Evaluation of the Effects of the ZetaLiner During Helmet Impact
Abstract
An experimental effort was conducted to compare the ZetaLiner, a new foam flight helmet liner manufactured by Oregon Aero, to the Thermal Plastic Liner (TPL), the helmet liner used in the USAF's standard flight helmet, the HGU-55/P. The liners were compared based on their effectiveness in attenuating impact acceleration and minimizing head injury potential. A series of vertical drops with a Helmet Drop Tower (HDT) were conducted using HGU-55/P flight helmets, TPLs, and several ZetaLiner samples. In addition to the liner comparison, helmet impacts were also conducted to evaluate Oregon Aero's Ballistic Liner Upgrade (BLU) compared to the rigid foam liner used in the HGU-55/P. All tests exposed the helmet shell to impacts against a hemispherical anvil as outlined in military standard MIUH-87174. The probability of head injury, as defined by the Head Injury Criteria (HIC), was calculated using measured impact acceleration of the HDT headform for each helmet configuration. Test results indicated that all impact configurations passed the acceleration standard as outlined in MIL-H-87174. The headform acceleration, resulting HiC values, and probability of severe brain injury values for the ZetaLiner tests were less than the comparative values for either the standard ACES II TPL or the HGU-55/P helmet with the BLU.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 01, 1999
- Accession Number
- ADA383420
Entities
People
- Chris E. Perry
Organizations
- Air Force Research Laboratory