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Updated: Aug 14, 2025

Modified Drop Tower Impact Tests for American Football Helmets
Published on: February 19, 2017
Design Considerations for the Attenuation of Translational and Rotational Accelerations in American Football Helmets
Kevin G McIver1, Patrick Lee1, Sean Bucherl1
1School of Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907.
Abstract:
Participants in American football experience repetitive head impacts that induce negative changes in neurocognitive function over the course of a single season. This study aimed to quantify the transfer function connecting the force input to the measured output acceleration of the helmet system to provide a comparison of the impact attenuation of various modern American football helmets. Impact mitigation varied considerably between helmet models and with location for each helmet model. The current data indicate that helmet mass is a key variable driving force attenuation, however flexible helmet shells, helmet shell cutouts, and more compliant padding can improve energy absorption.
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