A Biomechanical Evaluation of Skull–Brain Surrogates to Blunt High-Rate Impacts to Postmortem Human Subjects
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David E. Raymond [2] ; Cynthia A. Bir [1]
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[1] University of Southern California
University of Southern California
Estados Unidos
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[2] California State University Department of Mechanical Engineering 5151 State University Drive Los Angeles
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- Localización: Journal of forensic sciences, ISSN-e 1556-4029, ISSN 0022-1198, Vol. 60, Nº. 2, 2015, págs. 370-373
- Idioma: inglés
- Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
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Resumen
The field of forensic injury biomechanics is an emerging field. Biomechanically validated tools may assist interdisciplinary teams of investigators in assessing mechanisms of blunt head trauma resulting in skull fractures. The objective of this study is to assess the bio- fidelity of spherical, frangible skull–brain (SB) surrogates. Blunt impacts were conducted at 20 m/s, using an instrumented 103 g rigid impactor, to the temporo-parietal region of four defleshed cephalic postmortem human subjects (PMHS). Force–deformation response, fracture tolerance, and fracture patterns were recorded for comparison to spherical skull– brain surrogates. Three brain substitutes were assessed: 10% gelatin, lead shot with Styrofoam and water. Force–deformation response of the skull–brain surrogates was similar to defleshed PMHS up to the point of fracture; however, none of the surrogates fractured at tolerance levels comparable to the PMHS. Fracture patterns of the skull–brain surrogates were linear and radiating, while PMHS fractures were all depressed, comminuted.
