Integrated Assessment of Ballistic Backface Deflections on Combat Helmets and Prediction of Injury Risks

Abstract

The presented study includes experimental investigations on dynamic back face deflection caused by ballistic impact on combat helmets and numerical analysis of the effects to the human head. Comparative tests with the measurement system “Pk17dynA†provide the basis for an integrated assessment of injury risks using numerical head model as it is nowadays accepted in other areas like the automotive. Starting from the contact forces obtained experimentally, the performance of three ballistic helmets is evaluated using the FE head model SUFEHM. The simulation results are used for the estimation of risks related to three different head injury mechanisms applying the model-specific injury risk curves. For each of the helmets, simulations comparing the loading with the highest and lowest total force values of a test series are performed, which leads to the evaluation of the potential in injury risk reduction in the context of dynamic deflection of the tested combat helmets.