Optimization of helmet protection performance for soldiers’ head protection on the battlefield

Craniocerebral injury is one of the main causes of injury to soldiers in modern warfare, with explosive shock waves causing particularly severe damage to soldiers’ heads. The research aims to optimize the protective performance of existing combat helmets through numerical simulation techniques, providing safer and more effective head protection equipment for soldiers on the battlefield. The Lagrange multiplier method is used to establish the numerical simulation model of explosion shock wave, and the finite element model of the head wearing combat helmet is created to analyze the defects of existing helmets under the explosion impact, so as to complete the optimization of the shape, material distribution and cushion foam structure of the helmet. The results show that wearing the new helmet results in a 36% lower incidence of traumatic brain injury compared to wearing traditional combat helmets. When polyurea material is used as the inner and outer double-sided layer, the deformation degree of the helmet material is the highest, and the shock wave energy absorption value is 23.5 J per impact. The results indicate that the optimized combat helmet significantly improves the explosion shock wave protection performance and reduces the risk of traumatic brain injury. The research results provide new ideas for the design of military protective equipment, which can enhance the survival ability of soldiers in complex battlefield environments.