Biomechanical response of human skull to impact by three-dimensional finite element analysis

Traumatic Brain Injury resulting from the impact of the human skull is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. The knowledge of the biomechanics of such injuries is essential for the effective design of protective headgear. This study investigates the biomechanical responses of a human skull subjected to an impact with a rigid wall. Finite element analyses were performed by impacting various skull locations, and the utility concept approach was introduced to rank skull vulnerability. Time history plots of the velocity, acceleration and energy were extracted to determine the dynamic responses of the skull. The nasal bone is the weakest and exhibits the lowest stiffness among all skull bones, and transmits a lower level of the impact force to the brain. Parietal bone experiences the greatest deceleration, resulting in higher force transmission to the brain. The frontal bone is found to be the strongest and stiffest bone of the Human skull. The impact on the zygomatic bone also makes the temporal bone vulnerable, emphasising the need for protection of both bones in sagittal skull impacts. These findings provide critical biomechanical insights for optimising protective head equipment tailored to regional vulnerability.