Biomechanical analysis of lower limb of soldiers in vehicle under high dynamic load from blast event

T. Klekiel Division of Biomedical Engineering Department of Mechanical Engineering University of Zielona Gora t.klekielibem.uz.z

Abstract: The paper presents the analysis of the load of lower limbs of occupants in the armoured military vehicle, which has been destroyed by detonation of the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) charge under the vehicle. A simplified model of the human body with lower limbs was developed in order to determine reaction forces in joints and load in particular segments during the charge detonation under the vehicle. The influence of the vehicle hull structure on generation of passenger lower limbs load was examined during the simulation and the analysis of the relation between obtained types of loads in tissue structures and injuries observed in military practice was performed. The work focused on two variants of the load. Variant I relates to the case, where the wave of explosion impacts on the vehicle causing its movement. In the II variant the source of the loads were both inertial forces and loads resulting from the impact of the deformed floor on limbs. An innovative approach to the solution of problem to numerical calculation of effects of limb contact with elements of vehicle is proposed. The developed model permitted analysis of reasons for typical injuries resulting from the explosion of the vehicle.

Keywords: impact load; injury assessment; lower leg; mine blasts; occupant protection

Date published: 2015-06-09