Improved Helmet Design Fights Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
Livermore was ultimately chosen for the task because of its advanced computational simulation capabilities, a result of the institution’s core weapons design capabilities (see the March 2010 Science and Technology Review article A New Application for a Weapons Code). The helmet pad simulations were conducted using the PARADYN software for modelling thermomechanical behavior. The software is an advanced version of the DYNA3D code developed at Livermore in the 1970s and later commercialized worldwide as LS-DYNA.
In addition to the advanced technology, Livermore offers a systems approach to solving problems by making use of the wide range of capabilities available onsite. The study involved experts in all the required areas of theoretical, computational, and experimental physics as well as in chemistry and engineering. The combination of the Laboratory's capability to measure the helmet foam response and to model that response was essential to the success of this research.
For more details, see the Science and Technology Review article A Simple Way to Better Protect Soldiers against Head Trauma.
