Reconsideration of the HIC, Taking into Account the Skull Bone Condition Factor (SBCF) — Limit of Head Tolerance in Side Impacts

Based on morphological and biomechanical study of 146 human skulls, a parameter has been established to characterize the resistance of the skulls of subjects used in experiments, the so-called “Skull Bone Condition Factor” (SBCF). The analysis of ten cadaver lateral drop tests has allowed to point out the influence of this parameter on the prediction of brain injury through HIC.

This paper intends to establish a simple way to integrate the SBCF in the Head Injury Criterion with the aim of allowing comparisons between cadaver tests and of having a more realistic means of prediction of brain injuries.