Study on Behind Helmet Blunt Trauma Caused by High-Speed Bullet

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Trauma research
• Materials science

Background:

• Behind Helmet Blunt Trauma (BHBT) mechanisms from high-speed bullet impacts remain poorly understood.
• Current methods for evaluating BHBT are insufficient, lacking standardized parameters and testing protocols.
• Accurate assessment of BHBT is vital for improving protective equipment and understanding injury outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate human skull and brain tissue responses to bullet impacts on protective helmets.
• To analyze the influence of impact direction, velocity, and projectile structure on BHBT.
• To establish parameters for evaluating BHBT risk and informing helmet design.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a detailed human brain finite element model simulating scalp, skull, and brain tissue.
• Simulated high-speed bullet impacts on bullet-proof helmets, considering various impact parameters.
• Extracted key biomechanical responses including Back Face Deformation (BFD), brain displacement, skull stress, and dura mater pressure.

Main Results:

• Frontal impacts generated the highest BFD; side impacts resulted in approximately double the skull stress compared to other directions.
• Increased impact velocity led to greater BFD, brain displacement, skull stress, and dura mater pressure.
• Different bullet structures caused varying brain damage at equivalent kinetic energy; handgun bullets induced the highest skull stress.

Conclusions:

• Bullet impacts on helmets increase the likelihood of brain displacement and intracranial high pressure.
• Findings provide critical data for optimizing bullet-proof helmet design and evaluating protective performance.
• Results offer a theoretical foundation for enhancing protection strategies and rescue efforts in ballistic trauma scenarios.