A new Master’s thesis developed at the University of Rome Tor Vergata investigates advanced methodologies for the efficient articulation of digital human body models through the integration of reduced-order modeling and mesh morphing techniques.

The thesis, entitled “Articulation of THUMS through Reduced-Order Models,” was carried out by Samuele Stazi under the supervision of Prof. Marco Evangelos Biancolini and the co-supervision of Emanuele Di Meo.

The research proposes a computational framework for articulating the THUMS (Total Human Model for Safety) digital human model by combining reduced-order modeling with the mesh morphing capabilities of the rbfCAE platform. The methodology enables realistic joint articulation while preserving mesh quality, eliminating the need for repeated and computationally intensive remeshing procedures.

Within the proposed workflow, mesh morphing is employed to generate smooth and accurate deformations of the human body model, supporting the creation of articulated configurations suitable for crashworthiness and occupant safety analyses. The integration of reduced-order models further improves computational efficiency, making the approach particularly suitable for parametric analyses, virtual prototyping, and data-driven engineering workflows.

The thesis demonstrates the potential of combining mesh morphing and reduced-order modeling to address complex biomechanical simulation challenges. The proposed methodology contributes to the development of more efficient and scalable simulation workflows for human body modeling and safety engineering, highlighting the broader applicability of advanced computational techniques beyond traditional industrial shape optimization. The thesis presentation and the complete manuscript are available for consultation here: https://www.rbfcae.com/articulation-of-thums-through-reduced-order-models/