A Computationally Efficient Computer-Aided Design Strategy for Iterative Combat Helmet Design and Analysis

Abstract

Assessing combat helmet ballistic performance is a costly endeavor using either an experimental or a computational process. Experimental assessment requires many iterations and helmets to acquire a sufficient data set. To circumvent this, computational simulation is incorporated into the design process to supplement a few experiments. However, due to the complex constitutive response of the helmet (anisotropic elasticity, plasticity, damage initiation and evolution, and failure), it is computationally costly to run many ballistic impact simulations. The goal of this work is to develop a computer-aided design (cad) software to rapidly analyze combat helmets undergoing a ballistic impact. The software considers a representative mix of potential threats, helmet geometry modifications and additions, brain functional anatomy, and injury considerations. The resulting software demonstrates that a given helmet can be analyzed in a matter of minutes on a standard desktop computer and parametric studies can be completed in a matter of hours. The results of the cad software show how helmet design parameters such as helmet shell materials, geometry, and ceramic appliques all affect helmet ballistic performance.