Addressing Uncertainty in Constitutive Model Forms and Parameters for FE Models of the Human Head Subjected to Blast Loading

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick Brewick ◽  
Kirubel Teferra
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Data ◽  
Constitutive Model ◽  
Material Properties ◽  
Mechanical Response ◽  
Blast Loading ◽  
Human Head ◽  
Biological Tissues ◽  
Threshold Values ◽  
Injury Response ◽  
The Brain

This work lies within an overall effort to improve, as well as quantify, the uncertainty of traumatic brain injury (TBI) prediction for blast loading. Detailed finite element (FE) modeling of the human head currently provides the only viable means to quantify the mechanical response within the brain during a blast loading event. Unfortunately, the exact linkages between loading patterns, tissue mechanical response, and injury/physiological effects are still quite unknown; however, the exceedance of specified threshold values based on direct and derived measures of stress, strain, pressure, and acceleration within the brain have been shown to be useful injury criteria. The utility of these threshold values is somewhat mitigated by the fact that preliminary parametric studies focusing on varying head morphology and the material properties of FE head model components have shown significant variation in the predicted injury response, indicating that the exact relationship between model geometry, material properties, and mechanics-based injury response metrics has not yet been established. Identifying an appropriate constitutive model form and optimal parameter values for biological tissues is an enormous challenge hindered by large epistemic uncertainties. Available experimental data sets frequently offer valuable but limited information due to the many vagaries associated with the testing of biomaterials, such as testing on different species, e.g., porcine and bovine specimens, testing with inapplicable strain rates, and having too little data. The parameters of hyperelastic, hyper-viscoelastic, and viscoelastic constitutive models, which are commonly utilized for modeling these biological tissues, can be fit to an aggregation of experimental data through a constrained optimization formulation. Specifically, this study considers fitting data from biomaterials to Ogden’s model of hyperelasticity. The goodness of fit of the optimization is limited by the appropriateness of the model forms as well as limited, and at times contradictory, data. In order to properly account for these uncertainties, a Bayesian approach is adopted for model calibration and posterior distributions are therefore produced for each model parameter.

scholarly journals The Strain Rates in the Brain, Brainstem, Dura, and Skull under Dynamic Loadings

2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Hosseini-Farid ◽  
MaryamSadat Amiri-Tehrani-Zadeh ◽  
Mohammadreza Ramzanpour ◽  
Mariusz Ziejewski ◽  
Ghodrat Karami
Keyword(s):  
Dura Mater ◽  
Material Properties ◽  
Brain Injuries ◽  
Human Head ◽  
Biological Tissues ◽  
Cranial Bone ◽  
Head Model ◽  
Strain Rates ◽  
Head Acceleration ◽  
The Brain

Knowing the precise material properties of intracranial head organs is crucial for studying the biomechanics of head injury. It has been shown that these biological tissues are significantly rate-dependent; hence, their material properties should be determined with respect to the range of deformation rate they experience. In this paper, a validated finite element human head model is used to investigate the biomechanics of the head in impact and blast, leading to traumatic brain injuries (TBI). We simulate the head under various directions and velocities of impacts, as well as helmeted and unhelmeted head under blast shock waves. It is demonstrated that the strain rates for the brain are in the range of 36 to 241 s−1, approximately 1.9 and 0.86 times the resulting head acceleration under impacts and blast scenarios, respectively. The skull was found to experience a rate in the range of 14 to 182 s−1, approximately 0.7 and 0.43 times the head acceleration corresponding to impact and blast cases. The results of these incident simulations indicate that the strain rates for brainstem and dura mater are respectively in the range of 15 to 338 and 8 to 149 s−1. These findings provide a good insight into characterizing the brain tissue, cranial bone, brainstem and dura mater, and also selecting material properties in advance for computational dynamical studies of the human head.

