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Updated: Apr 23, 2026

Subject-specific Musculoskeletal Model for Studying Bone Strain During Dynamic Motion
Published on: April 11, 2018
Muscle activity and co-contraction of musculoskeletal model during steering maneuver
Zhen-hai Gao1, Da Fan2, Deping Wang3
1State Key Laboratory of Automotive Simulation and Control, Jilin University, Changchun 130022, China State Key Laboratory of Vehicle NVH and Safety Technology, Changan Automobile Holding Ltd., Chongqing 401120, China Changan Automobile Holding Ltd. Automotive Engineering Institute, Chongqing 401120, China.
Abstract:
In this study a musculoskeletal model of driver steering maneuver was established. The model was driven by the steering angle and steering torque when performing typical steering test. The simulation was calculated using inverse dynamics. Maximum muscle activity and the muscle activity of each muscle were studied afterwards. The key muscles that generated steering torque were scapular portion of deltoid, infraspinatus, latissimus dorsi, subscapularis, triceps long head and triceps lateral head. Muscle co-contraction was analyzed quantitatively and was significantly different from muscle activity. This paper presents a preliminary research on the mechanical properties of upper limb muscles during steering maneuver. The results can serve as references for vehicle design and performance evaluation using the physiological characteristics of drivers.
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