Comparing Blast Effects on Human Torso Finite Element Model against Existing Lethality Curves

摘要

A finite element model of a representative 50th percentile male torso has been created by researchers at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. The components of this detailed Human Torso Finite Element Model (HTFEM) include the heart, lungs, liver, stomach, intestinal mass, kidneys as well as the thoracic skeletal structure system. The detailed components of the torso provide relevant internal geometries, material differences and boundary conditions to study the propagation of a blast pressure wave through the thoracic region. Injury due to blast has largely been predicted using the Bowen curves, which are based on experiments of various animal species exposed to air blast that provide a biological response to blast. LS-DYNA, a dynamic finite element modeling tool is used to simulate the complex system response of the HTFEM to an open air blast event. LS-DYNA's enhanced version of the CONWEP blast model will be used to load the HTFEM. Loading conditions representing the overpressure and positive phase duration as defined in existing injury curves adapted from Bowen's lethality model are applied to the HTFEM. These simulations will explore HTFEM response to peak overpressures in the range of 400-800 kPa and positive phase durations in the range of 2.0 to 4.5 ms. The temporal pressure plots show organ response for the various loading conditions. The HTFEM can be used as a tool used to examine the blast effects on the human torso and to aid in the design of personal protective equipment (PPE).