This study investigated the influence of human head impact on the severity of traumatic brain injury. Simulation of the dynamic impact of a human head was performed using FEM (finite element method) and employing HIC (Head Injury Criterion). The study of traumatic brain injury included impacts with the occiput, temporal, forehead, and parietal part of the head, and the impact velocity at the surface ranged from 1 to 7 m/s. The following characteristics were considered and analyzed in the simulation: duration of the impact, intracranial pressure, HIC, and change in accelerations at the center of gravity of the brain. The computed distribution of pressure values in the brain during an impact confirmed the theory of inertial intracranial brain displacement. The effect of a protective helmet aimed at reducing the severity of traumatic brain injury was investigated, and a method to determine rational helmet parameters was developed. In the case of the protected head, impact acceleration occurred over a longer period of time, which yielded a reduction in the brain load compared to the unprotected head. The developed method allows us to predict the severity of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in the protected/unprotected human head and to provide recommendations for the determination of rational parameters for manufacturing personal protective equipment for the head.
Keywords: FEM; Head injury; Impact severity; Protective helmet.