Positioning and Scaling of the CAVEMAN Human Body Model for Pilot Injury Risk Analysis

The proposed project will develop subject-specific FE models of the head and integrate them with a full body finite element model. The combination of patient-specific head geometries with the generalized body model will provide a platform with which to apply improved boundary conditions for the head and neck, including applied muscle tension and the application of appropriate kinematics of the head resulting from loading to the body. Improved modeling of the dynamic response of the head and neck to accelerative loading events has the potential to facilitate improved and safer design of ejection seats and protective equipment for pilots, reduce injury in underbody blast, and improve aircraft and vehicle design to better protect the warfighter during impact events.