A lumped parameter model of the human head and neck with active muscles

Abstract

A model of the human head and neck that incorporates active and passive muscles is presented for use in the analysis of non-impact loading in high "g" environments. The inclusion of the active muscles is shown to improve the accuracy of the model response to impulse loading conditions, especially during the interval that begins approximately 120 ms after the application of the impulse. The active muscles have the capability of activating partially and in different combinations. The parameters defining the force-length and force-velocity relationships used for the active muscles are based on recent experimental data for neck muscles, including: muscle length, sarcomere length, and physiological cross-sectional area. The parameters, which fall within a large range of input selections, are applied to the fifteen muscle pairs of the neck. The model is implemented in MADYMO using lumped parameters and Hill muscles. A comparison of simulation results with experimental data, generated by the Naval Biodynamics Laboratory, shows excellent agreement for a flexion/rebound 15 g impulsive load and a 7 g lateral load. A model incorporating the head and neck with active muscles is implemented with a body of a 50th percentile male anthropomorphic test device. This model is subjected to the 15 g flexion impulsive load and also shows excellent agreement with the experimental data.