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A Test Bed to Examine Helmet Fit and Retention and Biomechanical Measures of Head and Neck Injury in Simulated Impact
Published on: September 21, 2017
Skull biomechanics: The energy absorbability of the human skull frontal bone during fracture under quasi-static
C Van Lierde1, B Depreitere, J Vander Sloten
1Division of Biomechanics and Engineering Design, K.U. Leuven, Leuven - Belgium.
Abstract:
Four human skulls were studied in order to determine the energy absorbed corresponding to a fracture due to quasi-static loading on the frontal bone. Using a dedicated experimental set up, the force-deformation characteristics of the specimens were recorded, calculating energy absorption. Mean values of 1975 +/- 703 N, 4.17 +/- 0.81 mm and 3.95 +/- 1.18 J were found for the peak force, maximum deformation and absorbed energy to fracture, respectively. Linear fractures were always seen in the frontal bone, with a similar pattern in three of the four skulls. These results can be used to develop bench-mark skull models to validate analytic models. (Journal of Applied Biomaterials & Biomechanics 2003; 1: 194-9).
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