Approximating the Mass Moment of Inertia of Human Body

Abstract

Mass moment of inertia (MMI) is critical in the study of motion of rigid bodies in dynamics. However, its precise determination can be challenging when dealing with complex shapes such as vehicles, airplanes, trains, and human bodies. To determine the moment of inertia, several analytical studies have been conducted and many experimental methods applied. Those experimental methods, however, require a substantial amount of work, materials, and time, resulting in high cost and danger. Therefore, the need for simple and accurate mathematical models, confirming the results of experimental methods, is warranted. The main objective of this paper is to formulate a general equation of MMI to be validated and corrected using the experimental data from Matsuo [7] and Tozeren [9]. The outcome of the application of the obtained general equation to an African university student population and to a larger set of US college students’ sample is also investigated.