2064. A study on protective performance of bullet-proof helmet under impact loading

A large number of brain injuries and casualties can be caused by the impact of bullets on the bullet-proof helmets, for which the underlying mechanisms are unclear and are likely to be complex. In the current study, an American advanced combat helmet was scanned to obtain 3-dimensional (3D) geometric information, from which a 3D finite element (FE) model of a ballistic helmet was developed. With this model, FE simulation was conducted and the results were compared with and verified by data from a ballistic test and a FE simulation study previously reported. Furthermore, the protective performance of the ballistic helmet was investigated using the FE model. The verification results show that the FE model of this ballistic helmet is effective, and data from the current study should be useful in providing theoretical guidance in the design of ballistic helmets.Zhihua Cai, Zemin Li, Jianghui Dong, Zhengyu Mao, Liping Wang, Cory J. Xia