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Utah's Foremost Platform for Undergraduate Research Presentation
2022 Abstracts

Difference in the attenuation of acceleration of the head in high and low-end, full-face bicycle helmets.

Presenter: Bryce Stroud
Authors: Bryce Stroud, Rafe Kitchell, Jordan Scott, Trevor Terrill, Travis Ficklin
Faculty Advisor: Travis Ficklin
Institution: Dixie State University

Brain injuries in bicycle riding are linked to forces transferred through the helmet to the head of its wearer. Technologies designed to dissipate accelerations during impacts have been a focus in the helmet industry, and helmets must pass basic testing to be legally sold and used by riders. However, few studies have investigated the degree to which choices in technology and design can increase effectiveness. This study aimed to measure the differences in the attenuation of acceleration from outer to inner shell of two full face bicycle helmets during linear impacts. The current testing standard in full face bicycle helmets, called the DOT standard, is a threshold test, and does not give detailed information about the effectiveness of any approved helmet. For the present study, two helmets were chosen which differed in cost and design technology to find detailed information about accelerations beyond the basic DOT test information. Four accelerometers provided data from the helmet shell and from a dummy head secured in the helmet. An apparatus was constructed to standardize drop height and impact zone. Ten drops were made for each of three impact locations per helmet (corresponding with parietal, temporal, and occipital regions of the skull.) Accelerations and differences in accelerations between the outer shell and the dummy head were analyzed within and between helmets using factorial ANOVA (α = 0.05). The high-end helmet recorded bigger peak accelerations at the outer shell (p < 0.001), but smaller accelerations at the head (p < 0.001), resulting in a bigger reduction in accelerations from shell-to-head (p < 0.001), regardless of impact location. This study suggests future research into characterizing helmet performance based upon acceleration attenuation and the mapping of shock attenuation across regions of the helmet and head.