape is also relevant for restraint design, this study quantified the time-series trajectories using basis splines and developed a statistical model for predicting trajectories as a function of body dimension or age. Previously collected trajectories of the head, spine, and pelvis were modeled using cubic basis splines with eight control points. A principal component analysis was conducted on the control points and related to erect seated height using a linear regression model. The resulting statistical model quantified how trajectories became shorter and flatter with increasing body size, corresponding to the validation data-set. Trajectories were then predicted for erect seated heights corresponding to pediatric and adult anthropomorphic test devices (ATDs), thus generating performance criteria for the ATDs based on human response. This statistical model can be used to predict trajectories for a subject of specified anthropometry and utilized in subject-specific computational models of occupant response.

Characterization and prediction of rate-dependent flexibility in lumbar spine biomechanics at room and body temperature.

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: The soft tissues of the spine exhibit sensitivity to strain-rate and temperature, yet current knowledge of spine biomechanics is derived from cadaveric testing conducted at room temperature at very slow, quasi-static rates. PURPOSE: The primary objective of this study was to characterize the change in segmental flexibility of cadaveric lumbar spine segments with respect to multiple loading rates within the range of physiologic motion by using specimens at body or room temperature. The secondary objective was to develop a predictive model of spine flexibility across the voluntary range of loading rates. STUDY DESIGN: This in vitro study examines rate- and temperature-dependent viscoelasticity of the human lumbar cadaveric spine. METHODS: Repeated flexibility tests were performed on 21 lumbar function spinal units (FSUs) in flexion-extension with the use of 11 distinct voluntary loading rates at body or room temperature. Furthermore, six lumbar FSUs were loaded in axial rotation, flexion-extension, and lateral bending at both body and room temperature via a stepwise, quasi-static loading protocol. All FSUs were also loaded using a control loading test with a continuous-speed loading-rate of 1-deg/sec. The viscoelastic torque-rotation response for each spinal segment was recorded. A predictive model was developed to accurately estimate spine segment flexibility at any voluntary loading rate based on measured flexibility at a single loading rate. RESULTS: Stepwise loading exhibited the greatest segmental range of motion (ROM) in all loading directions. As loading rate increased, segmental ROM decreased, whereas segmental stiffness and hysteresis both increased; however, the neutral zone remained constant. Continuous-speed tests showed that segmental stiffness and hysteresis are dependent variables to ROM at voluntary loading rates in flexion-extension. To predict the torque-rotation response at different loading rates, the model requires knowledge of the segmental flexibility at a single rate and specified temperature, and a scaling parameter. A Bland-Altman analysis showed high coefficients of determination for the predictive model. CONCLUSIONS: The present work demonstrates significant changes in spine segment flexibility as a result of loading rate and testing temperature. Loading rate effects can be accounted for using the predictive model, which accurately estimated ROM, neutral zone, stiffness, and hysteresis within the range of voluntary motion.

Kinematic Comparison of the Hybrid III and Q-Series Pediatric ATDs to Pediatric Volunteers in Low-Speed Frontal Crashes.

Previous research has suggested that the rigid pediatric ATD spine may not adequately represent the relatively mobile, multi-segmented spine of the child and thus may lead to important differences in the head trajectory of the ATD relative to a human. Recently we compared the responses of size-matched child volunteers to the Hybrid III 6-year-old ATD in low-speed frontal sled tests, illustrating differences in head, spinal, and pelvic kinematics as well as seating environment reaction loads. This paper expands this line of work to include comparisons between size-matched restrained child volunteers to the Hybrid III 10-year-old and the Q-series 6 and 10-year-old ATDs tested in the same low speed frontal environment. A 3-D near-infrared video target tracking system quantified the position of markers on the ATDs and volunteers(head top, nasion, external auditory meatus, C4, T1, and pelvis). Angular velocity of the head, seat belt forces, and reaction loads on the seat pan and foot rest were also measured. The Hybrid III 6 and Q6 exhibited significantly greater belt reaction loads compared to the pediatric volunteers, which exhibited greater seat pan shear. Compared to children, the Hybrid III 6 exhibited increased head rotation and similar head top and pelvic excursion, whereas the Q6 exhibited reductions in all three metrics. The Hybrid III 10 and Q10 ATDs exhibited reaction loads similar to the volunteers; however, excursions and head rotation were significantly reduced compared to volunteers. All pediatric ATDs exhibited significant reductions in C4 and T1excursions compared to the volunteers, likely due to the rigidity of the ATD thoracic spine. These analyses provide insight into aspects of ATD biofidelity in low-speed crash environments and illustrate differences in responses of the Hybrid III and Q-series pediatric ATDs.