Numerical and experimental study on cerebral contusion under impact loading

The mechanism of brain contusion is investigated using a finite element analysis. Prior to the numerical calculation for a finite element human head model, the experimental study of an impact loading for a water-filled acrylic cylindrical container was carried out in order to observe the fundamental physical phenomenon and to confirm the validity of the finite element analysis in comparison with the both numerical and experimental results. After the stroke, the deflection of the acrylic container wall propagated in both sides of the stroke point, and large negative pressure was generated just in the opposite side of the stroke point when deflections from both sides met. The time taken until the deflection reached the opposite side was close to the natural period of the water-filled container and the period of fluctuation of internal pressure was equal to the natural frequency of the water-filled container. In numerical analysis the amplitude of the pressure fluctuation was slightly bigger for the tied container wall-water interface condition than for slide condition, and the damping wa