Three-dimensional dynamic modelling of the human cervical spine in whiplash situations

Golinski, WZ, 2000. Three-dimensional dynamic modelling of the human cervical spine in whiplash situations. PhD, Nottingham Trent University.

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Abstract

Despite many previous studies into the "whiplash" phenomenon, including sled tests on volunteers, animals and post mortem test objects as well as in vitro clinical studies, many questions remain unanswered.

The purpose of the work described here is to answer some of the questions by developing a biomechanical 3 - dimensional Finite Element (FE) model of the human cervical spine, capable of simulating the whiplash accident situation, and hence making recommendations for improving car safety as well as defining the Mechanism of Injury (MoI).

A 3-dimensional biomechanical model of the head-neck complex has been developed, including the intervertebral discs, the neck ligaments and the muscle structure in addition to the vertebrae themselves. The model has been evaluated against experimental data from volunteer sled tests, successfully predicting the Kinematics of the head and cervical spine. The model behaviour confirms the MoI of whiplash as being hypertranslation of the head, in agreement with recent experimental results. It has been clearly shown that biomechanical FE modelling has significant advantages over other kinds of research, as it can indicate the actual injury risk in individual soft tissues.

Furthermore, the final model has been used to investigate not only the sagittal plane whiplash scenario, but also, for the first time, the situation where the car occupant is initially looking to one side. The model is the first research tool capable of investigating this scenario, since other computational investigations, as well as experimental approaches, have been restricted to the facing forward position.

Finally a new approach to car safety research has been indicated by implementing the biomechanical head-neck model onto a Hybrid III dummy model, producing what has been shown to be an original and powerful design tool. This combined model has been successfully used to investigate different factors affecting whiplash injury as well as to design an anti-whiplash protection device.

Item Type:	Thesis
Creators:	Golinski, W.Z.
Date:	2000
ISBN:	9781369316605
Identifiers:	Number Type PQ10183459 Other
Divisions:	Schools > School of Science and Technology
Record created by:	Linda Sullivan
Date Added:	30 Sep 2020 10:26
Last Modified:	12 Sep 2023 14:52
URI:	https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/41015

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