title: Computational Study of Fracture Characteristics in Infant Skulls Using a Simplified Finite Element Model.
abstract: Skull fracture characteristics are associated with loading conditions (such as the impact point and impact velocity) and could provide indication of abuse or accident-induced head injuries. However, correlations between fracture characteristics and loading conditions in infant and toddler are ill-understood. A simplified computational model representing an infant head was built to simulate skull responses to blunt impacts. The fractures were decided through a first principal strain-based element elimination strategy. Simulation results were qualitatively compared with test data from porcine heads. This simplified model well captured the fracture pattern, initial fracture position, and direction of fracture propagation. The model also very well described fracture characteristics found in studies with human infant cadaveric specimens. A series of parametric studies was conducted, and results indicated that the parameters studied had substantial effects on fracture patterns. Additionally, the jagged shapes of sutures were associated with strain concentrations in the skull.
authors.affiliation: The State Key Laboratory of Advanced Design and Manufacturing for Vehicle Body, Hunan University, Hunan, 410082, China.|Bioengineering Center, Wayne State University, MI, 48201, China.
authors.forename: Binhui
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: The State Key Laboratory of Advanced Design and Manufacturing for Vehicle Body, Hunan University, Hunan, 410082, China.|Bioengineering Center, Wayne State University, MI, 48201, China.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: The State Key Laboratory of Advanced Design and Manufacturing for Vehicle Body, Hunan University, Hunan, 410082, China.
authors.forename: Libo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: Bioengineering Center, Wayne State University, MI, 48201, China.
authors.forename: Barbara R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Presley
authors.affiliation: Bioengineering Center, Wayne State University, MI, 48201, China.
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Bioengineering Center, Wayne State University, MI, 48201, China.
authors.forename: King H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003393:Cranial Sutures / Q000293:injuries / Q000473:pathology; D020342:Finite Element Analysis; D018732:Forensic Anthropology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D023421:Models, Animal; D008954:Models, Biological; D012887:Skull Fractures / Q000473:pathology*; D013552:Swine
keywords: blunt impact; forensic science; infant skull; infant suture; numerical simulations; skull fracture characteristics