Human head linear and angular accelerations during impact

Clarke, Thomas D.; Gragg, C. Dee; Sprouffske, James F.; Trout, Edwin M.; Zimmerman, Roger M.; Muzzy, William H.

Affiliations

¹6570th Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory, Holloman Air Force Base

²College of Engineering, New Mexico State University

³Naval Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory

Abstract

Head linear and angular accelerations of humans were investigated during exposure to abrupt linear deceleration (-G_x). The 14 subjects were restrained with three different restraints: lap belt only, Air Force shoulder harness-lap belt and air bag plus lap belt. Peak sled decelerations ranged from 7.7-10.3 g.

The results indicated that peak head angular and linear resultant accelerations were elevated with the air bag in contrast to the Air Force shoulder harness or lap belt only restraints. However, the peak angular and linear accelerations may have less traumatic consequences than the degree of head-neck hyperextension.

Links

DOI: 10.4271/710857

SAE: 710857

Cited Works (3)

Year	Entry
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Cited By (9)

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1992	Hardy WN, King AI. Development of a rigid body kinematics transducer array (RBKTA) and a miniature triaxial neutral density cranial accelerometer (NDA). In: Proceedings of the 2nd Injury Prevention Through Biomechanics Symposium. April 10-11, 1992; Detroit, MI.129-146.
1973	Melvin JW, McElhaney JH, Roberts VL. Evaluation of dummy neck performance. In: King WF, Mertz HJ, eds. Human Impact Response: Measurement and Simulation. Proceedings of the Symposium on Human Impact Response held at the General Motors Research Laboratorie; October 2-3, 1972; Warren, MI. New York, NY: Plenum Press; 1973:247-261.
1983	Nygren Å. Injuries to car occupants: some aspects of the interior safety of cars: a study of a five-year material from an insurance company. Acta Oto-Laryngol. 1983;95(suppl 395):1-135.
1975	Becker E, Willems G. An experimentally validated 3-d inertial tracking package for application in biodynamic research. In: Proceedings of the 19th Stapp Car Crash Conference. November 17-19, 1975; San Diego, CA. Warrendale, PA: Society of Automotive Engineers:899-930. SAE 751173.
2003	Rouhana SW, Bedewi PG, Kankanala SV, Prasad P, Zwolinski JJ, Meduvsky AG, Rupp JD, Jeffreys TA, Schneider LW. Biomechanics of 4-point seat belt systems in frontal impacts. Stapp Car Crash J. 2003;47:367-399. SAE 2003-22-0017.
2006	Kimpara H, Nakahira Y, Iwamoto M, Miki K, Ichihara K, Kawano S-i, Taguchi T. Investigation of anteroposterior head-neck responses during severe frontal impacts using a brain-spinal cord complex FE model. Stapp Car Crash J. 2006;50:509-544. SAE 2006-22-0019.
1978	Huelke DF, Mendelsohn RA, States JD, Melvin JW. Cervical fractures and fracture-dislocations sustained without head impact. J Trauma. 1978;18(7):533-538.
1993	Nightingale RW. The Dynamics of Head and Cervical Spine Impact [PhD thesis]. Duke University; 1993.
1983	Morrison WE. Calibration and Utilization of an Instrumented Football Helmet for the Monitoring of Impact Accelerations [PhD thesis]. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania; March 1983.