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A lumped parameter approach to simulate the rotational head motion
Technical Paper
1987-13-0016
Published September 08, 1987 by International Research Council on Biokinetics of Impact in Switzerland
Sector:
Language:
English
Abstract
Studies conducted by the University of Pennsylvania have shown
that subdural hematoma, diffuse axonal and other shearing type
brain injuries are the most common causes of death and disability
seen in human head injury, and that angular acceleration is the
primary cause. It is, therefore, the main interest of this paper to
study and relate the coronal or angular acceleration-induced shear
strain that is exerted on the brain and its connective tissue to
the tolerance, or threshold of the above mentioned head
injuries.
In this study, the human head is modelled as a
3-degrees-of-freedom mechanical system using a lumped parameter
approach. The model consists of masses, springs and dampers and has
been validated with experimental data obtained by the University of
Pennsylvania.
The model was exercised with various loading conditions commonly
seen in car crash environments. In addition, the effect of helmet
and airbag on rotational head injury were investigated. The
resulting dynamic responses of the model were utilized for
computing the shearing strain and providing a way to establish some
injury criteria for estimating the potential of rotational head
injury in actual car crash simulation.