Numerical Analysis of Pilot Neck Injury Risk During High-G Maneuvers in Air Combat

Abstract

Air force fighter jet pilots often face significant physiological challenges during high-acceleration maneuvers, where the neck is particularly vulnerable to injury from head inertia effects in high-G environments, making it crucial yet challenging to understand the mechanisms of these injuries. This paper employs a finite element model of the human head–neck structure to simulate its dynamic responses to high Gz (airplane pulling up causing body acceleration from head to foot) maneuvers and evaluate potential soft tissue injuries in the cervical spine. The model was validated in three biomechanical conditions most relevant to the injury analysis of this study using experimental data from a cervical spine torsion test, a dynamic cadaver head–neck sagittal loading experiment, and a human volunteer drop tower deceleration test. A typical high Gz maneuver, along with “check-6” head turn, was simulated using active muscle functions to analyze injury risks in the cervical spine. The effect of acceleration magnitude and additional mass of the helmet was also analyzed. Analysis of the tissue strains suggested higher injury risk for the intervertebral disc and capsular ligament of the facet joints at the mid-lower cervical spine, which is consistent with the reported pilot neck injuries or degenerative changes. Analysis of the macro biomechanical injury metrics indicated low risk of severe injury to the cervical spine, which is also consistent with the real-world findings reported in the literature. This comprehensive approach enabled a thorough investigation into the potential soft tissue injuries that may arise during high Gz maneuvers, providing valuable insights for the future development of injury prevention and mitigation strategies.