Evaluation method of human traumatic brain injury in environments of strong shockwave

Due to the rapid development of military technology, there are more deployments of new arms, high-tech weapons and large-caliber shells in regional and local warfare, contributing to a sharp surge in the incidences of craniocerebral trauma among military personnel due to blast shockwaves. Thus, blast-induced traumatic brain injury at present is considered as one of the most prominent forms of injury on the battlefield. In order to assess the craniocerebral injury of personnel under the effect of the blast shock wave, it is urgent to establish a set of scientific, rational and comprehensive evaluation methods. Using a realistic physical manikin model with Chinese human body size characteristics and a sensing system to carry out three kinds of shock wave intensity shock tube experiments, this study systematically obtained the change process of head surface overpressure, head centroid acceleration and angular velocity as well as neck force and torque of the realistic physical manikin model with time. Based on the short-term and long-term injury effects of the explosion on the human cranium and brain, based on the 3 ms criterion, head injury criterion (HIC), brain injury criteria (BrIC) and neck injury indicators to determine the damage and the degree of damage to the human body to carry out a comprehensive research and judgment. The results showed that under three different strong shockwave environments, the shock wave overpressure duration was less than 5 ms, acceleration and neck force lasted 5–6 ms, and angular velocity and neck torque lasted 50–244 ms; the peak centroid resultant acceleration in the head of the realistic physical manikin model was (54.60±3.69)g, (102.00±1.72)g and (161.50±6.36)g, and the calculated HIC₁₅ showed that the head injury threshold was not reached; according to the combined determination of head surface pressure load and BrIC, the probability of craniocerebral injury increased significantly, and protective measures should be taken to reduce the risk of injury.