Within the area of impact biomechanics, models of child heads are typically obtained by scaling down models of adult heads. It is well known however that a child's head is not a small adult head. Several anatomists have studied the evolution of skull dimension for male and female since birth. Because of the lack of studies concerning children, the scaling method seems to be an interesting way to study injury mechanisms for children. A series of scale coefficients are available for different ages, to reduce dimensions and mass of an adult head to obtain a child's head. Data superimposition from both origins allow a comparison and a limitation analysis of thescaling method, at a global (diameters), detailed (shape and thickness) and structural level (presence of trabecular bone, sutures and fontanels). Head geometry of a real child and the one obtained with the scaling methodfrom an adult have also been superimposed for a more detailed comparison.Finally, limitations and guidelines for the scaling method are proposed. For the covering abstract see ITRD E141569.
Abstract