Citation

Harris GF, Yoganandan NA, Schmaltz D, Reinartz J, Pintar FA, Sances A. J. Biomed. Eng. 1993; 15(1): 67-73.

Affiliation

Department of Biomedical Engineering, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1993, Biological Engineering Society, Publisher Butterworth-Heinemann)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

8419685

Abstract

A biomechanical test system has been developed and validated to conduct controlled uniaxial impact experiments of head and facial trauma. The design reduces off-axis accelerations which are not in the direction of impact and allows accurate positioning of test specimens. Impact forces, displacement histories, impulses at impact and spectral responses are compared to free-fall test results at contact velocities representative of facial injuries (2.5, 3.1 and 3.8 m s-1). Models based on the experimental results are developed to reveal stiffness and inertial properties of impact for use in the design of biomechanically protective steering wheels, air bags and other potential impact structures. The results indicate that the system provides a flexible yet controllable method for positioning and testing impact structures reliably.

Language: en