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Investigation of blunt injuries and the force associated with a skull fracture due to impact with a Hopkinson pressure bar : an animal model
Homicide is one of the leading causes of death in South Africa. Homicides as a result of a firearm, sharp instrument or blunt object, may all potentially inflict severe cranial trauma. Often the lateral aspect of the cranium is fractured in homicidal assaults, however, the focus of head injury biome...
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Division of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology
2015
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| _version_ | 1867614139177762816 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Coetzé, Lisa Jane |
| author2 | Heyns, Marise |
| author_browse | Coetzé, Lisa Jane Heyns, Marise |
| author_facet | Heyns, Marise Coetzé, Lisa Jane |
| author_sort | Coetzé, Lisa Jane |
| collection | Thesis |
| description | Homicide is one of the leading causes of death in South Africa. Homicides as a result of a firearm, sharp instrument or blunt object, may all potentially inflict severe cranial trauma. Often the lateral aspect of the cranium is fractured in homicidal assaults, however, the focus of head injury biomechanics has been the frontal bone. This is due to automotive-related incidents. Thus it is important for researchers to broaden their knowledge on lateral head impacts. This data could ultimately act as a tool in making cranial bone trauma analysis less subjective in nature. This minor dissertation discusses human cranial bones and explores different types of cranial fractures. It further provides an in depth discussion on the different types of experimental tests and specimens used in biomechanical testing. A current review on the literature surrounding head impacts is also provided. The research conducted for this minor dissertation uses the Cape (Chacma) Baboon as a model to attempt to simulate cranial blunt trauma observed in human bone. Fifteen Cape (Chacma) Baboon head specimens were subjected to a single temporo-parietal impact. These specimens were impacted with an aluminium striker bar that resembles the dimensions of a hammer (length: 23cm, circumference: 40cm and weight: 200g). The aim of these hammer tests were to characterise soft and hard tissue wound morphology as a result of blunt cranial impacts. Resulting data was analysed to determine if a significant correlation existed between impact velocity or energy and the extent of trauma observed. The remaining twelve Cape (Chacma) Baboon specimens were all subjected to a single impact in the temporo-parietal region. These specimens were impacted with a Hopkinson pressure bar, which is manufactured from the same material as the striker bar. The aim of the Hopkinson pressure bar tests was to attempt to determine the force of impact. The use of the Hopkinson pressure bar to determine fracture forces in baboon head specimens is novel. The fracture forces obtained in the current study compare well with literature investigating lateral impacts. Furthermore, the fracture patterns obtained in the current study realistically simulate cranial trauma seen in humans. It would therefore be beneficial to advance research using the baboon model and Hopkinson pressure bar apparatus. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/15575 |
| institution | University of Cape Town (South Africa) |
| language | eng |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:47:17.491Z |
| license_str | Not specified — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| publishDate | 2015 |
| publishDateRange | 2015 |
| publishDateSort | 2015 |
| publisher | Division of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology |
| publisherStr | Division of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| spelling | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/15575 Investigation of blunt injuries and the force associated with a skull fracture due to impact with a Hopkinson pressure bar : an animal model Coetzé, Lisa Jane Heyns, Marise Biomedical Forensic Science Homicide is one of the leading causes of death in South Africa. Homicides as a result of a firearm, sharp instrument or blunt object, may all potentially inflict severe cranial trauma. Often the lateral aspect of the cranium is fractured in homicidal assaults, however, the focus of head injury biomechanics has been the frontal bone. This is due to automotive-related incidents. Thus it is important for researchers to broaden their knowledge on lateral head impacts. This data could ultimately act as a tool in making cranial bone trauma analysis less subjective in nature. This minor dissertation discusses human cranial bones and explores different types of cranial fractures. It further provides an in depth discussion on the different types of experimental tests and specimens used in biomechanical testing. A current review on the literature surrounding head impacts is also provided. The research conducted for this minor dissertation uses the Cape (Chacma) Baboon as a model to attempt to simulate cranial blunt trauma observed in human bone. Fifteen Cape (Chacma) Baboon head specimens were subjected to a single temporo-parietal impact. These specimens were impacted with an aluminium striker bar that resembles the dimensions of a hammer (length: 23cm, circumference: 40cm and weight: 200g). The aim of these hammer tests were to characterise soft and hard tissue wound morphology as a result of blunt cranial impacts. Resulting data was analysed to determine if a significant correlation existed between impact velocity or energy and the extent of trauma observed. The remaining twelve Cape (Chacma) Baboon specimens were all subjected to a single impact in the temporo-parietal region. These specimens were impacted with a Hopkinson pressure bar, which is manufactured from the same material as the striker bar. The aim of the Hopkinson pressure bar tests was to attempt to determine the force of impact. The use of the Hopkinson pressure bar to determine fracture forces in baboon head specimens is novel. The fracture forces obtained in the current study compare well with literature investigating lateral impacts. Furthermore, the fracture patterns obtained in the current study realistically simulate cranial trauma seen in humans. It would therefore be beneficial to advance research using the baboon model and Hopkinson pressure bar apparatus. 2015-12-04T18:01:05Z 2015-12-04T18:01:05Z 2015 Master Thesis Masters MPhil http://hdl.handle.net/11427/15575 eng application/pdf Division of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology Faculty of Health Sciences University of Cape Town |
| spellingShingle | Biomedical Forensic Science Coetzé, Lisa Jane Investigation of blunt injuries and the force associated with a skull fracture due to impact with a Hopkinson pressure bar : an animal model |
| thesis_degree_str | Master's |
| title | Investigation of blunt injuries and the force associated with a skull fracture due to impact with a Hopkinson pressure bar : an animal model |
| title_full | Investigation of blunt injuries and the force associated with a skull fracture due to impact with a Hopkinson pressure bar : an animal model |
| title_fullStr | Investigation of blunt injuries and the force associated with a skull fracture due to impact with a Hopkinson pressure bar : an animal model |
| title_full_unstemmed | Investigation of blunt injuries and the force associated with a skull fracture due to impact with a Hopkinson pressure bar : an animal model |
| title_short | Investigation of blunt injuries and the force associated with a skull fracture due to impact with a Hopkinson pressure bar : an animal model |
| title_sort | investigation of blunt injuries and the force associated with a skull fracture due to impact with a hopkinson pressure bar an animal model |
| topic | Biomedical Forensic Science |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/11427/15575 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT coetzelisajane investigationofbluntinjuriesandtheforceassociatedwithaskullfractureduetoimpactwithahopkinsonpressurebarananimalmodel |