Mechanism and microstructure based concept to predict skull fracture using a...

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Computational modeling
• Traumatic brain injury

Background:

• Predicting brain injuries requires understanding tissue-level thresholds, but mechanisms under complex stresses are unknown.
• Skull fracture serves as a surrogate indicator for head injury assessment.
• Finite element simulation offers an in silico method to evaluate head protection efficacy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a computational model for predicting skull fracture initiation.
• To simulate different skull failure mechanisms (tension, compression, shear) based on microstructure.
• To assess the effectiveness of head protection strategies through in silico analysis.

Main Methods:

• Implemented a microstructurally-inspired, mechanism-based (MIMB) failure surface for skull elements.
• Modeled failure in tension, compression, and shear, corresponding to linear, depressed, and penetrating fractures.
• Optimized model parameters using experimental data and validated against 3D tomography of skull fractures.

Main Results:

• The model successfully simulated the evolution of skull fracture through different mechanisms.
• Simulated crack patterns closely matched experimental results before catastrophic failure.
• The hybrid-experimental-modeling-computational (HEMC) concept demonstrated predictive capability for skull fracture initiation.

Conclusions:

• The developed computational model accurately predicts skull fracture initiation.
• The HEMC approach provides a validated in silico tool for head injury research.
• This method can be used to assess and improve head protection systems.