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Citation |
Sarvghad-Moghaddam H, Rezaei A, Ziejewski M, Karami G. Int. J. Numer. Method. Biomed. Eng. 2016; ePub(ePub): ePub. |
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Affiliation |
Department of Mechanical Engineering, North Dakota State University Fargo, ND, 58108-6050, USA. |
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Copyright |
(Copyright © 2016, John Wiley and Sons) |
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DOI |
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PMID |
26968860 |
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Abstract |
Head protective tools such as helmets and faceshields can induce a localized high pressure region on the skull due to the underwash of the blast waves. Whether this underwash overpressure can affect the brain tissue response is still unknown. Accordingly, a computational approach was taken to confirm the incidence of underwash with regards to blast direction, as well as examine the influence of this effect on the mechanical responses of the brain. The variation of intracranial pressure (ICP) as one of the major injury predictors, as well as the maximum shear stress were mainly addressed in this study. Using a nonlinear finite element (FE) approach, generation and interaction of blast waves with the unprotected, helmeted, and fully-protected (helmet and faceshield protected) FE head models were modeled using a multi-material arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) method and a fluid-structure interaction (FSI) coupling algorithm. The underwash incidence overpressure was found to greatly change with the blast direction. Moreover, while underwash induced ICP (U-ICP) didn't exceed the peak ICP of the unprotected head, it was comparable and even more than the peak ICP imposed on the protected heads by the primary shockwaves (Coup-ICP). It was concluded that while both helmet and faceshield protected the head against blast waves, the underwash overpressure affected the brain tissue response and altered the dynamic load experienced by the brain as it led to increased ICP levels at the countercoup site, imparted elevated skull flexure, and induced high negative pressure regions. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. Language: en |