Development of a Finite Element Head Model for the Study of Impact Head Injury

Abstract

This study is aimed at developing a high quality, validated finite element (FE) human head model for traumatic brain injuries (TBI) prediction and prevention during vehicle collisions. The geometry of the FE model was based on computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of a volunteer close to the anthropometry of a 50th percentile male. The material and structural properties were selected based on a synthesis of current knowledge of the constitutive models for each tissue. The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was simulated explicitly as a hydrostatic fluid by using a surface-based fluid modeling method. The model was validated in the loading condition observed in frontal impact vehicle collision. These validations include the intracranial pressure (ICP), brain motion, impact force and intracranial acceleration response, maximum von Mises stress in the brain, and maximum principal stress in the skull. Overall results obtained in the validation indicated improved biofidelity relative to previous FE models, and the change in the maximum von Mises in the brain is mainly caused by the improvement of the CSF simulation. The model may be used for improving the current injury criteria of the brain and anthropometric test devices.

Modal and dynamic responses of the human head-neck complex for impact applications

“…However, an interesting phenomenon to be noticed is that displacement contour's more loops come into view in the head at the higher natural frequency modes, in all probability displaying the shearing, twisting or torsional vibration modes in the head-neck complex. It may appears diffuse axonal injury (DAI) induced by rotation because "rotational skull-brain relative replacement exists mostly in the higher natural spectrum modes whereas translation-induced traumatic brain injury (TBI) exists in the lower natural spectrum modes" [24].…”

Comparative finite element analysis of skull mechanical properties following parietal bone graft harvesting in adults

“…FEA is a validated method for the evaluation of the mechanical behavior of the mandible (Vollmer et al, 2000), of the maxilla (Huang et al, 2016), of the zygoma (Schaller et al, 2011) and of the skull (Li et al, 2015;Sahoo et al, 2013Sahoo et al, , 2016Yang et al, 2014). Highly refined models provide more reliable simulations and accurate analyses.…”

“…The finite element analysis (FEA) offers a costeffective alternative to experimental testing through numerical simulations in a virtual environment. Many authors have reported the validity of FEA, particularly when investigating biomechanical simulations of traumatic craniofacial injuries (Sahoo et al, 2016;Vollmer et al, 2000;Yang et al, 2014) The primary aim of our study was to evaluate the changes in the mechanical strength of the human skull following parietal bone harvesting, using an FEA. The secondary aim was to compare the effect of outer and inner layer harvesting.…”

Biomechanical assessment of brain dynamic responses due to blast-induced wave propagation

“…All of the material properties for the main head-helmet model were assumed to behave as linearly elastic, and isotropic except the helmet which was anisotropic [31]. The helmet was designed to have higher strength and stiffness along the surface contour and normal to it, primarily to stop projectiles effectively.…”