The role of a composite polycarbonate-aerogel face shield in protecting the human brain from blast-induced injury: A fluid–structure interaction (FSI) study

Abstract

Background Blast-induced traumatic brain injury is the most prevalent injury sustained by combat soldiers at the frontline. The current study aims to investigate the effectiveness of composite polycarbonate-aerogel face shields with different configurations in mitigating blast-induced brain injuries. Method A series of dynamic fluid–structure interaction simulations of a helmeted head subjected to a frontal free field blast was performed, to evaluate the effectiveness of the current conventional polycarbonate face shield and three other composite face shields with different configurations when exposed to a frontal free-field blast. Results The simulation results demonstrated that the sandwiched structured face shields of polycarbonate and aerogel provided superior blast attenuation than a single-layered polycarbonate face shield. The alternate multi-layered transparent materials of high and low densities provided the best attenuation of blast pressure transmission to the head, with the polycarbonate exterior shell casing contributing to the structural integrity of the face shield, while the lower dense aerogel filler providing high acoustic impedance to blast wave transmission. Conclusion This study provides further insights on future development and design of personal protective equipment in mitigating blast-induced injuries to the head.