Mechanical properties of the human scalp have not been investigated to a great extent with limited information available. The purpose of this study was to provide new baseline material data for human scalp tissue of various ages, which can be applied to experimental and constitutive models, such as in the area of impact biomechanics. This study used specimens from the left and right temporal, fronto-parietal and occipital regions of the human scalp. It investigated the tensile behavior of scalp tissue using tissues harvested from unfixed, fresh cadavers. These samples were subjected to an osmotic stress analysis and upon testing, cyclic loading followed by stretching until failure in a universal testing machine. Strain evaluation was conducted using digital image correlation in a highly standardized approach. Elastic modulus, tensile strength, strain at maximum load and strain to failure were evaluated computationally. No significant differences were observed comparing the tensile strength between males and females. In contrast to that, a sex-dependent difference was found for the elastic modulus of the occipital scalp region and for the elongation properties. Additionally, regional differences within the male group, as well as an age dependent correlation for females were found in the elastic modulus and tensile strength. Scanning electron microscope analyses have shown the ultrastructural failure patterns, indicated by damaged keratin plates, as well as partially disrupted and retraced collagens at the failure site. The novel data obtained in this study could add valuable information to be used for modeling purposes, as well as provide baseline data for simulant materials and comparisons of tissue properties following head injury or forensic investigations.

由于可获得的信息有限，因此尚未对人体头皮的机械性能进行过广泛的研究。这项研究的目的是为不同年龄的人类头皮组织提供新的基线材料数据，这些数据可以应用于实验和本构模型，例如在冲击生物力学领域。这项研究使用了人类头皮的左右颞，额顶叶和枕叶区域的标本。它使用未固定的新鲜尸体收集的组织调查了头皮组织的拉伸行为。对这些样品进行渗透应力分析，并在测试时进行循环加载，然后拉伸直至在通用测试机中失效。使用数字图像相关性以高度标准化的方法进行了应变评估。弹性模量，拉伸强度，通过计算评估最大载荷下的应变和破坏时的应变。比较男性和女性之间的拉伸强度，没有观察到显着差异。与此相反，发现枕头皮区域的弹性模量和伸长特性的性别相关差异。此外，在弹性模量和拉伸强度方面，发现了男性组中的区域差异以及女性的年龄相关性。扫描电子显微镜分析已显示出超微结构破坏模式，其表现为受损的角蛋白板以及破坏部位的部分破坏和回溯的胶原蛋白。这项研究中获得的新颖数据可以添加有价值的信息以用于建模目的，