Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Feedback control of the head–neck complex for nonimpact scenarios using multibody dynamics

  • Published:
Multibody System Dynamics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Impact situations, usually involving high-G accelerations, typically take less than 40 ms to occur. In such scenarios human subjects behave in a passive-like manner as muscle activation does not have time to intervene. However, there are other situations also prone to injury that involve perilous nonimpact scenarios where predominant low-G accelerations are sustained during long periods of time, leading any alert subject to exhibit a muscular reaction to the ongoing events. Actual Anthropometric Test Devices (ATDs) exhibit passive muscular behaviour and are therefore specially tailored for the first scenarios, although their use in low-G applications has been reported in the literature. In this work a validated computational multibody model of an ATD is integrated inside a generic and simplified vehicle interior. Three-dimensional trajectories, describing extreme driving conditions, are taken from a driving simulator and feed into a multibody simulator package in order to observe if the ATD accurately reproduce the expected human behaviour. A feedback-controlled version of this ATD is then devised and its head–neck complex (HNC) response compared with the passive one and with real data acquired with a volunteer. The results obtained are discussed, and conclusions and future trends are provided.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Oakley, C.: Roadmap of future automotive passive safety technology development. Technical report, APSN—European Vehicle Passive Safety Network (2004)

  2. Silva, M., Ambrósio, J.: Sensitivity analysis on the occupant injury biomechanics with respect to the seating position. In: Proceedings of ICRASH-2004 Conference, San Francisco, California, 14–16 July 2004

  3. Minoyama, O., Tsuchida, H.: Injuries in professional motor car racing drivers at a racing circuit between 1996 and 2000. Br. J. Sports Medicine 38, 613–616 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Gugler, J., Steffan, H.: Improvement of rollover safety for passenger vehicles. ROLLOVER Project—Final public report, EC 5th Framework Program (2006)

  5. van der Horst, M. et al.: The influence of muscle activity on head–neck response during impact. In: Proceedings of the 41st Stapp Car Crash Conference Society of Automotive Engineers (1997)

  6. B.-Fornari, J., Arabyan, A., Deng, Y.-C.: Use of active muscles in a model of the human head and neck. In: Proceedings of the 42nd Stapp Car Crash Conference Society of Automotive Engineers (1998)

  7. van Lopik, D.W., Acar, M.: A computational model of the human head and neck system for the analysis of whiplash motion. Int. J. Crashworthiness 9(5), 465–473 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Stemper, B., Yoganandan, N., Pintar, F.: Occupant awareness affects whiplash biomechanics. J. Biomech. 39(S1), S147 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Kumar, S., Narayan, Y., Amell, T.: An electromyographic study of low-velocity rear-end impacts. Spine 27(10), 1044–1055 (2002)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Ambrósio, J., Silva, M.T.: A biomechanical multibody model with a detailed locomotion muscle apparatus. In: Ambrósio, J. (ed.) Advances in Computational Multibody Systems, pp. 155–184. Springer, Dordrecht (2005)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  11. Silva, M.: Multi-body based computer tools for analysis of the biomechanics of musculoskeletal systems. J. Biomech. 39(S1), S421 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Silva, M.: Human motion analysis using multibody dynamics and optimisation tools. Ph.D. thesis, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, IST, TU Lisbon (2003)

  13. Ambrósio, J., Silva, M.T.: Methodologies for forward and inverse dynamic analysis of the biomechanics of the human motion. In: González, Y., Cerrolaza, M. (eds.) Bioengineering Modelling and Computer Simulation. CIMNE, Barcelona (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  14. Nikravesh, P.: Computer Aided Analysis of Mechanical Systems. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs (1988)

    Google Scholar 

  15. Haug, E.: Computer Aided Kinematics and Dynamics of Mechanical Systems. Allyn & Bacon, Newton (1989)

    Google Scholar 

  16. TNO MADYMO BV: MADYMO Model manual version 6.2. TNO, Netherlands (2004)

  17. Ambrósio, J., Silva, M.T.: Multibody Dynamics Approaches for Biomechanical Modelling in Human Impact Applications. In: IUTAM Proceedings on Impact Biomechanics: From Fundamental Insights to Applications, pp. 61–80. Springer, Dordrecht (2005)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  18. Silva, M., Ambrósio, J., Pereira, M.: Biomechanical model with joint resistance for impact simulation. Multibody Syst. Dyn. 1(1), 65–84 (1997)

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  19. Silva, M., Ambrósio, J.: Pedestrian impact and run over using a multibody simulation tool. Int. J. Crashworthiness 4(3), 261–271 (1999)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Ogata, K.: Modern Control Engineering, 3rd edn. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs (1997)

    Google Scholar 

  21. Franklin, G.F., Powell, J.D., Naeini, A.E.: Feedback Control of Dynamic Systems, 3rd edn. Addison-Wesley, Reading (1994)

    Google Scholar 

  22. Tortora, G., Grabowski, S.R.: Introduction to the Human Body. Wiley, New York (2001)

    Google Scholar 

  23. Seeley, R., Stephens, T., Tate, P.: Anatomy and Physiology. McGraw-Hill, New York (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  24. Kandel, E., Schwartz, J., Jessel, T.: Principles of Neural Science. McGraw-Hill, New York (1991)

    Google Scholar 

  25. Roberts, S., Bailey, E., van Vlaardingen, V.: LFS Manual. Web address: http://en.lfsmanual.net/wiki/Main_Page (last updated November 2008)

  26. Almeida, J., Fraga, F., Silva-Carvalho, L., Silva, M.T.: Dynamic simulation of non-impact scenarios using a multibody biomechanical model. Technical report IDMEC/CPM/2007/002, Instituto Superior Técnico, TULisbon (2007)

  27. Fraga, F., Almeida, J., Silva-Carvalho, L., Silva, M.T.: A Feedback-controlled system for the dynamic simulation of an ATD’s head–neck complex in non-impact scenarios. Technical report IDMEC/CPM/2007/003, Instituto Superior Técnico, TULisbon (2007)

  28. International Research Council on the Biomechanics of Impact (IRCOBI): Future research directions in injury biomechanics and passive safety research. Technical report, International Research Council on the Biomechanics of Impact, Bron, France (2006)

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. IDMEC/IST—Instituto Superior Técnico, TULisbon, Avenida Rovisco Pais 1, 1049-001, Lisbon, Portugal

    João Almeida, Filipe Fraga & Miguel Silva

  2. IF/FML—Instituto de Fisiologia, Faculdade de Medicina de Lisboa, ULisbon, Av. Prof. Egas Moniz, 1649-028, Lisbon, Portugal

    Luis Silva-Carvalho

Authors
  1. João Almeida
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Filipe Fraga
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Miguel Silva
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Luis Silva-Carvalho
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to João Almeida.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Almeida, J., Fraga, F., Silva, M. et al. Feedback control of the head–neck complex for nonimpact scenarios using multibody dynamics. Multibody Syst Dyn 21, 395–416 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11044-009-9148-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11044-009-9148-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation