Blast Response Characteristics for an Instrumented Helmet on a Skull-Brain Surrogate

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew Ford ◽  
Kirth Simmonds ◽  
David Horner ◽  
John Gauvin ◽  
Amit Bagchi
Keyword(s):  
Traumatic Brain Injury ◽  
Brain Injury ◽  
High Velocity ◽  
Selection Process ◽  
Impact Response ◽  
Military Operations ◽  
Ballistic Impacts ◽  
Response Characteristics ◽  
Us Military ◽  
Blast Response

In current US Military operations, warfighters are frequently subjected to blast events, which can lead to traumatic brain injury (TBI). In response to this recent and increasingly prevalent threat, helmet systems must protect the head against high velocity, short duration overpressures in addition to blunt and ballistic impacts. Understanding the blast impact response characteristics of helmet systems may improve the design and selection process for headborne equipment and contribute to reducing blast-related brain injury.

Surrogate Skull-Brain Response to a Pressure Wave

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew Ford ◽  
Amit Bagchi ◽  
Kirth Simmonds ◽  
John Gauvin ◽  
Peter Matic
Keyword(s):  
Traumatic Brain Injury ◽  
Brain Injury ◽  
Pressure Wave ◽  
Medical Community ◽  
Military Operations ◽  
Brain Response ◽  
Us Military ◽  
Injury Mechanisms ◽  
Physiological Symptoms ◽  
The Brain

In current US Military operations, warfighters are frequently subjected to blast events, which can lead to traumatic brain injury (TBI). The causes of mild and moderate TBI are not yet well understood by the medical community, and current diagnoses rely on identifying behavioral or physiological symptoms. Characterizing the brain response to various threats should provide a better understanding of possible injury mechanisms, and this knowledge could be applied to equipment design for prevention of TBI.

Screening for mild traumatic brain injury in OEF-OIF deployed US military: An empirical assessment of VHA's experience

Brain Injury ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 125-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann M. Hendricks ◽  
Jomana Amara ◽  
Errol Baker ◽  
Martin P. Charns ◽  
John A. Gardner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Traumatic Brain Injury ◽  
Brain Injury ◽  
Mild Traumatic Brain Injury ◽  
Empirical Assessment ◽  
Us Military

Experimental and computational investigations of the potential improvement in helmet blast-protection through the use of a polyurea-based external coating

2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Grujicic ◽  
S. Ramaswami ◽  
J. S. Snipes ◽  
R. Yavari ◽  
P. Dudt
Keyword(s):  
Traumatic Brain Injury ◽  
Brain Injury ◽  
Computational Study ◽  
Element Analysis ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Ballistic Impacts ◽  
Blast Protection ◽  
Protection Efficacy ◽  
Potential Improvement ◽  
External Coating

Purpose – The design of the Advanced Combat Helmet (ACH) currently in use was optimized by its designers in order to attain maximum protection against ballistic impacts (fragments, shrapnel, etc.) and hard-surface/head collisions. Since traumatic brain injury experienced by a significant fraction of the soldiers returning from the recent conflicts is associated with their exposure to blast, the ACH should be redesigned in order to provide the necessary level of protection against blast loads. The paper aims to discuss this issue. Design/methodology/approach – In the present work, an augmentation of the ACH for improved blast protection is considered. This augmentation includes the use of a polyurea (a nano-segregated elastomeric copolymer) based ACH external coating. To demonstrate the efficacy of this approach, blast experiments are carried out on instrumented head-mannequins (without protection, protected using a standard ACH, and protected using an ACH augmented by a polyurea explosive-resistant coating (ERC)). These experimental efforts are complemented with the appropriate combined Eulerian/Lagrangian transient non-linear dynamics computational fluid/solid interaction finite-element analysis. Findings – The results obtained clearly demonstrated that the use of an ERC on an ACH affects (generally in a beneficial way) head-mannequin dynamic loading and kinematic response as quantified by the intracranial pressure, impulse, acceleration and jolt. Originality/value – To the authors’ knowledge, the present work is the first reported combined experimental/computational study of the blast-protection efficacy and the mild traumatic brain-injury mitigation potential of polyurea when used as an external coating on a helmet.

