Development of Finite Element Head Injury Model

A comprehensive linear head injury model development program using the finite element technique for constructing the models is presented. A two-dimensional axisymmetrical model and a two-dimensional plane strain model are constructed and analyzed in studies that were preliminary to the development of a fully three-dimensional model. Selection of the appropriate temporal integration operator and the particular isoparametric element formulation employed are examined. A special modification of the isoparametric element is shown to be particularly suited to simulation of the dynamic response of brain matter. Three-dimensional discretizations are generated with automatic mesh generation techniques applied to a conceptualized I-J-K space discretization. Resulting models possess recognizable skull geometry and the importance of this simulation is emphasized.