The impact absorption characteristics of cricket batting helmets

To determine whether the helmets currently used by cricket batsmen offer sufficient protection against impacts of a cricket ball, the impact absorption characteristics of six helmets were measured using the drop test at an impact velocity equivalent to a cricket ball with a release speed of 160 km·h-1 (44.4 m·s -1 ). An accelerometer transducer attached to a 5.0 kg striker was dropped from a height of 3.14 m onto the batting helmets to measure the impact characteristics at the three different impact sites:right temple, forehead and back of the helmet. These data were further expressed as a percentage above (-) or below (+) the recommended safety standard of 300 g . The results indicate that the force absorption characteristics of the helmets showed inter- and intra-helmet variations, with 14 of the 18 impact sites (66.7%) assessed meeting the recommended safety standards. Helmets 1, 2 and 4 succeeded in meeting the safety standards at all impact sites; helmets 5 and 6 both failed at the back and forehead, while helmet 3 failed at all impact sites. These differences were due to the structure and composition of the inner protective layer of the helmets. The helmets that succeeded in meeting the standards were made with a moulded polystyrene insert, a heat-formed ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) insert, or EVA with a relatively high density that allows a minimal amount of movement of the helmet at ball impact.     

Modelling and analysis of alternative face guard designs for cricket using finite element modelling

In professional cricket, where bowlers can bowl balls that reach speeds of up to 160 km h^-1, effective head protection is vital. Current head protection equipment typically consists of a helmet with a high impact grade polypropylene shell, a high density EPS liner, and a metal face guard. Most of the weight in existing helmets is attributed to the steel grill used as the face guard. We present a virtual design approach to the development and evaluation of new face guards made from alternative materials. In particular, we investigate a face guard design for cricket made from polycarbonate rather than steel using an explicit dynamic finite element analysis (FEA) approach. The FEA model developed for this purpose incorporates the headform, helmet, polycarbonate face guard and the impacting ball. ABAQUS CAE was used for FEA. HyperMesh and SolidWorks were used to develop the geometric model. This work identifies appropriate modelling and simulation strategies, and key design attributes for the development of new face guards using alternative materials. A preliminary study shows that by using polycarbonates it is possible to reduce the mass of the face guard by 20%, thus contributing to greater comfort of the players without compromising their safety. The key criteria for reduction of ball deceleration by at least 25% at each test site were satisfied, with deceleration reduction values ranging from 44% to 87% from those due to ball impact with the bare head.     

Out with the old,in with the new: how changes in cricket helmet regulations affect the vision of batters

The International Cricket Council recently introduced new regulations for helmets in cricket. Amongst other changes, these regulations limit batters from adjusting the gap between the peak and the grille, resulting in some controversy over whether the new helmet design reduces visibility of the ball. This study compared the visual field of individuals when wearing an old helmet that does not conform to the new regulations, and the equivalent replacement which does. The visual field of 10 male participants was tested whilst wearing an old and new helmet. The new helmet resulted in a significant reduction in the visual field of the wearer (M = 66.1 out of 76 points seen in the new helmet vs. 74.8 seen with the old helmet), with the restriction predominantly confined to the superior visual field. The new regulations do appear to restrict the visual field of batters, confirming the anecdotal reports of players. However, the majority of this restriction occurs in the superior field, suggesting that the impact on batting performance may be limited. The importance of considering the impact that new helmet regulations can have on vision, batting performance, and player safety is discussed.     

Compressive properties of helmet materials subjected to dynamic impact loading of various energies

Abstract

Many helmet safety standards require children's helmets to be tested using adult-weighted headforms of approximately 5 kg and impact velocities representative of adult anatomy. The purpose of this study was to test the individual and combined effect of variable headform mass and inbound headform velocity on helmet test results. Testing was conducted on sample sections of helmet liner materials commonly used in multi- and single-impact helmets. Three densities of expanded polystyrene and expanded polypropylene were moulded into 2.54-cm thick foam blocks and cut into circular samples with a 5-cm diameter. Each sample was impacted once using an EN 960 magnesium K1A headform of variable mass on a monorail apparatus in the crown position. A total of 25 impact conditions were used: 5 headform masses and 5 inbound velocities. A PCB 203B force sensor collected force data at 20 kHz in the y-axis of the impact and a 1000-Hz low-pass Butterworth filter was applied during analysis. A three-way analysis of variance revealed significant main effects for headform mass, inbound velocity, and material density on peak linear acceleration (P<0.01). Inbound velocity and headform mass played a significant role in material performance. It is proposed that the headform mass and inbound velocity used in helmet testing protocols be representative of the intended age group to improve the performance range and safety of sport helmets.     

