Back to results

Virginia Tech

Biomechanical Investigation of Head Kinematics and Skull Stiffness

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

This thesis presents two studies related to head injury. The study presented in Chapter 1 reviewed findings of cranial movement in animal and human specimens and evaluate the validity of cranial movement due to manual manipulation in humans through engineering analysis. The study had two parts. In Part I, the literature was reviewed to determine the cranial motion in animals and humans. Engineering analysis was done in Part II to determine the amount of force necessary to cause cranial motion in the studies from Part I using skull stiffness values from published studies. Chapter 2 explored data collection methodologies used in frontal sled tests. Several data collection methodologies exist for collecting kinematic data, such as Vicon motion analysis, video analysis, and sensors. Head trajectories from motion data and accelerometer data were plotted up to maximum forward excursion of the head for eight frontal sled tests, four conducted at Virginia Tech and four at the University of Virginia. In addition, the percent difference between maximum forward excursion values from sensor and motion data were calculated. Finally, Chapter 3 discusses the literary contributions of each study and to which journals they will be submitted.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Master of Science
Level thesis:degree_level
masters
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Biomedical Engineering
Department dc:contributor.department
Biomedical Engineering
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Tech
Year dc:date.issued
2011

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Seimetz, Christina N.
Chairs dc:contributor.committeechair
  • Duma, Stefan M.
  • Kemper, Andrew R.
Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
  • Gabler, Hampton Clay
  • Hardy, Warren N.
  • Brolinson, P. Gunnar

Subjects

dc:subject × 6

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright
Language dc:language.iso
en_US

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Dc Identifier Other
etd-12052011-164846
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/76900

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Seimetz, Christina N.. Biomechanical Investigation of Head Kinematics and Skull Stiffness. masters thesis, Virginia Tech, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/76900