The Strain Rates of the Brain and Skull Under Dynamic Loading

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Hosseini Farid ◽  
Ashkan Eslaminejad ◽  
Mohammadreza Ramzanpour ◽  
Mariusz Ziejewski ◽  
Ghodrat Karami
Keyword(s):  
Material Properties ◽  
Brain Injuries ◽  
Human Head ◽  
Element Model ◽  
Blast Waves ◽  
Cranial Bone ◽  
Strain Rates ◽  
Head Acceleration ◽  
Blunt Impact ◽  
The Brain

Accurate material properties of the brain and skull are needed to examine the biomechanics of head injury during highly dynamic loads such as blunt impact or blast. In this paper, a validated Finite Element Model (FEM) of a human head is used to study the biomechanics of the head in impact and blast leading to traumatic brain injuries (TBI). We simulate the head under various direction and velocity of impacts, as well as helmeted and un-helmeted head under blast waves. It is shown that the strain rates for the brain at impacts and blast scenarios are usually in the range of 36 to 241 s−1. The skull was found to experience a rate in the range of 14 to 182 s−1 under typical impact and blast cases. Results show for impact incidents the strain rates of brain and skull are approximately 1.9 and 0.7 times of the head acceleration. Also, this ratio of strain rate to head acceleration for the brain and skull was found to be 0.86 and 0.43 under blast loadings. These findings provide a good insight into measuring the brain tissue and cranial bone, and selecting material properties in advance for FEM of TBI.

The Effect of Oxidation on the Mechanical Response of Isolated Elastin and Aorta

2019 ◽  
Vol 141 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Mythravaruni ◽  
Parag Ravindran
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Data ◽  
Constitutive Model ◽  
Hydroxyl Radicals ◽  
Structural Changes ◽  
Mechanical Response ◽  
Uniaxial Extension ◽  
Mixture Theory

Oxidation of aorta by hydroxyl radicals produces structural changes in arterial proteins like elastin and collagen. This in turn results in change in the mechanical response of aorta. In this paper, a thermodynamically consistent constitutive model is developed within the framework of mixture theory, to describe the changes in aorta and isolated elastin with oxidation. The model is then studied under uniaxial extension using experimental data from literature.

Finite Element Implementation of a Planar Soft Tissue Structural Constitutive Model for Heart Valve Simulations

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rong Fan ◽  
Michael S. Sacks
Keyword(s):  
Finite Element ◽  
Constitutive Model ◽  
Soft Tissues ◽  
Structural Model ◽  
Mechanical Response ◽  
Biological Tissues ◽  
Biaxial Test ◽  
Tissue Microstructure ◽  
Highly Nonlinear ◽  
Insight Into

Constitutive modeling is critical for numerical simulation and analysis of soft biological tissues. The highly nonlinear and anisotropic mechanical behaviors of soft tissues are typically due to the interaction of tissue microstructure. By incorporating information of fiber orientation and distribution at tissue microscopic scale, the structural model avoids ambiguities in material characterization. Moreover, structural models produce much more information than just simple stress-strain results, but can provide much insight into how soft tissues internally reorganize to external loads by adjusting their internal microstructure. It is only through simulation of an entire organ system can such information be derived and provide insight into physiological function. However, accurate implementation and rigorous validation of these models remains very limited. In the present study we implemented a structural constitutive model into a commercial finite element package for planar soft tissues. The structural model was applied to simulate strip biaxial test for native bovine pericardium, and a single pulmonary valve leaflet deformation. In addition to prediction of the mechanical response, we demonstrate how a structural model can provide deeper insights into fiber deformation fiber reorientation and fiber recruitment.

Implementation and Validation of Planar Soft Tissue Structural Constitutive Model

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rong Fan ◽  
Michael S. Sacks
Keyword(s):  
Constitutive Model ◽  
Soft Tissues ◽  
Structural Model ◽  
Mechanical Response ◽  
Biological Tissues ◽  
Fetal Membrane ◽  
Tissue Microstructure ◽  
Highly Nonlinear ◽  
Finite Element Package ◽  
Insight Into

Constitutive modeling is of fundamental important for numerical simulation and analysis of soft biological tissues. The mechanical behaviors of soft tissues are usually highly nonlinear and anisotropic. The complex behavior is the results from the interaction of tissue microstructure. By incorporating information of fiber orientation and distribution at tissue microscopic scale, the structural model avoids ambiguities in material characterization. Moreover, structural models produce much more information than just simple stress-strain results, but can provide much insight into how soft tissues internally reorganize to external loads by adjusting their internal microstructure. Moreover, it is only through simulation of an entire organ system can such information be derived and provide insight into physiological function. However, accurate implementation and rigorous validation of these models remains very limited. In the present study we implemented a structural constitutive model into a commercial finite element package. The structural model was verified against experiential test data for native bovine pericardium and fetal membrane. In addition to prediction of the mechanical response, we demonstrate how a structural model can provide deeper insights into fiber reorientation and fiber recruitment.