A comparison of the ball rebound characteristics of wooden and composite cricket bats at three approach speeds

The primary aim of this study was to compare the rebound characteristics of wooden and composite cricket bats. The rebound characteristics of two 'experimental' bats manufactured from composite material were compared with three English willow bats and one Kashmir willow bat. The bats were tested using a specially designed testing rig, which propelled a 156 g Kookaburra cricket ball at three impact speeds: fast-medium, 67 km x h(-1); fast, 101 km x h(-1); and express, 131 km x h(-1) on to the bats mounted in position so that the ball impacts occurred at the position where the blade of the bats was the thickest. The rebound characteristics of the bats were calculated by measuring the approach and rebound speeds of the ball as it passed through a light beam positioned a short distance away from the point of impact. The statistical software package SAS was used to test for significant differences (p < 0.05) between the average rebound characteristics of the bats. Further, Scheffé's method was used as a post hoc comparison to determine whether differences existed between the composite and willow bats. When the composite and traditional willow bats were compared, the results showed no significant differences between the three average approach speeds, while the composite bats showed significantly smaller rebound speeds and coefficient of restitution at all three approach speeds. Thus, the rebound characteristics of the composite bats were significantly less than the traditionally designed English willow wooden bats and would not enhance performance by allowing the batsman to hit the ball harder, assuming all other factors, such as bat speed, mass distribution and the impact point, were the same for the bats. Further study is required to determine the physical properties of composite and wooden bats to enhance their impact characteristics.     

Variability and Sampling Inspection in the NOCSAE Standards for Football Helmets

Abstract

Because of increasing numbers of serious sports-related injuries at all levels of participation, the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE) was formed. Among their activities aimed at improving the safety of sports participation was the development of standards for impact resistance in both new and refinished football helmets. These standards include not only recommendations as to safe levels of resistance to impact but recommendations as to the number of helmets to be tested from each group of helmets undergoing a refinishing process.

In this study the various sources of variability in the testing procedure are examined. These sources include helmet-to-helmet variability, testing variability, and basic measurement error. A careful examination of this variability in the context of the NOCSAE-recommended testing procedures for recertifying helmets reveals an inadequacy in the NOCSAE standard, in that the probability of returning unsafe helmets to the playing field is unacceptably high.     

An experimental study on aerodynamic performance of time trial bicycle helmets

Aerodynamic efficiency is one of the important criteria for racing bicycle helmets, especially in time trial event. The physical characteristics of a bicycle helmet especially its venting geometry, position and number of vents play a crucial role in the aerodynamic efficiency of the helmet. Despite the importance of this, little information on aerodynamic behaviour of racing bicycle helmets is available. In this study, a series of commercially available time trial helmets were investigated in a wind tunnel environment over a range of wind speeds, and yaw and pitch angles to understand their aerodynamic behaviour. In order to obtain as realistic a data as possible, an instrumented mannequin was used in the wind tunnel testing. The experimental findings indicate that the aerodynamic performance of current production time trial helmets varies significantly. The results also show that helmet length as well as vent geometry and vent area have significant effects on aerodynamic drag of a time trial helmet. A time trial helmet having longer length and smooth vents with minimum vent area can reduce aerodynamic drag significantly.     

Heat transfer variations of bicycle helmets

Bicycle helmets exhibit complex structures so as to combine impact protection with ventilation. A quantitative experimental measure of the state of the art and variations therein is a first step towards establishing principles of bicycle helmet ventilation. A thermal headform mounted in a climate-regulated wind tunnel was used to study the ventilation efficiency of 24 bicycle helmets at two wind speeds. Flow visualization in a water tunnel with a second headform demonstrated the flow patterns involved. The influence of design details such as channel length and vent placement was studied, as well as the impact of hair. Differences in heat transfer among the helmets of up to 30% (scalp) and 10% (face) were observed, with the nude headform showing the highest values. On occasion, a negative role of some vents for forced convection was demonstrated. A weak correlation was found between the projected vent cross-section and heat transfer variations when changing the head tilt angle. A simple analytical model is introduced that facilitates the understanding of forced convection phenomena. A weak correlation between exposed scalp area and heat transfer was deduced. Adding a wig reduces the heat transfer by approximately a factor of 8 in the scalp region and up to one-third for the rest of the head for a selection of the best ventilated helmets. The results suggest that there is significant optimization potential within the basic helmet structure represented in modern bicycle helmets.     

