Abstract
A mathematical elastodynamic model, Baseline I, consisting of eleven degrees of freedom and describing the human skull, brain spinal cord, neck, arms and torso as a system of discrete masses, linear translational and torsional springs has been developed. Forced response solutions to the governing equations of motion, which contain selected nonlinear terms, are carried out on the IBM 7094 computer. A parametric study of the effects of location and force-time history of a blow to the head and variations in neck stiffness was conducted. The significance of these perturbations is determined by comparison with selected response measures.