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Crash reconstructions using finite element (FE) vehicle and human body models (HBMs) allow researchers to investigate injury mechanisms, predict injury risk, and evaluate the effectiveness of injury mitigation systems, ultimately leading to a reduced risk of fatal and severe injury in motor vehicle crashes (MVCs). To predict injuries, regional-level injury metrics were implemented into the Total Human Model for Safety (THUMS) full body HBM. THUMS was virtually instrumented with cross-sectional planes to measure forces and moments in the femurs, upper and lower tibias, ankles, pelvis (pubic symphysis, ilium, ischium, sacrum, ischial tuberosity, and inferior and superior pubic ramus), and the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar vertebrae and intervertebral discs. To measure accelerations, virtual accelerometers were implemented in the head, thoracic vertebrae, sternum, ribs, and pelvis. Three chest bands and an abdominal band were implemented to measure chest and abdominal deflection.

The objective of this study was to investigate potential for traumatic brain injuries (TBI) using a newly developed, geometrically detailed, finite element head model (FEHM) within the concept of a simulated injury monitor (SIMon). The new FEHM is comprised of several parts: cerebrum, cerebellum, falx, tentorium, combined pia-arachnoid complex (PAC) with cerebro-spinal fluid (CSF), ventricles, brainstem, and parasagittal blood vessels. The model's topology was derived from human computer tomography (CT) scans and then uniformly scaled such that the mass of the brain represents the mass of a 50th percentile male's brain (1.5 kg) with the total head mass of 4.5 kg. The topology of the model was then compared to the preliminary data on the average topology derived from Procrustes shape analysis of 59 individuals. Material properties of the various parts were assigned based on the latest experimental data.