Characterization of Pediatric Porcine Skull Properties during Impact

Falls and inflicted impacts are leading causes of severe brain injury in children. We determined mechanical properties of pediatric porcine skull and suture at impact rates (2.16 and 3.67 m/s) to complement previous quasistatic data. As before, elastic modulus (E) and ultimate stress (σult) of cranial bone were significantly higher and ultimate strain (εult) was significantly lower than suture. At high rates, E and σult had no statistically significant rate dependence. Compared to quasistatic conditions, skull and suture were significantly less stiff, with larger εult, indicating impact at higher rates may be associated with larger distortions of the braincase.