Laboratory Reconstructions of Bicycle Helmet Damage: Investigation of Cyclist Head Impacts Using Oblique Impacts and Com
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Annals of Biomedical Engineering ( 2020) https://doi.org/10.1007/s10439-020-02620-y
Original Article
Laboratory Reconstructions of Bicycle Helmet Damage: Investigation of Cyclist Head Impacts Using Oblique Impacts and Computed Tomography MEGAN L. BLAND ,1 CRAIG MCNALLY,1 JESSICA B. CICCHINO,2 DAVID S. ZUBY,2 BECKY C. MUELLER,2 MELISSA L. MCCARTHY,3 CRAIG D. NEWGARD,4 PAIGE E. KULIE,5 BRITTANY N. ARNOLD,4 and STEVEN ROWSON1 1
Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics, Virginia Tech, 343 Kelly Hall, 325 Stanger Street, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA; 2Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 988 Dairy Road, Ruckersville, VA 22968, USA; 3George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, 950 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20052, USA; 4 Department of Emergency Medicine, Center for Policy and Research in Emergency Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Jackson Park Road, CR-114, Portland, OR 97239, USA; and 5Department of Emergency Medicine, George Washington University Medical Center, 2120 L Street NW, Suite 450, Washington, DC 20037, USA (Received 19 June 2020; accepted 11 September 2020) Associate Editor Joel D Stitzel oversaw the review of this article.
Abstract—Although head injuries are common in cycling, exact conditions associated with cyclist head impacts are difficult to determine. Previous studies have attempted to reverse engineer cyclist head impacts by reconstructing bicycle helmet residual damage, but they have been limited by simplified damage assessment and testing. The present study seeks to enhance knowledge of cyclist head impact conditions by reconstructing helmet damage using advanced impact testing and damage quantification techniques. Damage to 18 helmets from cyclists treated in emergency departments was quantified using computed tomography and reconstructed using oblique impacts. Damage metrics were related to normal and tangential velocities from impact tests as well as peak linear accelerations (PLA) and peak rotational velocities (PRV) using case-specific regression models. Models then allowed original impact conditions and kinematics to be estimated for each case. Helmets were most frequently damaged at the front and sides, often near the rim. Concussion was the most common, non-superficial head injury. Normal velocity and PLA distributions were similar to previous studies, with median values of 3.4 m/s and 102.5 g. Associated tangential velocity and PRV medians were 3.8 m/s and 22.3 rad/s. Results can inform future oblique impact testing conditions, enabling improved helmet evaluation and design.
Address correspondence to Megan L. Bland, Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics, Virginia Tech, 343 Kelly Hall, 325 Stanger Street, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA. Electronic mail: [email protected]
Keywords—Head injury, Concussion, Biomechanics, Oblique impact, Accident reconstruction.
INTRODUCTION Cycling is becoming increasingly popular in the United States, with over 103 million Americans reported to having ridden a bicycle in 2015 (total
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