Heat transfer variations of bicycle helmets

Abstract

Bicycle helmets exhibit complex structures so as to combine impact protection with ventilation. A quantitative experimental measure of the state of the art and variations therein is a first step towards establishing principles of bicycle helmet ventilation. A thermal headform mounted in a climate-regulated wind tunnel was used to study the ventilation efficiency of 24 bicycle helmets at two wind speeds. Flow visualization in a water tunnel with a second headform demonstrated the flow patterns involved. The influence of design details such as channel length and vent placement was studied, as well as the impact of hair. Differences in heat transfer among the helmets of up to 30% (scalp) and 10% (face) were observed, with the nude headform showing the highest values. On occasion, a negative role of some vents for forced convection was demonstrated. A weak correlation was found between the projected vent cross-section and heat transfer variations when changing the head tilt angle. A simple analytical model is introduced that facilitates the understanding of forced convection phenomena. A weak correlation between exposed scalp area and heat transfer was deduced. Adding a wig reduces the heat transfer by approximately a factor of 8 in the scalp region and up to one-third for the rest of the head for a selection of the best ventilated helmets. The results suggest that there is significant optimization potential within the basic helmet structure represented in modern bicycle helmets.     

Cricket bowling deliveries and the discrimination ability of professional and amateur batters

Bowlers in cricket try to disguise their bowling action by movement pattern similarity. The batter's task is, therefore, to solve rapidly perceptual discrimination problems. Previous research has suggested that batters can discriminate perceptual cues that provide depth or target information. However, at present, there is a lack of applied research evidence on further perceptual cue utilization, including bowling delivery identification. This ability is required when batting against wrist-spin bowlers who may use five different types of delivery. In the present study, we assessed this perceptual discrimination ability among three distinct standards of batters. In addition, the relative potency of body action and ball flight information was assessed by visual occlusion techniques. We found that more expert batters in general showed greater perceptual discrimination skills when faced with different ball types. However, this discrimination ability was linked specifically to delivery type and to previous experience. We also found that additional ball flight information provided no more advantage to this discrimination ability. This finding reinforces the importance of advanced cue information and the need to expose cricket batters to different bowling actions. Further study of the development of movement pattern recognition is recommended.     

Cricket bowling deliveries and the discrimination ability of professional and amateur batters

Bowlers in cricket try to disguise their bowling action by movement pattern similarity. The batter’s task is, therefore, to solve rapidly perceptual discrimination problems. Previous research has suggested that batters can discriminate perceptual cues that provide depth or target information. However, at present, there is a lack of applied research evidence on further perceptual cue utilization, including bowling delivery identification. This ability is required when batting against wrist-spin bowlers who may use five different types of delivery. In the present study, we assessed this perceptual discrimination ability among three distinct standards of batters. In addition, the relative potency of body action and ball flight information was assessed by visual occlusion techniques. We found that more expert batters in general showed greater perceptual discrimination skills when faced with different ball types. However, this discrimination ability was linked specifically to delivery type and to previous experience. We also found that additional ball flight information provided no more advantage to this discrimination ability. This finding reinforces the importance of advanced cue information and the need to expose cricket batters to different bowling actions. Further study of the development of movement pattern recognition is recommended.     

The sweet spot of a cricket bat for low speed impacts

The impact location of a cricket ball on a cricket bat has a large influence on the resulting rebound velocity of the ball. To measure this, a cricket bat was swung in a pendulum motion towards a cricket ball suspended in space. The position of the ball was modified so that it impacted the bat at 24 different positions on the face of the bat. This included six positions longitudinally and four positions laterally. The speed of the bat and each rebound were measured by a radar gun so that the apparent coefficient of restitution (ACOR) could be calculated. Impacts occurring centrally and 1?cm either side of the midline produced significantly higher rebound speeds and ACOR??s than impacts occurring 2 and 3cm off centre (p?<?0.01). Impacts occurring 15?C20?cm from the base of the bat produced the highest rebound speeds (p?<?0.01) and impacts occurring 20?C30?cm from the base of the bat produced the highest ACOR values. Implications for higher speed impacts and game scenarios are discussed.     

