Analysis of the Lower Limb Model Response Under Impact Load

The paper presents a problem of soldiers' lower limbs safety in military vehicles during high impact loads derived from explosion of Improvised Explosion Devices (IED) charges. The numerical studies concerned the function of combat boots as an element of the soldier's equipment. The model of a lower limb with cooperation with a sole was prepared as a multibody dynamic system. For this model the governing equations have been prepared and solved numerically with the Runge-Kutta method. The results were obtained for the load acting on the sole as the velocity generated proportionally in relation to the mass of an IED charge. The changes of material property for the sole were analysed to select the best parameters for protection of both a foot and a whole leg. The results show the conditions for increasing the safety of a passenger's feet formulated as damping properties for soles and were compared with the similar data from an experimental study.