Impact non-pénétrant sur le thorax : une contribution à l'étude de la propagation des ondes

The stress wave generated by a nonpenetrating impact on the thorax is likely to cause severe injury to the lung. Theoretical studies are necessary to help the understanding of injury mechanisms. Within the framework of elastodynamics, we study the transmission of a wave at the interface between two weakly coupled semi-infinite media representing the thoracic wall and the lung. By using an appropriate method, we describe the distribution of energy carried by the shear and pressure waves in the medium representing the lung. These results should contribute to a better interpretation of the experimental results.