Development of a finite element head model for the study of impact head injury.

Bin Yang,Ning Chen,Long-Bin Tan,Kwong-Ming Tse,Min Hu,Heow-Pueh Lee,Hui-Min Yang,Qing-Qian Zheng,Gang Pan

doi:10.1155/2014/408278

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.

Highlights

Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are a great burden for the society worldwide; for example, in the US, there are about 1.4 million people who sustained TBI each year and estimated one-fifth of the hospitalized persons cannot return to work [1]
Based on the above considerations, the purpose of this study is to develop a more biofidelic finite element (FE) human head model using the geometry directly reconstructed from the medical scan data of a 50th percentile male volunteer
The simulations effects of the FE model to the cadaver experiments on the impact force, intracranial pressure, the maximum von Mises stress in the brain, and the maximum principal stress in the skull will be discussed as follows

Summary

Introduction

Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are a great burden for the society worldwide; for example, in the US, there are about 1.4 million people who sustained TBI each year and estimated one-fifth of the hospitalized persons cannot return to work [1]. In the UK, TBI accounts for 15–20% of deaths between the age of 5 and 35 years [2]. Similar result was shown in studies made in France [3]. Biomechanical study of TBI is still in initial stage [4]. To develop a better understanding of crash-induced injuries required in designing injury countermeasure, several experimental and numerical approaches have been applied [5]. Experimental approaches have been used to replicate collision damage in lab conditions using postmortem human subjects (PMHS) impact devices [6]. Understanding the TBI mechanisms is challenging owing to inherent variation in regard to PMHS material properties and anthropometry

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion