Modeling human spine using dynamic spline approach for vibrational simulation

This paper deals with the description of an innovative numerical dynamic model of the human spine for vibrational behavior assessment. The modeling approach is based on the use of the dynamic spline formalism in order to achieve a condensed description requiring a smaller set of variables but maintaining the nonlinear characteristic and the accuracy of a fully multibody dynamic model. The methodology has been validated by comparing the modal behavior of the spine sub-assembly to other models available in literature. Moreover, the proposed dynamic sub-system has been integrated into a two dimensional multibody model of a seated vehicle occupant in order to compute the seat-to-head transmissibility. This characteristic has been compared to those obtained using other spine sub-models. Both modal behavior and acceleration transmissibility computed with the proposed approach show a very good accordance with others coming from more complex models.