Title: Biomechanical parameters of the brain under blast loads with and without helmets

Authors: Mehdi Salimi Jazi; Asghar Rezaei; Ghodrat Karami; Fardad Azarmi

Addresses: Mechanical Engineering Department, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58108-6050, USA ' Mechanical Engineering Department, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58108-6050, USA ' Mechanical Engineering Department, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58108-6050, USA ' Mechanical Engineering Department, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58108-6050, USA

Abstract: Computational results on biomechanics of brain for a human head model with and without a helmet under the blast loading are presented. The blast propagation is simulated using the hybrid method combining the multi-material arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian finite element formulation and empirical blast load equations. A three dimensional model of a combat helmet is integrated with a validated 50th percentile human head-neck model. The blast-head model interactions are modelled using a penalty-based fluid-structure interaction algorithm. Biomechanical data parameters of the head/brain such as intracranial pressures and maximum shear stress are recorded and compared both with and without a helmet. The results are studied the severity of the blast under different values for the high explosive explosions and the efficiency of the wearing ballistic impact under the blast situation.

Keywords: traumatic brain injury; blast loads; intracranial pressure; combat helmets; biomechanical parameters; biomechanics; human head modelling; simulation; finite element method; FEM; 3D modelling; fluid-structure interaction; shear stress; high explosives; explosions; ballistic impact.

DOI: 10.1504/IJECB.2014.060400

International Journal of Experimental and Computational Biomechanics, 2014 Vol.2 No.3, pp.223 - 244

Received: 02 Jul 2013
Accepted: 22 Sep 2013
Published online: 02 Jul 2014 *

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