Biomechanical response characteristics of pedestrian brain tissues in vehicle-to-pedestrian crashes: Analysis based on head model of the 50th percentile Chinese male

There are several factors that influence the mechanisms underlying human injuries in vehicle-to-pedestrian crashes (VTPCs). Traditional multibody system (MBS) models can simulate the entire VTPC process; however, they cannot fully and accurately assess the degree of injury to each part of the head. Therefore, a finite element (FE) model of the head with a complete brain structure is developed based on the 50th-percentile Chinese male data. First, the complete kinematic response of pedestrians in a VTPC is simulated using the MBS model, and the head kinematic response parameters that are most related to pedestrian injury are explored. An FE of the head model is subsequently established based on computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data from a 50th-percentile Chinese male. Head-injury-related parameters are input into the head FE model, and orthogonal experiments are designed to analyze the head-to-windshield impact. The results show that impact velocity, position, and angle strongly affect the biological injury parameters of the head. These findings reveal the mechanisms of head injuries in pedestrians in VTPCs and the biomechanical dynamic response characteristics of the main parts of the head.