To analyse and to quantify the injury process of the human head and to develop enhanced injury sensing criteria for automotive crashes an anatomical three-dimensional finite element model of a human head was developed. The detailed skull geometry based on Computer Tomography scans. This paper outlines results from a joint research program. To integrate reliable material properties a series of tests were carried out to determine basic mechanical properties of isolated human cranial bones using fresh bone specimens. The results of these experiments have been analysed in terms of statistical parameters to describe the characteristics of these materials. Experimental test results were compared to finite element simulation to determine and describe validated numerical input parameters for the finite element head model.
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