Biomechanical Analysis of the Human Body Thorax Protected by a Kevlar® Plate When Subjected to a Point Load

Throughout history, human beings have experienced in their own bodies the effects caused by physical phenomena, many of which result in drastic changes in biological structures. Currently, with the violence that is experienced worldwide, including armed conflicts and daily insecurity, there is a pressing need to better understand these types of phenomena. The complexity of projectile impacts, which can cause severe damage to bones and vital organs, needs a deeper understanding of the behavior of living structures. This issue directly translates into the necessity of a more detailed understanding of the behavior of living structures, as there is a significant and direct increase in the occurrence of projectile impact injuries. This justifies the development and implementation of increasingly detailed scientific studies related to projectile impact and protection against it. The approach taken in this project involved the creation of a biomodel from computed tomography (CT) scans. This biomodel was then used for numerical analysis using the finite element method (FEM). Through this approach, it is possible to observe how the thorax of an adult male behaves when subjected to a force that simulates the impact force generated by a 9 mm projectile while being protected by a Kevlar® KM2 plate. It should be noted that the model is functional as it accurately reflects the behavior of a thoracic structure protected by a Kevlar® plate when subjected to pressure simulating a projectile pressure.