Biomechanical Analysis on Vibration Characteristics of Lumbar Spine Using a Whole Human Body Finite Element Model

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Human Body Modeling
• Finite Element Analysis

Background:

• Existing lumbar spine studies use simplified models, limiting understanding of vibration transmission in intact bodies.
• Accurate biomechanical analysis requires considering the whole human body's response to external stimuli.
• Driver posture and whole-body vibrations are critical factors in lumbar spine health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a comprehensive finite element model of the entire human body with detailed lumbar spine structures.
• To investigate the lumbar spine's vibration characteristics within a realistic, whole-body physiological context.
• To establish a validated computational tool for analyzing lumbar biomechanics and injury mechanisms in drivers.

Main Methods:

• Construction of a whole human body finite element model incorporating detailed lumbar spine anatomy.
• Simulation of lumbar spine vibration under a driving posture.
• Rigorous validation using geometric measurements, static tests, and dynamic response analysis.
• Comparison of model-derived resonant frequencies with in vivo experimental data.

Main Results:

• The developed whole human body model demonstrated high accuracy through multiple validation tests.
• The model predicted a first-order resonant frequency of 5.2 Hz in the vertical direction, closely matching in vivo data (4-6 Hz).
• This contrasts with isolated lumbar spine models, which yielded a significantly higher resonant frequency (11.7 Hz).

Conclusions:

• The whole human body finite element model offers superior accuracy for lumbar spine vibration analysis compared to isolated models.
• This validated model serves as a valuable computational tool for studying driver lumbar injury mechanisms.
• It provides a foundation for coupled mechanical analysis of the human body-seat interaction system.