The CEN/TC158/WG11 is developing a new helmet test that takes into account tangential loading. In order to derive a realistic injury risk induced by tangential loading, realistic boundary conditions are essential. However, the influence of the upper body and neck on rotational loading remains unclear.
The aim of this study is to analyse the effect of the upper body and neck in tangential head impact using three state‐of‐the‐art human body models (GHBM, THUMS, CHARM), covering three anthropometric sizes (10‐year‐old, 5th and 50th percentile) and two postures (standing, crouching).
A thoroughly validated bicycle helmet model was fitted to the human body models (HBMs). The HBMs were propelled at 6.5 m/s against a flat horizontal anvil. The influence of upper body posture, upper body’s compliance and body size was analysed. Simulations were comprehensively evaluated taking into account multiple head injury criteria, contact forces and energy balances.
The data suggest that the contact forces, deformation energy and rotational peak acceleration in isolated head tests are underestimated, while translational accelerations are overestimated. Head velocity change and brain injury criteria (BrIC) are consistent, though. Other head injury criteria in equivalent configurations are different in head‐only and full‐body impacts.