Influence of materials and structure on performance of a football helmet

A nonlinear finite element model for the static analysis of football helmets is developed as a first step in a methodology for the mathematical modeling of helmets. Polycarbonate and acrylonitrile‐butadiene‐styrene are considered as the shell material for the helmet. Such a methodology can be used to predict helmet response to loading and impact and can be incorporated in a computer program studying injuries caused by helmeted head collisions in football. Numerical results in terms of force‐deflection curves, maximum stresses, and work of deformation are given. The influence of the polymeric material forming the helmet shell on energy absorption is studied. The effect of the internal padding material and suspension system is also considered.