scholarly journals Prospectively Assessed Clinical Outcomes in Concussive Blast vs Nonblast Traumatic Brain Injury Among Evacuated US Military Personnel

2014 ◽  
Vol 71 (8) ◽  
pp. 994 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine L. Mac Donald ◽  
Ann M. Johnson ◽  
Linda Wierzechowski ◽  
Elizabeth Kassner ◽  
Theresa Stewart ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Traumatic Brain Injury ◽  
Brain Injury ◽  
Clinical Outcomes ◽  
Military Personnel ◽  
Us Military

scholarly journals Classification of Brain Injury Pathophysiology With GFAP and UCH-L1

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Rafter ◽  
Zhuliu Li ◽  
Tory Schaaf ◽  
Kristen Gault ◽  
Maxwell Thorpe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Traumatic Brain Injury ◽  
Brain Injury ◽  
High Velocity ◽  
Brain Injuries ◽  
Radiographic Finding ◽  
Serum Marker ◽  
Serum Markers ◽  
Oxygen Deprivation ◽  
Serum Biomarkers

AbstractBrain injury is pathophysiologically diverse, with many cases presenting with mixed pathologies. Utilizing serum biomarkers to investigate the pathophysiology of injury would help to aid in understanding prognosis and targeting therapeutics. One goal of the study is to develop a traumatic brain injury classification scheme based on two serum biomarkers glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and ubiquitin carboxy-terminal L1 (UCH-L1). GFAP and UCH-L1 serum marker analysis was performed on patients with isolated traumatic brain injury or healthy, uninjured controls within 32 hours of hospital admission. Machine learning was utilized for classification of brain injury and to develop a novel algorithm capable of classifying the type of brain injury based on GFAP and UCH-L1 concentrations. Each patient’s brain injury was classified using standard clinical and radiographic assessments and stratified into one of four trauma groups: trauma, spontaneous hemorrhage, oxygen deprivation, or a high-velocity trauma with negative radiographic finding. Analysis of prospectively collected serum for GFAP and UCH-L1 was performed on 61 patients and 39 controls. The subjects with trauma, spontaneous hemorrhages and oxygen deprivation could be distinguished from controls with AUC = 1.00. Combination of GFAP and UCH-L1 concentrations distinguished the high-velocity injuries that were negative for radiographic indicators (CT-negative) from controls with AUC of 0.93. Serum biomarker profiles were found to accurately predict etiology across four distinct brain injuries, including CT-negative. Serum markers GFAP and UCHL1 may be helpful for classifying the nature of brain injury, which will aid with prognostication and development of therapeutics.

scholarly journals National Guidelines for Cognitive Assessment and Rehabilitation of Iranian Traumatic Brain Injury Patients

2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (12) ◽  
pp. 813-820
Author(s):  
Heshmatollah Ghawami ◽  
Seyed Behnam Jazayeri ◽  
Azad Sabeti Nowsud ◽  
Mahdi Sharif-Alhoseini ◽  
Armin Shirvani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Traumatic Brain Injury ◽  
Brain Injury ◽  
Cognitive Assessment ◽  
Cognitive Rehabilitation ◽  
Selection Process ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Rehabilitation Service ◽  
Final Decision ◽  
National Guidelines ◽  
Clinical Scenarios

