Head Injury Prediction Methods Based on 6 Degree of Freedom Head Acceleration Measurements during Impact

Abstract

Over four thousand data sets of 6 DOF (degree of freedom) (3 linear + 3 angular) accelerations measured at the head CG (center of gravity) were obtained from 19 college football players who voluntarily participated. Of these impacts, one hundred cases with high angular velocity were selected, and the set of 6 DOF head accelerations was applied to a detailed human head brain FE model. This study predicted the maximum 1st principal strain and CSDM (Cumulative Strain Damage Measure) for each set and found significant correlations between CSDM and a proposed criterion with angular velocity and acceleration of the head CG.