A Finite Element Investigation into the Impact Performance of an Open-Face Motorcycle Helmet with Ventilation Slots

• Main Authors: De-Shin Liu, Yao-Te Chen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2017-03-01
• Series: Applied Sciences
• Subjects: finite element analysis; motorcycle helmet; impact severity; head injury; safety
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/7/3/279

Motorcycle helmets are essential for reducing the risk of head injuries in the event of an impact. However, during the design of helmets, a compromise must be made between user safety and user comfort. Accordingly, the present study proposes a novel open-face helmet design, in which the helmet features three ventilation slots in the upper-head region. Finite element analysis (FEA) models were constructed for both a prototype helmet design, and three traditional helmet designs (full-face, open-face, and half-face helmets). In simulating the proposed open-face helmet, this study considered three different ventilation slot widths, namely 8, 14, and 18 mm. The simulation results showed that of all the helmet designs, the half-face helmet resulted in the greatest headform acceleration (303 G). The internal ventilation helmet achieved a lower peak acceleration than that of the full-face helmet. By contrast, the proposed open-face helmet with ventilation slots resulted in the lowest acceleration, irrespective of the ventilation slot width. The 8-mm ventilation slot width resulted in the optimal impact performance level (i.e., a peak headform acceleration of 160 G). Overall, the results suggest that the proposed open-face helmet design with ventilation slots provides a promising solution for ensuring both user protection and user comfort in warm climates.