Effect of Tissue Material Properties in Blast Loading: Coupled Experimentation and Finite Element Simulation

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

9-15-2019

Abstract

Computational models of blast-induced traumatic brain injury (bTBI) require a robust definition of the material models of the brain. The mechanical constitutive models of these tissues are difficult to characterize, leading to a wide range of values reported in literature. Therefore, the sensitivity of the intracranial pressure (ICP) and maximum principal strain to variations in the material model of the brain was investigated through a combined computational and experimental approach. A finite element model of a rat was created to simulate a shock wave exposure, guided by the experimental measurements of rats subjected to shock loading conditions corresponding to that of mild traumatic brain injury in a field-validated shock tube. In the numerical model, the properties of the brain were parametrically varied. A comparison of the ICP measured at two locations revealed that experimental and simulated ICP were higher in the cerebellum (p < 0.0001), highlighting the significance of pressure sensor locations within the cranium. The ICP and strain were correlated with the long-term bulk (p < 0.0001) and shear moduli (p < 0.0001), with an 80 MPa effective bulk modulus value matching best with experimental measurements. In bTBI, the solution is sensitive to the brain material model, necessitating robust validation methods.

Identifier

85058098019 (Scopus)

Publication Title

Annals of Biomedical Engineering

External Full Text Location

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10439-018-02178-w

e-ISSN

15739686

ISSN

00906964

PubMed ID

30523466

First Page

2019

Last Page

2032

Issue

9

Volume

47

Fund Ref

Medical Research and Materiel Command

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