Radiant heat transfer of bicycle helmets and visors

Twenty-six bicycle helmets and their associated visors were characterized for radiant heat transfer using a thermal manikin headform in a climate chamber to assess their ability to protect the wearer from heating by the sun. A single configuration for applied radiant flow of 9.3 W was used to assess the roles of the forward and upper vents and the visor. The helmets shielded 50-75% of the radiant heating without a visor and 65-85% with one. Twenty-three visors were shown to result in a relevant reduction of radiant heating of the face (>0.5 W), with 15 reaching approximately 1 W. Heating of the visor and/or helmet and subsequent heating of the air flowing into the helmet was nevertheless found to be a relevant effect in many cases, suggesting that simple measures like reflective upper surfaces could noticeably improve the radiant heat rejection without changing the helmet structure. The forward vents in the helmets that allow the transmission of radiant heat are often important for forced convection, so that minimizing radiant heating geneally reduces the maximization of forced convective heat loss for current helmets.     

Youth helmet design in sports with repetitive low- and medium-energy impacts: a systematic review

Concussion awareness in youth sports has increased secondary to recent legislation, public health campaigns, and media coverage. The potential for long-term negative sequelae is now widely recognized and there have been a number of initiatives nationwide to prevent pediatric head injuries, including efforts to design more effective helmets for repetitive impact sports. The primary aim of this review is to systematically assess the literature regarding helmet design in youth sports specifically designed to mitigate repetitive low- and medium-energy impacts. Secondary aims include identifying areas for future research and opportunities for helmet design improvement. A systematic review of the literature was performed to identify articles relating to youth helmet design and biomechanical studies of concussion in youth sports. Pubmed, Google scholar, Cochrane Review and article citations were used to identify all pertinent English articles between 1971 and January 2016. A total of 14 studies met criteria for inclusion in this review, three of which included clinical outcomes (all Level of Evidence II) and eleven of which included biomechanical outcomes. The vast majority focused on adolescents playing football. Six of the biomechanical studies demonstrated improved biomechanical metrics in helmets with increasing foam thickness and number of foam layers. Two clinical studies also seem to support this concept, with significant caveats. To date, there are limited clinical and biomechanical data on youth helmet design. There is a need for further research in order to optimize helmet design and reduce the number and severity of pediatric sports-related head injuries.     

Surface hardness of a cricket bat after ‘knock-in’

New cricket bats need to be ‘knocked in’ prior to use, but just what this process does to the surface fibres of the bat is unknown and unquantified. One quantitative measurement of knock-in is the resultant surface hardness of the bat, and this paper describes knock-in tests to determine the surface hardness following differing durations of knock-in. The design of a cricket bat knock-in machine is first described. This takes the form of a cradle in which a cricket bat can be secured horizontally and then traversed at constant speeds in two mutually perpendicular directions while at the same time being struck with constant force by a cricket ball. The traverses are driven by lead screws, the motors of which can be independently switched on or off. The traverse distance can be varied with adjustable limit switches and relays that reverse the direction of rotation of the lead screws when activated. The cricket ball is attached to a rod that is lifted cyclically by a cam against a coil spring extension, and then allowed to fall under that force to impact on the bat surface. The impact (knocking-in) force was measured by a previously calibrated strain gauge attached to the rod holding the cricket ball. By judicious setting of the limit switches, selected areas of the bat surface were continuously knocked in for periods varying from 1 to 4 hours. After knocking in, the surface hardness was measured in accordance with British Standard 373 using a penetrator designed in accordance with the same standard. Analysis of the load/penetration curves shows an increase in surface hardness with knock duration. Photographs of the cell structure of the surface wood, obtained using a scanning electron microscope, show that under knock-in conditions, the wood cells collapse to form a mesh-like hardened layer which increases in hardness with increase in knock-in duration.     

The playing performance of county cricket pitches

The surface on to which a bowler projects a ball in the game of cricket is made up of hard packed soil with sparse grass cover. This natural turf pitch is of fundamental importance to the play of the game and the quality of the surface is a prime concern of players, officials, commentators and spectators alike. A programme of research has been undertaken to identify the factors that lead to the construction of high quality cricket pitches. This work employed the technology of highspeed video analysis to monitor the performance of first class cricket pitches during county matches. A system for measuring the impact of a cricket ball on a pitch was developed, and over 3000 ball impacts analysed. This analysis enabled pitches to be characterized in terms of pace, bounce and consistency. Soil properties for the monitored pitches were identified and correlations were drawn between pitch performance and soil composition.     

