Affiliations: Department of Computational Mathematics and
Cybernetics, Nizhny Novgorod State University, 23 Gagarin Ave., Nizhny Novgorod
603950, Russia | Institute for Problems in Mechanics of Russian Academy
of Sciences, 101-1 Prospect Vernadskogo, Moscow 119526, Russia | Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering,
University of Virginia, 122 Engineer's Way, P.O. Box 400746, Charlottesville,
VA 22904-4746, USA
Abstract: The optimal control of the deceleration of a particle moving along a
straight line after an impact against an isolated surface is considered. The
force applied to the particle by the surface is treated as the control
variable. The deceleration distance is minimized subject to a constraint on the
Head Injury Criterion functional. This functional is an integral criterion that
is utilized in engineering biomechanics to evaluate the expected severity of
impact-induced head injury of a human being. The solution obtained provides
characteristics of the limiting capabilities for the prevention of head
injuries by means of an impact isolator, such as a coating of the surface
against which the impacts occur. The head injuries can be due to impact
occurrences, including traffic crashes, falling, and contacts with ballistic
objects.
Keywords: Shock isolation, optimal control, head injury criterion
