Biodynamic Models and Their Applications

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Abstract
Progress in modeling the mechanical response of man exposed to various environmental forces is discussed. Starting with a mathematical description of the mechanical and physical characteristics of the integument, soft and hard tissue, the numerous approaches taken and the results obtained from modeling various integrated elements such as the human vertebral column under vibration and impact loads, the chest and respiratory system under vibratory and blast loads and of the whole body system for selected force input conditions and locations are reviewed. Generalized (five-degree and more) freedom models are best suited to understand the correlation between the models derived to understand anatomical and physiological mechanical events and models used to explain the various injury mechanisms under environmental biodynamic loads (impact, blast, vibration, and noise). To derive a capability of modeling specific injury modes or experimentally observed probabilities of injury curves for various parenchymatous and hollow organs as a function of the force input variables, more detailed and specialized models are being used such as, for example, the lumped parameter, discrete parameter, and continuum model of the spine or models considering nonlinear tissue behavior. The status and value of these models for studying the body's physical and physiological response, for understanding and predicting injury mechanisms and probability of injury, for scaling the results of animal experiments, and for applying the models in protection engineering, such as escape and restraint systems design are demonstrated. There is need for further experimental as well as theoretical work in support of these practical biomedical as well as hardware requirements.

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