A comparative study was conducted on the protective effects of wearing an advanced combat helmet (ACH) versus an unprotected state against blast-induced traumatic brain injury. Using high-fidelity physical dummy models

the study obtained curves of surface overpressure versus time

centroid acceleration

and angular velocity under free-field blast tests and shock tube tests. The analysis focused on the protective patterns of peak overpressure

acceleration

and angular velocity with and without the helmet. The results showed that wearing the helmet can effectively reduce the peak overpressure at the forehead. Specifically

it achieves a 35.1% reduction in a free-field explosion test environment and reductions of 29.7%

18.8%

and 50.2% in three different strong shock environments within a shock tube. Additionally

the helmet can effectively reduce resultant acceleration

with a 5.27% reduction in the free-field explosion test environment and reductions of 7.75%

13.35%

and 10.68% in the three shock tube environments. However

wearing the helmet leads to an increase in angular velocity in the y direction

with an elevation of 25.79% in the free-field explosion test environment and increases of 19.7%

30.4%

and 10.4% in the three shock tube environments. In summary

current blast helmet designs exhibit fundamental limitations in mitigating strain injury mechanisms governed by linear/rotational kinematics

with potential to amplify injury risks through induced rotational motion. Consequently

future protective gear optimization must prioritize disrupting shockwave-induced mechanical pathways that generate harmful angular acceleration.