Abstract:
Finite element analysis using finite element models (FEM) serves as a crucial substitute for human experimental head injury studies, particularly in predicting automotive collision outcomes and enhancing the understanding of injury mechanisms and prevention strategies in biomechanics. While extensive adult head FEMs exist, there remains a comparative scarcity of pediatric FEMs due to insufficient material property data for children, especially for twelve-month-old (12MO) child dummy models. Child head injury poses a significant and costly problem, being a leading cause of death and disability globally for children under 18. The study of pediatric head injury is often hampered by the limited availability of pediatric post-mortem human specimen (PMHS) data, thus necessitating the development of anthropometric test devices (ATDs) and FEMs as substitutes. This paper addresses this gap by presenting the biomechanical development and rigorous validation of a 12MO finite element dummy head model, with simulated results meticulously compared against child cadaver experimental data from frontal/forehead drop condition tests. The model was constructed using both deformable and rigid body materials , with anthropometric data sourced from published literature focusing on 12MO head dimensions. Leveraging recently published material property data for infant skull, skin, and scalp, the FE model was developed to accurately study head responses under drop tests. The validation included a frontal head drop test simulation at a 130 mm height, directly compared with experimental cadaver data to ensure biofidelity. This biomechanically validated model demonstrates good biofidelic behavior in most dynamic responses and is extremely valuable for investigating the morphology and age effects on pediatric head injuries, ultimately providing insights for effective injury prevention. The findings underscore the potential of such computational models to advance pediatric crash safety research where cadaver testing is limited.
