Keywords: helmet, simulation, composite, finite element method.

This paper presents a simulation model of the absorption effects during a helmet collision with a hard obstacle. It is based on the necessity to predict the undesirable consequences that may occur in the case of helmet colision and impact with a hard obstacle. The primary aim of the paper is to determine the real deformations during the collision using a method of simulation of the energy absorption effects and to establish a successfull model of optimum helmet design, for engineering purposes, which corresponds to the helmet behaviour in real conditions. Finite elements of thin laminar shell type are used in the helmet discretisation. Boundary conditions and loads are applied in such a way as to simulate the impact in the most realistic way. The helmet model is to be designed of multilayer laminar composite materials taking into account fiber orientation, possible impact directions and the interlaminar normalized value of dynamic strength. Simulation has been done for different initial conditions, composites of different characteristics and it has been applied to different models. Numerical analysis, tested static and dynamic models and the results presented in this paper, according to the theoretical considerations, can successfully be applied with high accuracy in helmet design that will fulfill real life requirements.

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