Modeling the Biodynamical Response of the Human Head for Injury Analysis.

摘要

The objective of this study is to develop a finite element model of the human head and neck to investigate the biomechanics of head injury. The finite element model is a two-dimensional, plane strain representation of the cervical spine, skull, and major components of the brain including the cerebrum, cerebellum, brain stem, tentorium and the surrounding cerebral spinal fluid. The dynamic response of the model is validated by comparison with the results of human volunteer sled acceleration experiments conducted by Ewing et al. 10 . To validate the head model, one of the head impact experiments performed on cadavers by Nahum et al. 24, is simulated. The model responses are compared with the measured cadaveric test data in terms of head acceleration, and intracranial pressures measured at four locations including the coup and contrecoup sites. The validated model is used to demonstrate that the Head Injury Criterion (HIC), which is based on resultant translational acceleration of the center of gravity of the head, does not relate to the various mechanisms of brain injury and is therefore insufficient in predicting brain injury.