Abstract
Persistent exposure to whole body vibrations is the fundamental cause for lower back pain and disc degeneration. With an increasing amount of population exposed to whole body vibrations, a significant number of people experience fatal spine diseases. Substantial research is carried out to reduce the risk of spinal injuries. The dynamic characteristics of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar (CTL) region are studied extensively as individual sections of the spine. Few studies have focused on the CTL spine as an assembly of the three segments. In the present work, an authentic three dimensional geometrical model of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine is developed in mimics considering its natural curvature and the intervertebral discs are modeled in Design modeler. The natural frequency and mode shapes of the CTL spine are extracted using free vibration modal analysis considering 4.5 kg point mass on C1 vertebra and distributed mass of 40 kg on the CTL spine in Ansys Workbench. Six natural frequencies and their corresponding vibration modes are obtained from the finite element model. The results of this study aims to provide a reliable model for further biomechanical analysis and ergonomics.
Highlights
Human-machine interaction in day to day life exposes people to continuous excitation of vibration either directly or indirectly
A finite element (FE) simulation is a research method used extensively to analyse the biomechanics of the CTL spine
A detailed 3D FE model considering the curvature of the human CTL spine is developed from computed tomography (CT) scans
Summary
Human-machine interaction in day to day life exposes people to continuous excitation of vibration either directly or indirectly. This phenomenon is prominently observed in all operators working in manufacturing industries. The vertebral column is a part of the axial skeleton made up of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar (CTL) bones It provides structural support and balance during physical activities like standing, sitting, and gait. A finite element (FE) simulation is a research method used extensively to analyse the biomechanics of the CTL spine. It is opted over experimentation as it is unethical, and results vary from person to person based on age, size and gender. The greatest challenge in Finite element approach is the creation of an accurate three-dimensional model of the human CTL spine
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