Abstract
Advances in computational modelling now offer an efficient route to developing novel helmet liners that could exceed contemporary materials’ performance. Furthermore, the rise of accessible additive manufacturing presents a viable route to achieving otherwise unobtainable material structures. This study leverages an established finite element-based approach to the optimisation of cellular structures for the loading conditions of a typical helmet impact. A novel elastomeric pre-buckled honeycomb structure is adopted and optimised, the performance of which is baselined relative to vinyl nitrile foam under direct and oblique loading conditions. Results demonstrate that a simplified optimisation strategy is scalable to represent the behaviour of a full helmet. Under oblique impact conditions, the optimised pre-buckled honeycomb liner exceeds the contemporary material performance when considering computed kinematic metrics head and rotational injury criterion, by up to 49.9% and 56.6%. Furthermore, when considering tissue-based severity metrics via finite element simulations of a human brain model, maximum principal strain and cumulative strain density measures are reduced by 14.9% and 66.7% when comparing the new material, to baseline.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.