A new oblique impact test for motorcycle helmets

Halldin, P.; Gilchrist, A.; Mills, N. J.

Affiliations

¹Division of Neuronical Engineering, Department of Aeronautics, Royal Institute of Technology, S- 100 44, Stockholm, Sweden

²School of Metallurgy and Materials, University of Birmingham, UK

Abstract

A new oblique impact test for motorcycle helmets is described, simulating a fall from a motorcycle on to the road surface or the windshield of a car. An instrumented headform falls vertically to impact a horizontally moving rigid rough or deformable surface. Both the impact site on the helmet, and the vertical and horizontal velocities, can be varied, while the headform linear and rotational accelerations are measured. The rig was used to compare a new helmet design with current helmets, which are designed to pass impact tests in which the impact force is perpendicular to the helmet surface. The new design, which has a low friction layer between the shell and the liner, reduced, by up to 50%, the rotational acceleration of the head compared with conventional designs.

Links

DOI: 10.1533/cras.2001.0162

WoS: 000168280000005

History

Received: 2000-10-31

Revised: 2000-12-15

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Cited By (16)

Year	Entry
2015	Newman JA. Design and testing of sports helmets: biomechanical and practical considerations. In: Yoganandan N, Nahum AM, Melvin JW, eds. Accidental Injury: Biomechanics and Prevention. 3rd ed. New York: Springer; 2015:755-768.
2015	Whyte T, Gibson T, Brown J, Milthorpe B, Eager D. Mechanisms of head and neck injuries sustained by helmeted motorcyclists in NSW, Australia. In: Proceedings of the 24th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). June 8-11, 2015; Gothenburg, Sweden.
2003	Mills NJ, Gilchrist A. Reassessing bicycle helmet impact protection. In: Proceedings of the 2003 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Impact. September 25, 2003; Lisbon, Portugal.15-26.
2005	Newman JA. The biomechanics of head trauma and the development of the modern helmet: how far have we really come? In: Proceedings of the 2005 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Impact. September 21-23, 2005; Prague, Czech Republic.3-12.
2013	Milne G, Deck C, Bourdet N, Alline Q, Gallego A, Carreira RP, Willinger R. Assessment of bicyclist head injury risk under tangential impact conditions. In: Proceedings of the 2013 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Injury. September 11-13, 2013; Gothenburg, Sweden.735-746.
2015	Bourdet N, Willinger R. Head impact conditions in case of equestrian accident. In: Proceedings of the 2015 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Injury. September 9-11, 2015; Lyon, France.156-167.
2017	Deck C, Bourdet N, Halldin P, DeBruyne G, Willinger R. Protection capability of bicycle helmets under oblique impact assessed with two separate brain FE models. In: Proceedings of the 2017 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Injury. September 13-15, 2017; Antwerp, Belgium.190-200.
2024	Bourdet N, Deck C, Meyer F, Willinger R. Comparative evaluation of motorcycle helmets complying to R22-06 with helmets complying to R22-05 based on Certimoov methodology. In: Proceedings of the 2024 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Injury. September 11-13, 2024; Stockholm, Sweden.449-459.
2014	Newman JA. The road to understanding head protection: detours, potholes and speed bumps along the way. Stapp Car Crash J. November 2014;58:vii-ix.
2011	Forero Rueda MA, Cuia L, Gilchrist MD. Finite element modelling of equestrian helmet impacts exposes the need to address rotational kinematics in future helmet designs. Comput Methods Biomech Biomed Eng. December 2011;14(12):1021-1031.
2019	Meng S. Towards Improved Motorcycle Helmet Test Methods for Head Impact Protection: Using Experimental and Numerical Methods [PhD thesis]. Huddinge, Sweden: KTH Royal Institute of Technology; 2019.
2011	Nelson TS. Towards a Neck Injury Prevention Helmet for Head-First Impacts: A Mechanical Investigation [PhD thesis]. Vancouver, BC: University of British Columbia; December 2011.
2017	Stuart CA. Snow Sport Head Injury: Characterization of Clinical Presentation and Design of a Relevant Head Impact Apparatus [Master's thesis]. Vancouver, BC: University of British Columbia; April 2017.
2023	Juste Lorente Ó. Guidelines for Improving Motorcycle Helmet Testing Standards [PhD thesis]. Universidad de Zaragoza; February 2023.
2018	Adanty K. A Comparison Between Two Oblique Test Protocols for Cycling Helmets [Master's thesis]. University of Ottawa; 2018.
2021	Harlos A. Quantifying the Characteristics of Real-World Bicycle Helmet Impacts [Master's thesis]. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; April 22, 2021.