Search

The motorcyclist is exposed to the risk of falling and impacting ground head-first at a wide range of travellingspeeds – from a speed limit of less than 50km/h on the urban road to the race circuit where speed can reach well above 200km/h. However, motorcycle helmets today are tested at a single and much lower impact speed, i.e. 30km/h. There is a knowledge gap in understanding the dynamics and head impact responses at high travelling speeds due to the limitation of existing laboratory rigs. This study used a finite element head model coupled with a motorcycle helmet model to simulate head-first falls at travelling speed (or tangential velocity at impact) from 0 to 216km/h. The effect of different falling heights (1.6m and 0.25m) and coefficient of frictions (0.20and 0.45) between the helmet outer shell and ground were also examined. The simulation results were analysed together with the analytical model to better comprehend rolling and/or sliding phenomena that are often observedin helmet oblique impacts. Three types of helmet-to-ground interactions are found when the helmet impacts ground from low to high tangential velocities: (1) helmet rolling without slipping; (2) a combination of sliding and rolling; and (3) continuous sliding. The tangential impulse transmitted to the head-helmet system, peak angular head kinematics and brain strain increase almost linearly with the tangential velocity when the helmet rolls but plateaus when the helmet slides. The critical tangential velocity at which the motion transit from the rolling regime to the sliding regime depends on both the falling height and friction coefficient. Typically, for a fall height of 1.63m and a friction coefficient of 0.45, the rolling/sliding transition occurs at a tangential velocity of 10.8m/s (38.9 km/h). Low sliding resistance in helmet design, i.e. by the means of a lower friction coefficient between the helmet outer shell and ground, has shown a higher reduction of brain tissue strain in the sl, QC 20191021

Nowadays crash helmets are tested by dropping a free or unrestrained headform in Europe but a guided or restrained headform in the United States. It remains unclear whether the free fall and the guided fall produce similar impact kinematics that cause head injury. A ?nite element helmet model is developed and compared with experimental tests. The resulting head kinematics from virtual tests are input for a ?nite element head model to compute the brain tissue strain. The guided fall produces higher peak force and linear acceleration than the free fall. Eccentric impact in the free fall test induces angular head motion which directs some of the impact energy into rotational kinetic energy. Consequently, the brain tissue strain in the free fall test is up to 6.3 times more than that in the guided fall. This study recommends a supplemental procedure that records angular head motion in the free fall test., QC 20190802. QC 20191021

QC 20191021