Simulation and dynamic analysis of military marching using lower limbs anthropometric data

Abstract

Background: Gait analysis is receiving increasing attention due to various applications in athletic performance, man-machine interfaces and especially in military services. This analysis involves the analysis of human locomotion augmented by body movements and biomechanics of joints. The kinematic motion of the body during a gait cycle capturing by cameras is then used as the desired target for modelling the motion of body segments. By taking advantage of gait analysis concept, this study aims to model the military marching, using anthropometric data with the focus on lower limbs while introducing top candidates with better healthy conditions in lower limb joints during a cycle of marching. Methods: Using 100 anthropometric data from military soldiers, equations of motion for the model are derived by applying Lagrangian methods in an inverse dynamic approach. In this model, the joints are simulated using springs and dampers while the actuators, simulated the muscles, acted like motors and applied enough torque on joints so that the model motion replicates normal military marching. Finally, all the springs and dampers coefficients are driven from optimization process. Results: Hip, knee and ankle torques were calculated after the optimization process for all 100 soldiers and then 5 candidates among them were established with less suffering forces and torques in their joints. Conclusions: In this study using biomechanics basics and anthropometry data at the same time, a standard could be evaluated to select the soldiers based on healthy condition of lower organs. Keywords: marching, anthropometric data, gait analysis, biomechanics, torque, equations of motion, optimization.