Effect of Active Muscle Forces on the Response of knee Joint at Low Speed Lateral Impacts

In vehicle-pedestrian collisions, lower extremities of pedestrians are frequently impacted by the vehicle front structure. The aim of the current study is to understand the role of muscle activity in knee joint injuries at low velocity lateral impacts, characteristic of vehicle-pedestrian collisions. Therefore, a group of muscles in the lower extremity are modeled using bar elements with the Hill material model. The reflex response of the muscle is then included. Simulations indicate that muscle activation decreases the probability of failure in knee ligaments.