Acquiring non-censored pelvic bone fracture data during dynamic side impact loading - biomed 2009

The purpose of this study was to quantify the strain and fracture timing of the pelvic bones during dynamic side impact loading. A total of 3 high-energy side impact tests, 23.4 kg at 12 m/s, were performed on 3 fresh, previously frozen human male cadavers using a custom pneumatic impactor. For two cadavers the impacting surface was a rigid aluminum plate, 250mm x 250mm, while the third cadaver was impacted using a 102 mm thick block of foam attached to the aluminum plate. For all cadavers the impacting surface contacted both the ilium wing and greater trochanter. In order to obtain pelvic bone strain and fracture timing, strain gages were applied to the ilium wing, superior pubic ramus, and inferior pubic ramus. The results of the study showed that for all impact conditions, the superior and inferior pubic rami were subjected to compressive loading. The time histories of each strain gage were analyzed to determine the time of fracture which could then be directly correlated to impactor force. For both rigid impact tests, the superior pubic ramus was found to fracture at approximately the time of peak impactor force, 18,109 N to 20,541 N, followed by the fracture of the inferior pubic ramus, 14,275 N to 15,930 N. Conversely, the test conducted with the foam block was found to successfully attenuate the peak impactor force and prevent injury to the pelvic boney structures.