Abstract
This study evaluates various safety aspects of standardized impacts that cyclists may suffer while wearing a bicycle helmet, by combining a partially validated finite element model of the cranio-cervical region and a newly developed commercial bicycle helmet model. Under EN 1078 standardized impact conditions, the results of simulated impact tests show that the helmet can absorb 40% to 50% of the total impact energy at impact velocities above 4 m/s. Further, based on a relationship between the head injury criterion and the risk of injury from field data, the results of the simulations suggest that minor injuries may occur at impact velocities of 10 km/h, serious injuries at 15 km/h, and severe injuries at 20 km/h. Fatal injuries will likely occur at impact velocities of 30 km/h and higher.
Highlights
The burden of cyclist fatalities is of global scale
Knowing the probability of injury based on the Head Injury Criterion (HIC) value. [44] and the relationship between impact velocity and HIC value, the relationship between the impact velocity and probability of injury can be derived
This paper has emphasized on the analysis of head injuries that can happen while wearing a bicycle helmet and the effect that the helmet has in absorbing the impact energy
Summary
The burden of cyclist fatalities is of global scale. In 2016, over 2000 cyclists died in the EU [1], 840 in the US [2], and more than 2500 in India [3]. Hospital data recorded in the European Union show that the most common cycling injuries are related to the head (25% of injuries), upper extremities, and lower extremities [1]. Head-related injuries were found to be important on all major forms of transportation. Helmets are the safety equipment most frequently worn by cyclists. Helmet use is experiencing a growth [4] due to new legislative regulations [5] and an increased awareness on their effectiveness
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