Infield softball masks are intended to reduce facial fracture risk, but are rarely worn. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of infield masks’ ability to attenuate facial fracture risk over a range of designs and materials. To simulate batted ball impacts, a customized pitching machine was used to propel softballs at 24.6 ± 0.51 m/s. The balls impacted locations centered over the maxilla and zygoma bones of a FOCUS headform. The FOCUS headform was attached to a 50th percentile Hybrid III neck and secured to a slider table. Facial fracture risk of each facial bone was compared between masks and impact locations using peak resultant forces. Analysis of these data showed that the mask material and the distance between the mask and the impacted facial bone were key factors in determining a mask’s performance. The effectiveness of masks varied. It was found that a metal mask with a separation distance ≥ 35 mm away from the maxilla and ≥ 25 mm away from the zygoma best reduced facial fracture risk for these test configurations. Plastic masks performed worse because they excessively deformed allowing ball contact with the face. This study assesses various mask designs for their ability to reduce facial fracture and suggests design recommendations based on the impact configurations tested.
Numerical and experimental verification of impact response of laminated aluminum composite structureLaminated Aluminum Composite Structure (LACS) has shown great potential for replacing traditional bulk aluminum parts, due to its ability to maintain low manufacturing costs and create complex geometries. In this study, a LACS, that consists of 20 aluminum layers joined by a structural tape adhesive, was fabricated and tested to understand its impact performance. Three impact tests were conducted: axial drop, normal and transverse three-point bending drop tests. Numerical simulations were performed to predict the peak loads and failure modes during impacts. Material models with failure properties were used to simulate the cohesive failure, interfacial failure, and aluminum fracture. Various failure modes were observed experimentally (large plastic deformation, axial buckling, local wrinkling, aluminum fracture and delamination) and captured by simulations. Cross-section size of the axial drop model was varied to understand the LACS buckling direction and force response. For threepoint bending drop simulations, the mechanism causing the maximum plastic strain at various locations in the aluminum and adhesive layers was discussed. This study presents an insight to understand the axial and flexural responses under dynamic loading, and the failure modes in LACS. The developed simulation methodology can be used to predict the performance of LACS with more complex geometries.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.