Background: Individuals with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) often have prolonged cognitive impairments, resulting in long-term problems with their real-life activities. Given the urgent need for evidence-based recommendations for neuropsychological management of Iranian TBI patients, the current work aimed to adapt eligible international guidelines for cognitive assessment and rehabilitation of the TBI patients in Iran. Methods: The project was led by an executive committee, under the supervision of the Iranian Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MOHME). Following a systematic literature search and selection process, four guidelines were included for adaptation. Clinical recommendations of the source guidelines were tabulated as possible clinical scenarios for 90 PICO clinical questions covering all relevant phases of care. After summing up the scenarios, our initial list of recommendations was drafted according to the Iranian patients’ conditions. The final decision-making, with the contribution of a national interdisciplinary panel of 37 experts from across the country, was conducted in two rounds using online and offline survey forms (Round 1), and face-to-face and telephone meetings (Round 2). Results: A total of 63 recommendations in six sections were included in the final list of recommendations, among which 24 were considered as key recommendations. In addition, some of the recommendations were identified as fundamental, meaning that proper implementation of the other recommendations is largely dependent on their implementation. Conclusion: Iranian health policy makers and rehabilitation program managers are recommended to address some fundamental issues to provide the necessary infrastructure to set up an efficient cognitive rehabilitation service system.

scholarly journals Ballistic Helmets: Their Design, Materials, and Performance Against Traumatic Brain Injury

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. G. Kulkarni ◽  
X.-L. Gao ◽  
N. V. David ◽  
S. E. Horner ◽  
J. Q. Zheng
Keyword(s):  
Traumatic Brain Injury ◽  
Brain Injury ◽  
Head Injuries ◽  
Constitutive Models ◽  
Night Vision ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Military Operations ◽  
Ballistic Performance ◽  
Design Materials ◽  
And Performance

Protecting a soldier’s head from injury is critical to function and survivability. Traditionally, combat helmets have been utilized to provide protection against shrapnel and ballistic threats, which have reduced head injuries and fatalities. However, home-made bombs or improvised explosive devices (IEDs) have been increasingly used in theatre of operations since the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. Traumatic brain injury (TBI), particularly blast-induced TBI, which is typically not accompanied by external body injuries, is becoming increasingly prevalent among injured soldiers. The response of personal protective equipment, especially combat helmets, to blast events is relatively unknown. There is an urgent need to develop head protection systems with blast protection/ mitigation capabilities in addition to ballistic protection. Modern military operations, ammunitions, and technology driven war tactics require a lightweight headgear that integrates protection mechanisms (against ballistics, blasts, heat, and noise), sensors, night vision devices, and laser range finders into a single system. The current paper provides a comparative study on the design, materials, ballistic and blast performance of the combat helmets used by the U.S. Army based on a comprehensive and critical review of existing studies. Mechanisms of ballistic energy absorption, effects of helmet curvatures on ballistic performance, and performance measures of helmets are discussed. Properties of current helmet materials (including Kevlar® K29 and K129 fibers, and thermoset resins) and future candidate materials for helmets (such as nano-composites, thermoplastic polymers, and carbon fibers) are elaborated. Also, experimental and computational studies on blast-induced TBI are examined, and constitutive models developed for brain tissues are reviewed. Finally, the effectiveness of current combat helmets against TBI is analyzed along with possible avenues for future research.

Families of veterans with traumatic brain injury in Australia and the United States: implications for rehabilitation counselors

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Charles Edmund Degeneffe
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Traumatic Brain Injury ◽  
Brain Injury ◽  
World War I ◽  
The United States ◽  
Shared Responsibility ◽  
Rehabilitation Counselors ◽  
Military Operations ◽  
Rehabilitation Counselor ◽  
The Military

Abstract Starting with World War I, Australia and the United States have been allies in military operations. Since then, both countries have been challenged by meeting the needs of military personnel incurring traumatic brain injury (TBI), especially during recent operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. TBI impacts all members of the veteran’s family. This paper articulates the shared responsibility both countries assume in meeting the support needs faced by families of military veterans with TBI and how TBI in the military is different than in the civilian population. The paper describes how both countries differently address the needs of family caregivers of veterans with TBI and outlines areas for rehabilitation counselor collaborations in research and training.

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