Measurement and modeling of brain tissue and engineered polymer response to concentrated impact loading

Our brains are among the most mechanically compliant and structurally complex organs in our bodies. To predict how brain tissue deforms, and to protect it from deforming in ways that reduce our cognitive function, we must be able to measure, model, and ideally replicate brain tissue mechanics. While this is a grand challenge that many have sought to address, this need is acute when considering spatially localized deformation of brain tissue under high rates, such as in collisions that cause traumatic brain injury (TBI). This thesis sought to address this challenge at increasing levels of spatial and temporal complexity by employing dynamic contact mechanics as a tool to consider reduction of TBI. Strategies to reduce TBI include helmets designed to absorb impact energy, which are evaluated typically by simplified impact tests with engineered headforms equipped with brain tissue simulant materials and accelerometers.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctoral

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical Engineering

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2020

Author dc:creator

• Mijailovic, Aleksandar S.

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Krystyn J. Van Vliet and Raul Radovitzky.

• Mechanical Engineering.

Statement dc:rights

• MIT theses may be protected by copyright. Please reuse MIT thesis content according to the MIT Libraries Permissions Policy, which is available through the URL provided.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/127058

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/127058