Gayzik Fs

Quantification of age-related shape change of the human rib cage through geometric morphometrics

The aim of this study is to quantify patterns of age-related shape change in the human thorax using Procrustes superimposition. Landmarks (n=106) selected from anonymized computed tomography (CT) scans of 63 adult males free of skeletal pathology were used to describe the form of the rib cage. Multivariate linear regression was used to determine a relationship between landmark location and age. Linear and quadratic models were also investigated. A permutation test employing 1 x 10(5) random trials was used to assess the model significance for both model formulations. Linear relationships between the centroid size (CS) of a landmark set and the corresponding individuals height, weight, and BMI were conducted to enable scaling of the dimensionless results from the Procrustes analysis. A significance level of alpha=0.05 was used for all tests. The average age of the study subjects was 57.0+/-17.3 years. Complete landmark sets were obtained from most of the scans (44 of 63). The quadratic relationship between the age and landmark location was found to be significant (p=0.037), thereby establishing a relationship between the age and thoracic shape change. The linear relationship was mildly significant as well (p=0.073). Significant relationships between the centroid size of the dataset and subject weight, height and BMI were determined, with the best-correlated value being weight (p=0.002, R(2)=0.22). Landmark datasets calculated using the quadratic model exhibited shape change consistent with the clinical observations (increasing kyphosis and rounding of the thoracic cage). Procrustes superimposition represents a potential improvement in the approach used to generate computational models for injury biomechanics studies. The coefficients from the quadratic model are provided and can be used to generate the complete set of model landmark data points at a given age.

A point-wise normalization method for development of biofidelity response corridors

An updated technique to develop biofidelity response corridors (BRCs) is presented. BRCs provide a representative range of time-dependent responses from multiple experimental tests of a parameter from multiple biological surrogates (often cadaveric). The study describes an approach for BRC development based on previous research, but that includes two key modifications for application to impact and accelerative loading. First, signal alignment conducted prior to calculation of the BRC considers only the loading portion of the signal, as opposed to the full time history. Second, a point-wise normalization (PWN) technique is introduced to calculate correlation coefficients between signals. The PWN equally weighs all time points within the loading portion of the signals and as such, bypasses aspects of the response that are not controlled by the experimentalist such as internal dynamics of the specimen, and interaction with surrounding structures. An application of the method is presented using previously-published thoracic loading data from 8 lateral sled PMHS tests conducted at 8.9m/s. Using this method, the mean signals showed a peak lateral load of 8.48kN and peak chest acceleration of 86.0g which were similar to previously-published research (8.93kN and 100.0g respectively). The peaks occurred at similar times in the current and previous studies, but were delayed an average of 2.1ms in the updated method. The mean time shifts calculated with the method ranged from 7.5% to 9.5% of the event. The method may be of use in traditional injury biomechanics studies and emerging work on non-horizontal accelerative loading.

Failed rib region prediction in a human body model during crash events with precrash braking

ABSTRACT Objective: The objective of this study is 2-fold. We used a validated human body finite element model to study the predicted chest injury (focusing on rib fracture as a function of element strain) based on varying levels of simulated precrash braking. Furthermore, we compare deterministic and probabilistic methods of rib injury prediction in the computational model. Methods: The Global Human Body Models Consortium (GHBMC) M50-O model was gravity settled in the driver position of a generic interior equipped with an advanced 3-point belt and airbag. Twelve cases were investigated with permutations for failure, precrash braking system, and crash severity. The severities used were median (17 kph), severe (34 kph), and New Car Assessment Program (NCAP; 56.4 kph). Cases with failure enabled removed rib cortical bone elements once 1.8% effective plastic strain was exceeded. Alternatively, a probabilistic framework found in the literature was used to predict rib failure. Both the probabilistic and deterministic methods take into consideration location (anterior, lateral, and posterior). The deterministic method is based on a rubric that defines failed rib regions dependent on a threshold for contiguous failed elements. The probabilistic method depends on age-based strain and failure functions. Results: Kinematics between both methods were similar (peak max deviation: ΔXhead = 17 mm; ΔZhead = 4 mm; ΔXthorax = 5 mm; ΔZthorax = 1 mm). Seat belt forces at the time of probabilistic failed region initiation were lower than those at deterministic failed region initiation. The probabilistic method for rib fracture predicted more failed regions in the rib (an analog for fracture) than the deterministic method in all but 1 case where they were equal. The failed region patterns between models are similar; however, there are differences that arise due to stress reduced from element elimination that cause probabilistic failed regions to continue to rise after no deterministic failed region would be predicted. Conclusions: Both the probabilistic and deterministic methods indicate similar trends with regards to the effect of precrash braking; however, there are tradeoffs. The deterministic failed region method is more spatially sensitive to failure and is more sensitive to belt loads. The probabilistic failed region method allows for increased capability in postprocessing with respect to age. The probabilistic failed region method predicted more failed regions than the deterministic failed region method due to force distribution differences.

A method for developing biomechanical response corridors based on principal component analysis.

The standard method for specifying target responses for human surrogates, such as crash test dummies and human computational models, involves developing a corridor based on the distribution of a set of empirical mechanical responses. These responses are commonly normalized to account for the effects of subject body shape, size, and mass on impact response. Limitations of this method arise from the normalization techniques, which are based on the assumptions that human geometry linearly scales with size and in some cases, on simple mechanical models. To address these limitations, a new method was developed for corridor generation that applies principal component (PC) analysis to align response histories. Rather than use normalization techniques to account for the effects of subject size on impact response, linear regression models are used to model the relationship between PC features and subject characteristics. Corridors are generated using Monte Carlo simulation based on estimated distributions of PC features for each PC. This method is applied to pelvis impact force data from a recent series of lateral impact tests to develop corridor bounds for a group of signals associated with a particular subject size. Comparing to the two most common methods for response normalization, the corridors generated by the new method are narrower and better retain the features in signals that are related to subject size and body shape.