Computational Modeling of Helmet Structural Dynamics During Blunt Impacts

A combat helmet is a helmet designed specifically for use during combat. The Advanced Combat Helmet (ACH) was developed to be the next generation of protective combat helmets for use by the United States Army. The ACH replaces the former Personnel Armor System for Ground Troops (PASGT) helmet. The ACH has improved design features such as lighter weight, chinstrap retention system, and pad suspension system, with more comfortable fit. It is also design to allow maximum sensory and situational awareness for the operator. The design process for combat helmets can be expensive due to prototype fabrications and physical testing, which can include user-acceptance, retention evaluation, quality assurance, and ballistic and blunt impact performance testing. The physical testing required for both ballistic and blunt impact testing destroys prototype and product line helmets. In order to speed up the design process and reduce the cost associated with prototype fabrications and physical testing, we developed a multi-physics helmeted-head computational model to simulate blunt impacts to a combat helmet. The blunt impact performance of a combat helmet was evaluated using computer model by simulating the structural dynamics of the helmet during and after the impacts. This helmeted-head model is a part of a more extensive computational model to analyze the biomechanics of head injury.