Material Layering for Impact Mitigation in Football Helmets

Abstract

This proposal includes an analysis of three methods of material layering for impact mitigation in football helmets: a system that tunes pressure waves to a damping frequency of a viscoelastic layer, a four-layered system equipped with a soft external shell that can bend and compress with rotational and linear impacts, and a system that makes use of an open-cell foam impregnated with a non-Newtonian fluid. The methods were chosen because of their shared focus on dissipating the pressure and impulse of a collision, and this serves as the primary basis of comparison. Additionally, this proposal will thoroughly analyze the material selection and function of each layer within the helmet as a whole for each solution. After being compared on the basis of several criteria, the design of the Vicis ZERO1 is proposed as the most effective means of material layering for impact mitigation in a football helmet. While a focus on selecting a helmet with a focus on impact mitigation will not eliminate the risk of concussion, it will certainly help to reduce it.