Lower Extremity Impact and Injury Responses of Male and Female PMHS to High-Rate Vertical Loading.

Abstract

Whole-body PMHS (Post Mortem Human Surrogate) testing was conducted on the Accelerative Loading Fixture (ALF), which is designed to generate floor and seat loading conditions at the level, rate, location, direction, and extent seen in UBB (Underbody Blast). The overarching goal of this research effort was to examine potential differences in the lower extremity response of females and males under UBB conditions. The ALF consists of an occupant platform that is driven upward by the detonation of an explosive charge. The floor plate undergoes plastic deformation. The occupant platform supports two rigid seats for surrogates. Twenty un-embalmed PMHS were tested, including 50th-percentile males, 75th-percentile females, and 5th-percentile females. Two test series were conducted. Series A had a target floor speed of 8 m/s (2-ms time-to-peak) with a target seat speed of 5 m/s (4-ms time-to-peak). Series B had a target floor speed of 20 m/s (2-ms time-to-peak) with a target seat speed of 4 m/s (7-ms time-to-peak). Major damage occurred to the femur, tibia, fibula, talus, and calcaneus. Lower extremity damage type, incidence, and extent varied between the two sexes. Fifty-percent probability of calcaneus fracture for less than 3-ms time-to-peak is associated with a 781-g peak tibia vertical acceleration for 50th-percentile males, 650-g for 75th-percentile females, and 396-g for 5th-percentile females. Fifty-percent probability of calcaneus fracture, regardless of time-to-peak, is associated with a 368-g peak femur vertical acceleration for 50th-percentile males, 332-g for 75th-percentile females, and 218-g for 5th-percentile females. These results show differences in kinematics and damage outcome between female and male PMHS in UBB conditions. These findings will inform future decisions regarding the requirements for test capabilities that incorporate the female Warfighter. Ultimately, advancements can be made in injury assessment tools such as improved physical surrogates, injury assessment and prediction criteria, modeling and simulation capabilities, test methods, and the optimization of military ground vehicles, personal protective equipment, and injury countermeasures.