SYMPOSIA PAPER Published: 30 June 2014
STP155220120113

The Analysis of a Helmeted Human Head Under Ballistic Impact Loads

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A numerical study is conducted in order to examine the biomechanical response of a helmeted human head model under the impact of bullets at various striking speeds and different positions. The examined data includes the kinematical response such as accelerations of the helmet, skull, and brain, as well as mechanical reaction of the brain, such as the intracranial pressure (ICP) on the brain. Such data are essential in understanding the brain injury and in examining the protective roles of the helmet. In particular, the influence of the material of the helmet padding system, in transferring the load to the head, is briefly studied in this work. A finite element (FE) modeling analysis for the helmet, padding system, and head components is employed for this dynamic nonlinear analysis. Suitable contact conditions are applied between the layers and the different components of the head, as well as between the head and the pads, and the pads and the helmet shell. The results of the simulations clearly show that the helmet padding system material and its stiffness play a prominent role in reducing the level of the transferred pressure waves to the brain. In particular, as long as the foam stress-strain constitutive behavior in within the plateau region, the transferred load to the head will not be increased considerably, regardless of the bullet impact energy.

Author Information

Salimi Jazi, M.
Mechanical Engineering Department, North Dakota State Univ., Fargo, ND
Rezaei, A.
Mechanical Engineering Department, North Dakota State Univ., Fargo, ND
Karami, G.
Mechanical Engineering Dept., North Dakota State Univ., Fargo, ND
Azarmi, F.
Mechanical Engineering Department, North Dakota State Univ., Fargo, ND
Ziejewski, M.
Mechanical Engineering Department, North Dakota State Univ., Fargo, ND
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Details
Developed by Committee: F08
Pages: 1–17
DOI: 10.1520/STP155220120113
ISBN-EB: 978-0-8031-7582-2
ISBN-13: 978-0-8031-7538-9