Recent advances in brain injury research: a new human head model development and validation

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Computational mechanics
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Finite element models (FEM) are crucial for understanding brain injury.
• Previous models lacked validation and simulation capabilities for high-acceleration indirect impacts.
• Existing models had insufficient mesh detail for accurate stress/strain prediction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an advanced brain injury model (WSUBIM version 2001) capable of simulating direct and indirect impacts.
• To enhance the model with a finely meshed, anatomically detailed facial bone structure.
• To incorporate damageable material properties for simulating skull and facial fractures.

Main Methods:

• Developed WSUBIM version 2001 with over 314,500 elements and 281,800 nodes.
• Integrated an anatomically detailed facial bone model with damageable material properties.
• Validated the model using extensive published cadaveric test data for pressure, displacement, and facial impact.

Main Results:

• The new WSUBIM simulates impacts with combined translational and rotational accelerations up to 200 g and 12,000 rad/s(2).
• The model accurately predicts bony fractures due to damageable material properties in the skull and facial bones.
• Validation against cadaveric data confirmed the model's enhanced accuracy in predicting brain responses.

Conclusions:

• WSUBIM version 2001 represents a significant advancement in brain injury modeling.
• The finely meshed, damage-enabled model provides more accurate predictions of brain injury.
• This validated tool will advance the understanding of brain injury mechanisms and blunt impact tolerance.