The structural integrity of skull bones is significant as it provides protection to the intracranial contents. The Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) center database shows that about 72% of TBI admissions had skull fractures (2002). Despite the rate of occurrence and implication of skull fractures, the research on skull fracture prediction is insufficient. The aims of this study included determination of skull bone mechanical properties, validation of finite element model (FEM) for skull fracture study and response comparison of original and changed skull thickness during frontal and lateral impacts. In this study, second version of the Wayne State University Head Injury Model was used, which was developed using finite element solver PAM-CRASH. CT image segmentation program MIMICS was used to analyze CT scan slices of skulls and measure thickness at different regions of the skull in an effort to provide more realistic model conditions. In order to simulate skull fractures, three layered skull bone was defined as elastic-plastic damage and failure material model with the equivalent plastic strain as a failure criterion for element elimination.

Results demonstrated validation of FEM against experimental study results. The thin bone required less fracture force and generated higher strain. Responses of frontal and lateral impacts were supported by experimental findings showing the frontal bone required more force to fracture than the temporal bone. The prediction of skull fractures using validated FEM has application to many areas including:​ sports biomechanics, ballistic impacts in military and occupant safety research. The integration of skull fracture and brain injury FEM can be a great tool to explore both closed and open head injuries. This study should be considered as a base for future detailed finite element studies to examine the role of important factors accountable for fracture occurrence.