Evaluation of impact attenuation of facial protectors in ice hockey helmets

The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which ice hockey facial protectors can decrease overall head acceleration during blunt impacts, as well as to identify whether attenuation differences exist between visors and cages. Commercial models of three cages and three visors were assessed. Blunt impacts were simulated, permitting the measurement of peak accelerations (PA) within the surrogate headform. Results indicated that face protectors, in combination with helmets, substantially reduced PA during blunt impacts within threshold safety limits (below 300g). In general, cages showed lower PA than visors. Differences between models were also observed during repeated impacts and impact site. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that facial protectors function beyond their role in solely preventing facial injuries, complementing the role of the helmet in attenuating head deceleration during impact. Consequently, the utilisation of facial protectors may reduce the severity and incidence of head injuries.     

The influence of club-head kinematics on early ball flight characteristics in the golf drive

Despite many coaching and biomechanical texts describing how the kinematics of the club-head at impact lead to distance and accuracy of the ball flight, there is limited quantitative evidence supporting these assertions. The purpose of this study was to quantify the relationships between club-head kinematics and subsequent early ball flight characteristics during the golf drive. An opto-reflective system operating at 400 Hz was used to capture the swings of 21 male golfers using their own drivers. The 3D displacement data permitted the calculation of club-head kinematics at impact, as well as subsequent early ball flight characteristics. Using regression analyses, club-head kinematics at impact (velocity, orientation, path, and centeredness) were used to explain the variability in five dependent variables of early ball flight characteristics (resultant velocity, launch angle, side angle, back spin, and side spin). The results of the study indicated that club-head kinematics at impact explained a significant proportion of early ball flight characteristics (adjusted r ² = 0.71–0.82), even when generalized across individual clubs.     

Bowling action and ball flight kinematics of conventional swing bowling in pathway and high-performance bowlers

ABSTRACT

When executed correctly, swing bowling has the potential to influence the outcome of a cricket match, yet little is known about the required bowling action and ball flight characteristics. This study aimed to describe the bowling action and initial ball flight characteristics as well as to identify variables that may be associated with increased swing in pathway and high-performance medium and fast pace bowlers. A 17-camera Vicon motion analysis system captured retro-reflective markers placed on the upper-body of participants and new cricket balls to quantify bowling action and initial ball flight kinematics. Bowlers delivered the ball with their forearm and hand angled in the direction of intended swing with an extended wrist flexing through the point of ball release. Bowlers who produced more swing had increased seam stability, possibly linked to a lower wrist and ball angular velocity. It is believed that swing increases with seam stability, however, optimal ranges may exist for seam azimuth angle, ball angular velocity and release speed. These findings may assist coaches to optimise the performance of bowlers, however, future research should use bowlers who play at higher levels to investigate swing bowling at greater speeds.     

Simultaneous measurement of back and front foot ground reaction forces during the same delivery stride of the fast-medium bowler

Six male cricket bowlers (mean +/- s(mean): age 23.5 +/- 1.3 years; height 1.83 +/- 0.04 m; body weight 826 +/- 20 N) performed their typical bowling action at a set of stumps positioned at standard pitch length (20.1 m). A specially designed force platform rig allowed the correct positioning of two force platforms to be achieved beneath an outdoor polyflex runway (0.017 m depth) for each player's delivery stride pattern. For the back foot, the peak vertical ground reaction force was 1.95 +/- 0.08 kN (2.37 +/- 0.14 BW) and the braking force was 0.77 +/- 0.12 kN (0.94 +/- 0.16 BW). For the front foot, the peak vertical force was 4.80 +/- 0.92 kN (5.75 +/- 0.98 BW) and the braking force was 2.93 +/- 0.56 kN (3.54 +/- 0.67 BW). The mean peak vertical loading rate for front foot contact was 205 +/- 52.8 kN x s(-1) (249 +/- 64 BW x s(-1)) with mean values ranging from 81 to 446 kN x s(-1) (98 to 540 BW x s(-1)). The range for back foot contact was much smaller, 25-70 kN x s(-1) (30-85 BW x s(-1)), with a mean of 41.7 +/- 7.10 kN x s(-1) (50.6 +/- 8.6 BW x s(-1)). Mean peak impact occurred 24 ms after touchdown for the back foot and 16 ms after touchdown for the front foot. At impact, mean peak loading rates were greater for the front foot at 246 kN x s(-1) (298 BW x s(-1)), with a range of 80-483 kN x s(-1) (98-534 BW x s(-1)), than for the back foot at 65 kN x s(-1) (79 BW x s(-1)), with a range of 40-84 kN x s(-1) (49-110 BW x s(-1)).