Behind-Helmet Blunt Trauma of a Pistol Bullet Striking Ballistic Helmet-Covered Human Head and Neck Target

doi:10.12382/bgxb.2021.0858

Abstract

Abstract: Although bulletproof helmets can effectively prevent pistol bullets from penetration, the transient deformation may still cause serious damage to human head. To study behind-helmet blunt trauma, a progressive damage constitutive model is developed to simulate the mechanical properties of composite bulletproof helmets by using the Abaqus user material subroutine VUMAT. Then, the accuracy of the simulation model is verified using the Three-Dimensional Digital Image Correlation test results of the bulletproof helmet. Then, numerical simulation of the 9 mm lead pistol bullet impacting human head and neck target wearing a bulletproof helmet at 343 m/s is carried out. Blunt impact effect characteristics such as helmet bulge height, skull stress, intracranial pressure, and cervical stress are obtained. The results show that without the helmet, the transient maximum bulge height at the top impact point reaches 27.70 mm; with the helmet, the transient maximum deformation of the helmet shell at the impact point is reduced to 10.73 mm, due to the support of the helmet. During blunt impact, the maximum stress on the skull reaches 46.97 MPa and some units fail, indicating a concave fracture in the skull. The maximum intracranial pressure reaches 208.70 kPa, which can cause moderate damage to the brain and other important organs. The cervical vertebra is under a great deal of stress, so is the central nucleus pulposus of each intervertebral disc. The maximum stress on C₂-C₃ intervertebral disc is 2.65 MPa. Our research results provide scientific guidance to the treatment of blunt head and neck injury and the design of bulletproof helmets.

Key words: bulletproofhelmet, headandnecktarget, pistolbullet, bluntimpacteffect

CLC Number:

TJ012.4

SHEN Zhouyu, WEN Yaoke, YAN Wenmin, DONG Fangdong, ZHANG Junbin, LI Ying. Behind-Helmet Blunt Trauma of a Pistol Bullet Striking Ballistic Helmet-Covered Human Head and Neck Target[J]. Acta Armamentarii, 2022, 43(9): 2101-2112.

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