FIG. 3.

Effects of modeling parameters on finite element (FE) predicted impactor force output. Each parameter was assessed independently. (A) Compared with the pilot model (blue dashed line), increasing the model length to C3–C7 (green dashed line) had marginal effects on the peak force; however, the force trajectory deviated from the experiment. Changing the pilot model's contacts to frictionless underestimated the reaction force of the impactor (magenta solid line). Similarly, lower reaction force was observed when using symmetrical boundary conditions (BCs) in the pilot model (black dashed line). Running the pilot model simulation with 25% finer mesh better predicted the experiment, however, was intensively costly. (B) Effects of impactor mediolateral alignment on FE model force response for subject #16 and subject #5 as representatives of open and intact dura models, respectively. Positive values show under the midline alignment of the impactor (i.e., a more lateral impact).