A Lower Limb-Pelvis Finite Element Model with 3D Active Muscles

Abstract

A lower limb-pelvis finite element (FE) model with active three-dimensional (3D) muscles was developed in this study for biomechanical analysis of human body. The model geometry was mainly reconstructed from a male volunteer close to the anthropometry of a 50th percentile Chinese male. Tissue materials and structural features were established based on the literature and new implemented experimental tests. In particular, the muscle was modeled with a combination of truss and hexahedral elements to define its passive and active properties as well as to follow the detailed anatomy structure. Both passive and active properties of the model were validated against the experiments of Post-Mortem Human Surrogate (PMHS) and volunteers, respectively. The model was then used to simulate driver's emergency braking during frontal crashes and investigate Knee-Thigh-Hip (KTH) injury mechanisms and tolerances of the human body. A significant force and bending moment variance was noted for the driver's femur due to the effects of active muscle forces during emergency braking. In summary, the present lower limb-pelvis model can be applied in various research fields to support expensive and complex physical tests or corresponding device design.

Development of a finite element musculoskeletal model with the ability to predict contractions of three-dimensional muscles

“…Tables Table 1. Constitutive model parameters. The values were based on previous studies (Blemker et al, 2005, Teran et al, 2005, Röhrle and Pullan, 2007, Mo et al, 2018). These parameters were described in detail in sections 5.3.1 and 5.3.5 of the FEBio Theory Manual (V2.6) (Maas and Weiss, 2007).…”

“…However, this approach is not suitable for 3D muscles, because boundary conditions of 1D and 3D muscle models cannot be realistically coupled. Musculoskeletal models incorporating 3D muscles have been developed in finite element method, accounting for spatial fibre orientation and interactions between muscles and bones (Webb et al, 2014, Zöllner et al, 2015, Mo et al, 2018. However, the redundancy issue of muscle contractions has not been addressed in the previous 3D muscle models, which hampers the predictive capability of these models.…”

Pelvic and Lower Gastrointestinal Tract Anatomical Characterization of the Average Male

“…Unlike these models, which limit enthusiasm for being used in product development, the current training model approaches the relevant clinical anatomy with more accuracy and definition than what can be found commercially. The CAD models that are described in the literature are generally based on a single or limited subject size, [34][35][36][37] restricted to mainly osseous structures, or generated from cadaveric specimens that may impart different geometries than those encountered in surgical procedures. The model described in this work represents a significant advance toward models that approach clinical anatomy: the imaging and segmentation of both soft tissues and osseous structures in living patients that represent a segment of a population are important advantages over the current CAD models.…”

Techniques to Reduce The Computational Cost of Finite Element Models of the Lower Limb Muscles

“…Using the Finite Element (FE) method for modeling the muscles of the lower limb can be E. Elyasi, A. Perrier, M. Bailet and Y. Payan 2 beneficial in applications such as injury mechanisms or when stress/strain distribution in the muscle is of interest [1][2][3][4]. Having a 3D FE representation of the muscles provides the opportunity to model them in interaction with an environment of other muscles, connective tissue, and bones and not as isolated units that only transmit axial forces to bones via tendons.…”