Whole-body biodynamics and modelling

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The characterization of the biodynamic response of human subjects exposed to whole-body vibration is widely used to enhance our knowledge of the adverse vibration health effects and to assist in the design of vehicle seats. While the biodynamic response of the body has ben most widely characterized under single-axis vibration using the driving-point mechanical impedance, apparent mass and seat-to-head transmissibility responses for subjects seated on a rigid seat, there is a need to better understand how the multi-axes vibration encountered in vehicles is transmitted to different parts of the body to provide an understanding of the injury mechanisms involved. Furthermore, the biodynamic responses need to be defined on typical suspension or visco-elastic seats which are more representative of those used in vehicles. This program of work is aimed at characterizing the biodynamic responses of the human body seated on visco-elastic surfaces and exposed to multiple-axes whole-body vibration representative of those encountered in different types of road, off-road and industrial vehicles. These studies will involve laboratory investigations in which groups of male and female subjects within different mass ranges will be submitted to multiple axes and single-axis vibration using a 6 degree-of-freedom whole-body vibration simulator. The measured responses, including variations in seated postures, will be statistically analyzed to establish reliable target data for the seated human body exposed to various types of vehicle vibration. On the basis of the measured responses, biodynamic models of the seated body will be developed to build occupant-seat models for design and analysis of suspension and visco-elastic seats. Validation of these models will be established by comparing the predicted occupant-seat vibration transmissibility responses with those measured in the laboratory with real seats and subjects under various vibration and postural conditions. This program of work should generate new understanding on the feasibility of applying laboratory-based models to reliably represent the seat-occupant responses under typical vehicle vibration environments.