Computation of Blast-Induced Traumatic Brain Injury

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. S. Chafi ◽  
G. Karami ◽  
M. Ziejewski
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Data ◽  
Wave Propagation ◽  
Blast Wave ◽  
Human Head ◽  
Propagation Model ◽  
Head Model ◽  
Brain Response ◽  
Brain Responses ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Brain

In this paper, an integrated numerical approach is introduced to determine the human brain responses when the head is exposed to blast explosions. The procedure is based on a 3D non-linear finite element method (FEM) that implements a simultaneous conduction of explosive detonation, shock wave propagation, and blast-brain interaction of the confronting human head. Due to the fact that there is no reported experimental data on blast-head interactions, several important checkpoints should be made before trusting the brain responses resulting from the blast modeling. These checkpoints include; a) a validated human head FEM subjected to impact loading; b) a validated air-free blast propagation model; and c) the verified blast waves-solid interactions. The simulations presented in this paper satisfy the above-mentioned requirements and checkpoints. The head model employed here has been validated again impact loadings. In this respect, Chafi et al. [1] have examined the head model against the brain intracranial pressure, and brain’s strains under different impact loadings of cadaveric experimental tests of Hardy et al. [2]. In another report, Chafi et al. [3] has examined the air-blast and blast-object simulations using Arbitrary Lagrangian Eulerian (ALE) multi-material and Fluid-Solid Interaction (FSI) formulations. The predicted results of blast propagation matched very well with those of experimental data proving that this computational solid-fluid algorithm is able to accurately predict the blast wave propagation in the medium and the response of the structure to blast loading. Various aspects of blast wave propagations in air as well as when barriers such as solid walls are encountered have been studied. With the head model included, different scenarios have been assumed to capture an appropriate picture of the brain response at a constant stand-off distance of nearly 80cm (2.62 feet) from the explosion core. The impact of brain response due to severity of the blast under different amounts of the explosive material, TNT (0.0838, 0.205, and 0.5lb) is examined. The accuracy of the modeling can provide the information to design protection facilities for human head for the hostile environments.

Mechanical Response of the Brain Under Blast: The Effect of Blast Direction and the Head Protection

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hesam Sarvghad-Moghaddam ◽  
Asghar Rezaei ◽  
Ashkan Eslaminejad ◽  
Mariusz Ziejewski ◽  
Ghodrat Karami
Keyword(s):  
Brain Injury ◽  
Mechanical Response ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Human Head ◽  
Blast Waves ◽  
Arbitrary Lagrangian Eulerian ◽  
Explosion Pressure ◽  
Head Protection ◽  
Coupling Algorithm ◽  
The Brain

Blast-induced traumatic brain injury (bTBI), is defined as a type of acquired brain injury that occurs upon the interaction of the human head with blast-generated high-pressure shockwaves. Lack of experimental studies due to moral issues, have motivated the researchers to employ computational methods to study the bTBI mechanisms. Accordingly, a nonlinear finite element (FE) analysis was employed to study the interaction of both unprotected and protected head models with explosion pressure waves. The head was exposed to the incoming shockwaves from front, back, and side directions. The main goal was to examine the effects of head protection tools and the direction of blast waves on the tissue and kinematical responses of the brain. Generation, propagation, and interactions of blast waves with the head were modeled using an arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) method and a fluid-structure interaction (FSI) coupling algorithm. The FE simulations were performed using Ls-Dyna, a transient, nonlinear FE code. Side blast predicted the highest mechanical responses for the brain. Moreover, the protection assemblies showed to significantly alter the blast flow mechanics. Use of faceshield was also observed to be highly effective in the front blast due to hindering of shockwaves.

TWO-PHASE MODEL IN VISCOELASTICITY AND VISCOPLASTICITY OF SEMICRYSTALLINE POLYMERS

2012 ◽  
Vol 01 (02) ◽  
pp. 1250015
Author(s):  
A. D. DROZDOV ◽  
N. DUSUNCELI
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Data ◽  
Numerical Simulation ◽  
Constitutive Model ◽  
Isotactic Polypropylene ◽  
Mechanical Response ◽  
Semicrystalline Polymers ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Amorphous Phases ◽  
Characteristic Features ◽  
Tensile Relaxation

