Investigating the dynamic response of a punch to human head using finite element analysis

Head injuries are among the dangerous injuries which are common in all sport types. In the present study, the dynamic response of a punch to the head of a Wushu fighter was simulated by modeling the human head in ABAQUS software. Moreover, the maximum displacement and the stress distribution in the helmet and head parts were analyzed by finite elements method. The obtained results showed a significant interval in the response of different tissues to the delivered blow. The maximum shear stress, normal stress and displacement in the helmet were 5.616 MPa, 5.755 MPa and 1.236 mm, respectively, while these magnitudes were respectively 3.199 MPa, 6.268 MPa and 0.0001867 mm in skull, 4.596 MPa, 3.691 MPa and 0.1180 mm in the head skin and 0.01098 MPa, 0.8779 MPa and 0.04993 mm in brain. The present model with its unique features can be a valuable and powerful instrument to gain a better insight into the injury mechanism for better diagnosing of injuries and to design protective helmets with higher efficiency and safety for various sport forms as well.