Capabilities of helmets for preventing head injuries induced by ballistic impacts

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Balandin, D.V. | Bolotnik, N.N. | Pilkey, W.D.

Affiliations: Research Institute for Applied Mathematics and Cybernetics, Nizhny Novgorod State University 10 Uljanov St., Nizhny Novgorod 603005, Russia | Institute for Problems in Mechanics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 101-1 Prospect Vernadskogo, Moscow 119526, Russia | Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Virginia, 122 Engineer's Way, P.O. Box 400746, Charlottesville, VA 22904-4746, USA

Note: [] Corresponding author. E-mail: wdp@virginia.edu

Abstract: The limiting performance of ballistically loaded helmets designed to reduce head injuries is studied analytically. The projectile does not penetrate the helmet. This analysis evaluates the absolute minimum of the peak displacement of the helmet shell relative to the head, provided that criteria measuring the severity of head injuries lie within prescribed limits. Rather than optimize a specific design configuration, e.g. a viscoelastic foam liner, characteristics of a time-dependent force representing the helmet liner are calculated. The formulation reduces the limiting performance analysis to an optimal control problem.

Keywords: helmets, head injuries, ballistically loaded helmets, limiting performance

Journal: Shock and Vibration, vol. 11, no. 5-6, pp. 547-562, 2004