Observations are reported on isotactic polypropylene in tensile relaxation tests and in loading–unloading tests followed by relaxation after retraction at temperatures ranging from room temperatures up to 100°C. A two-phase constitutive model is developed for the mechanical response of semicrystalline polymers where crystalline and amorphous phases are treated as viscoelastoplastic continua with different laws of plastic flow. Adjustable parameters in the stress–strain relations are found by fitting the observations. Ability of the model to describe characteristic features of the viscoelastic and viscoplastic behavior of polypropylene at various temperatures is confirmed by numerical simulation and comparison of its results with experimental data in additional tests.

scholarly journals Development Of A Hyperspectral NIRS System For Functional Imaging Of The Brain And For Cerebral Status Monitoring During Cardiac Surgery

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ermias Woldemichael
Keyword(s):  
Optical Fiber ◽  
Near Infrared ◽  
Brain Injuries ◽  
Imaging Modality ◽  
Optical Power ◽  
Human Head ◽  
Biological Tissues ◽  
Fiber Bundles ◽  
Set Up ◽  
The Brain

Hyperspectral near infrared spectroscopy (hNIRS) is a noninvasive, real-time imaging modality with an improved quantitative accuracy and increased number of detectable chromophores. It uses the broadband spectrum of light wavelengths in the range of 700 – 1100 nm and is based on the unique absorbance property of molecules and the fact that all biological tissues are relatively transparent to these wavelengths which allow for measuring concentrations of light absorbing molecules such as the Oxy- and Deoxy- hemoglobin and Cytochrome C Oxidase. As opposed to fMRI, PET and SPECT, hNIRS is inexpensive and portable. The purpose of this thesis project was to employ advantages of hNIRS by developing the multichannel hNIRS set-up for the simultaneous assessment of multiple areas of the brain and to test the system in clinical applications. To achieve these goals, I developed a new optical fiber bundle design providing improvement of the optical power throughput into the hNIRS light detectors. I also developed a novel probe for measurements on hairy areas of the human head. To validate the hNIRS system I used it simultaneously with fMRI, which revealed a good correlation of hNIRS and fMRI BOLD signals from the brain. The multichannel hNIRS set up with the increased signals due to the novel optical fiber bundles was then used during various brain activation protocols, which in the future can allow for the assessment of patients with mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI). Finally, the hNIRS system with the new fiber bundles was compared with a commercial NIRS system in clinical setting for brain monitoring of patients during the transcatheter aortic valve implantation operation (TAVI).

The Influence of Neck Kinematics on Brain Pressures and Strains Under Blast Loading

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. C. Roberts ◽  
T. P. Harrigan ◽  
E. E. Ward ◽  
D. Nicolella ◽  
L. Francis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Shock Tube ◽  
Blast Loading ◽  
Human Head ◽  
Pressure Response ◽  
System Level ◽  
Hybrid Iii ◽  
Head Rotations ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Head Neck

Strains and pressures in the brain are known to be influenced by rotation of the head in response to loading. This brain rotation is governed by the motion of the head, as permitted by the neck, due to loading conditions. In order to better understand the effect neck characteristics have on pressures and strains in the brain, a human head finite element model (HHFEM) was attached to two neck FEMs: a standard, well characterized Hybrid III Anthropometric Test Device neck FEM; and a high fidelity parametric probabilistic human FEM neck that has been hierarchically validated. The Hybrid III neck is well-established in automotive injury prevention studies, but is known to be much stiffer than in vivo human necks. The parametric FEM is based on CT scans and anatomic data, and the components of the model are validated against biomechanical tests at the component and system level. Both integrated head-neck models were loaded using pressure histories based on shock tube exposures. The shock tube loading applied to these head models were obtained using a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model of the HHFEM surface in front of a 6 inch diameter shock tube. The calculated pressure-time histories were then applied to the head-neck models. The global head rotations, pressures, brain displacements, and brain strains of both head-neck models were compared for shock tube driver pressures from 517 to 862 kPa. The intracranial pressure response occurred in the first 1 to 5 msec, after blast impact, prior to a significant kinematic response, and was very similar between the two models. The global head rotations and the strains in the brain occurred at 20 to 100 msec after blast impact, and both were approximately two times higher in the model using the head parametric probabilistic neck FEM (H2PN), as compared to the model using the head Hybrid III neck FEM (H3N). It was also discovered that the H2PN exhibited an initial backward and small downward motion in the first 10 ms not seen in the H3N. The increased displacements and strains were the primary difference between the two combined models, indicating that neck constraints are a significant factor in the strains induced by blast loading to the head. Therefore neck constraints should be carefully controlled in studies of brain strain due to blast, but neck constraints are less important if pressure response is the only response parameter of primary interest.

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