Date of Award

Fall 1985

Document Type

Thesis - Restricted

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Biomedical Engineering

First Advisor

Myklebust, Joel B.

Second Advisor

Sauces, Anthony

Abstract

Human head injury tolerance has been the focus of bio-mechanical investigation for many years. Studies have been conducted to establish criteria for frontal, occipital and lateral impacts. Data on vertex impacts is lacking. Hence, this investigation was undertaken to study the mechanism of head injury arising from vertex loading. Isolated cadaver skulls were impacted at the vertex onto a rigid steel plate with and without several types of padding. Three different kinds of ensolite pads were used to study the parameters effecting the mechanism of injury. The Ensolite pads varied in thickness and stiffness. A monorail set up was used in conjunction with the halo ring apparatus for conducting the experiment. Forces and accelerations of the head during the impact were recorded as a function of time. Computerized data analysis facilitated the evaluation of mechanisms of injury. Roentogenogram [sic] techniques were employed to describe the pathology of skull fracture observed.

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