Abstract:
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) remains a critical health concern, particularly in the context of automotive safety and sports injuries. Understanding the complex biomechanical responses of the brain to various impact scenarios is essential for developing effective prevention and mitigation strategies. This study focuses on investigating the potential for traumatic brain injuries using a newly developed, geometrically detailed finite element head model (FEHM) within the framework of a simulated injury monitor (SIMon). This next-generation biomechanical model represents a significant advancement in computational head injury research.
The new FEHM is meticulously comprised of several detailed anatomical parts, including the cerebrum, cerebellum, falx, tentorium, a combined pia-arachnoid complex (PAC) with cerebro-spinal fluid (CSF), ventricles, brainstem, and parasagittal blood vessels. The model's topological structure was derived from human computed tomography (CT) scans and then uniformly scaled to represent the mass of a 50th percentile male's brain (1.5 kg), with a total head mass of 4.5 kg. The model's topology was further validated against preliminary data on the average topology derived from Procrustes shape analysis of 59 individuals, ensuring its anatomical accuracy. Material properties for each component were meticulously assigned based on the latest experimental data, reflecting the complex biomechanical behavior of brain tissues. After rigorous validation against existing experimental data for both linear and rotational head kinematics, the SIMon FEHM demonstrated excellent predictive capabilities. The study utilized this biomechanical model to predict various injury metrics, including maximum principal strain and maximum principal stress, under different impact conditions, thereby providing crucial insights into the mechanisms underlying TBI, such as diffuse axonal injury (DAI), contusions, and hematomas. This advanced biomechanical tool is invaluable for assessing TBI risk and developing improved head protection systems.
