Is current rugby headgear adequate?

Eager, D; Chapman, C; Suwidji, K

Is current rugby headgear adequate?

Eager, D

Chapman, C Suwidji, K

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Publication Type:: Conference Proceeding
Citation:: 8th Australasian Congress on Applied Mechanics, ACAM 2014, as Part of Engineers Australia Convention 2014, 2014, pp. 244 - 251
Issue Date:: 2014-01-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Eager, D https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1926-7867	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Chapman, C	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Suwidji, K	en_US
dc.date.issued	2014-01-01	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	8th Australasian Congress on Applied Mechanics, ACAM 2014, as Part of Engineers Australia Convention 2014, 2014, pp. 244 - 251	en_US
dc.identifier.isbn	9781922107350	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/30788
dc.description.abstract	The International Rugby Board (IRB) restricts the thickness of rugby headgear to no more than 10 mm (± 2 mm manufacturing tolerance) and the density to no more than 45 kg/m<sup>3</sup> (± 15 kg/m<sup>3</sup> manufacturing tolerance). This study presents data confirming these values are inadequate to protect the user (particularly the childhood user) from reasonably foreseeable impacts. The current IRB Regulations do not provide a great deal of flexibility for manufacturers to design a more effective headgear that would reduce the consequences of a head impact. A number of properties were measured including the maximum acceleration and head injury criteria of a headform fitted with the headgear. The two headgear that were commercially available and tested in this study had limited effectiveness to reduce the likelihood and/or consequences of a head related impact. It was concluded that the IRB should increase the maximum allowable headgear thickness to 20 ± 2 mm and also allow headgear manufacturers to optimise the performance by using composite foam with densities exceeding the current limit of 45 ± 15 kg/m<sup>3</sup>.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	8th Australasian Congress on Applied Mechanics, ACAM 2014, as Part of Engineers Australia Convention 2014	en_US
dc.title	Is current rugby headgear adequate?	en_US
dc.type	Conference Proceeding
utslib.for	091399 Mechanical Engineering not elsewhere classified	en_US
utslib.for	120499 Engineering Design not elsewhere classified	en_US
utslib.for	111712 Health Promotion	en_US
dc.location.activity	Melbourne, Australia
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/e-Press
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology/School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US

Abstract:

The International Rugby Board (IRB) restricts the thickness of rugby headgear to no more than 10 mm (± 2 mm manufacturing tolerance) and the density to no more than 45 kg/m³ (± 15 kg/m³ manufacturing tolerance). This study presents data confirming these values are inadequate to protect the user (particularly the childhood user) from reasonably foreseeable impacts. The current IRB Regulations do not provide a great deal of flexibility for manufacturers to design a more effective headgear that would reduce the consequences of a head impact. A number of properties were measured including the maximum acceleration and head injury criteria of a headform fitted with the headgear. The two headgear that were commercially available and tested in this study had limited effectiveness to reduce the likelihood and/or consequences of a head related impact. It was concluded that the IRB should increase the maximum allowable headgear thickness to 20 ± 2 mm and also allow headgear manufacturers to optimise the performance by using composite foam with densities exceeding the current limit of 45 ± 15 kg/m³.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/30788