Finite element simulations investigating the role of the helmet in reducing head injuries

Head injuries in motor vehicle crashes have high significance due to their fatal effects on the nervous system of passengers and pedestrians. In this study, using models of motorcyclists' helmet and the human head, two cases of head impact with a rigid surface are simulated by Finite Element Analysis; first, the impact of the head protected by the helmet and then, that of the unprotected head. In each simulation, impact parameters such as HIC, mass center velocity of the head, and pressures produced in the brain are calculated and corresponding parameters are compared with each other, which quantitatively represents the influence of the helmet on reduction of injuries to the head. Comparison of the results obtained in this study with those of previous researches indicates that if an appropriate finite element model is developed and used, FEM will lead to acceptable results in head impact simulations.