Helmet Design Based on the Optimization of Biocomposite Energy-Absorbing Liners under Multi-Impact Loading
Cellular materials have been used in many applications such as insulation, packaging, and protective gear. Expanded polystyrene has been widely used as energy-absorbing liner in helmets due to its excellent cost-benefit relation. This synthetic material can absorb reasonable amounts of energy via pe...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2019-02-01
|
| Series: | Applied Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/9/4/735 |
| _version_ | 1818008042874077184 |
|---|---|
| author | Fábio A. O. Fernandes Ricardo J. Alves de Sousa Mariusz Ptak Gonçalo Migueis |
| author_facet | Fábio A. O. Fernandes Ricardo J. Alves de Sousa Mariusz Ptak Gonçalo Migueis |
| author_sort | Fábio A. O. Fernandes |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Cellular materials have been used in many applications such as insulation, packaging, and protective gear. Expanded polystyrene has been widely used as energy-absorbing liner in helmets due to its excellent cost-benefit relation. This synthetic material can absorb reasonable amounts of energy via permanent deformation. However, in real-world accidents, helmets may be subjected to multi-impact scenarios. Additionally, oil-derived plastic is presently a major source of societal concern regarding pollution and waste. As a sustainable alternative, cork is a natural cellular material with great crashworthiness properties and it has the remarkable capacity to recover after compression, due to its viscoelastic behavior, which is a desired characteristic in multi-impact applications. Therefore, the main goal is to analyze the applicability of agglomerated cork as padding material in safety helmets. First, a finite element model of a motorcycle helmet available on the market was developed to assess its safety performance and to establish a direct comparison between expanded polystyrene and cork agglomerates as liners. Secondly, a new helmet model with a generic geometry was developed to assess the applicability of agglomerated cork as liner for different types of helmets, based on the head injury risk predictions by the finite element head model, YEt Another Head Model (YEAHM), developed by the authors. Several versions of helmet liners were created by varying its thickness and removing sections of material. In other words, this generic helmet was optimized by carrying out a parametric study, and by comparing its performance under double impacts. The results from these tests indicate that agglomerated cork liners are an excellent alternative to the synthetic ones. Thus, agglomerated cork can be employed in protective gear, improving its overall performance and capacity to withstand multi-impacts. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T05:23:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e9b831e53a8440d597279be808074473 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3417 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T05:23:56Z |
| publishDate | 2019-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Applied Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-e9b831e53a8440d597279be8080744732022-12-22T02:10:05ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172019-02-019473510.3390/app9040735app9040735Helmet Design Based on the Optimization of Biocomposite Energy-Absorbing Liners under Multi-Impact LoadingFábio A. O. Fernandes0Ricardo J. Alves de Sousa1Mariusz Ptak2Gonçalo Migueis3TEMA—Centre for Mechanical Technology and Automation, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, PortugalTEMA—Centre for Mechanical Technology and Automation, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, PortugalDepartment of Machine Design and Research, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Lukasiewicza 7/9, 50-371 Wroclaw, PolandTEMA—Centre for Mechanical Technology and Automation, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, PortugalCellular materials have been used in many applications such as insulation, packaging, and protective gear. Expanded polystyrene has been widely used as energy-absorbing liner in helmets due to its excellent cost-benefit relation. This synthetic material can absorb reasonable amounts of energy via permanent deformation. However, in real-world accidents, helmets may be subjected to multi-impact scenarios. Additionally, oil-derived plastic is presently a major source of societal concern regarding pollution and waste. As a sustainable alternative, cork is a natural cellular material with great crashworthiness properties and it has the remarkable capacity to recover after compression, due to its viscoelastic behavior, which is a desired characteristic in multi-impact applications. Therefore, the main goal is to analyze the applicability of agglomerated cork as padding material in safety helmets. First, a finite element model of a motorcycle helmet available on the market was developed to assess its safety performance and to establish a direct comparison between expanded polystyrene and cork agglomerates as liners. Secondly, a new helmet model with a generic geometry was developed to assess the applicability of agglomerated cork as liner for different types of helmets, based on the head injury risk predictions by the finite element head model, YEt Another Head Model (YEAHM), developed by the authors. Several versions of helmet liners were created by varying its thickness and removing sections of material. In other words, this generic helmet was optimized by carrying out a parametric study, and by comparing its performance under double impacts. The results from these tests indicate that agglomerated cork liners are an excellent alternative to the synthetic ones. Thus, agglomerated cork can be employed in protective gear, improving its overall performance and capacity to withstand multi-impacts.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/9/4/735agglomerated corkhelmetsfinite element head modelbrain injurieshead traumacellular materialsprotective devicespassive safetytraumatic brain injurysustainable solutions |
| spellingShingle | Fábio A. O. Fernandes Ricardo J. Alves de Sousa Mariusz Ptak Gonçalo Migueis Helmet Design Based on the Optimization of Biocomposite Energy-Absorbing Liners under Multi-Impact Loading Applied Sciences agglomerated cork helmets finite element head model brain injuries head trauma cellular materials protective devices passive safety traumatic brain injury sustainable solutions |
| title | Helmet Design Based on the Optimization of Biocomposite Energy-Absorbing Liners under Multi-Impact Loading |
| title_full | Helmet Design Based on the Optimization of Biocomposite Energy-Absorbing Liners under Multi-Impact Loading |
| title_fullStr | Helmet Design Based on the Optimization of Biocomposite Energy-Absorbing Liners under Multi-Impact Loading |
| title_full_unstemmed | Helmet Design Based on the Optimization of Biocomposite Energy-Absorbing Liners under Multi-Impact Loading |
| title_short | Helmet Design Based on the Optimization of Biocomposite Energy-Absorbing Liners under Multi-Impact Loading |
| title_sort | helmet design based on the optimization of biocomposite energy absorbing liners under multi impact loading |
| topic | agglomerated cork helmets finite element head model brain injuries head trauma cellular materials protective devices passive safety traumatic brain injury sustainable solutions |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/9/4/735 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT fabioaofernandes helmetdesignbasedontheoptimizationofbiocompositeenergyabsorbinglinersundermultiimpactloading AT ricardojalvesdesousa helmetdesignbasedontheoptimizationofbiocompositeenergyabsorbinglinersundermultiimpactloading AT mariuszptak helmetdesignbasedontheoptimizationofbiocompositeenergyabsorbinglinersundermultiimpactloading AT goncalomigueis helmetdesignbasedontheoptimizationofbiocompositeenergyabsorbinglinersundermultiimpactloading |