Development and validation of occupant-seat model for applications in vibration performance assessment of automotive seats Abstract The daily occupational use of automobiles for several hours highlights the importance of considering vibration and impacts as potential physical stressors for the drivers. Since prolonged exposure to these types of stressors is likely to contribute to health problems, including back pain, some automobile manufacturers want to review the design of seats in order to improve their efficiency and reduce the vibration levels and shocks that could affect the occupants. Test codes already exist for evaluating in the laboratory the performance of seats intended for several categories of vehicles. However, none is defined for the seats of automobiles that stand out due to vibrational environment characteristics and seat configurations that are clearly different from those of other types of vehicles. In addition, since seat performance tests must be carried out with human subjects adopting driving postures dictated by the seat configuration, the design characteristics of effective automobile seats are planned by modeling the seat and the dynamic behaviour of the human body. The purpose of this study is essentially to develop a generic model for the human body specifically applicable to automobile drivers by taking into account the typical vibration levels and driving postures associated with this category of vehicle.Defining the biodynamic models that characterize automobile drivers will be the first step in developing combined seat-driver models for establishing automobile seat design parameters that reduce whole-body vibration exposure. Produced Under this Project Scientific Publications Whole-body vertical biodynamic response characteristics of the seated vehicle driver: Measurement and model developmentBoileau P.-É., Rakheja S.Source : International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, vol. 22, no 6, 1998, p. 449-472Investigating the applicability of biodynamic models to account for whole-body dynamics on automotive seatsRakheja S., Boileau P.-É.Source : Canadian Acoustics/Acoustique canadienne, vol. 29, no 3, 2001, p. 22-23A body mass dependent mechanical impedance model for applications in vibration seat testingBoileau P.-É., Rakheja S., Wu X.Source : Journal of Sound and Vibration, vol. 253, no 1, 2002, p. 243-264Seated occupant apparent mass characteristics under automotive postures and vertical vibrationRakheja S., Boileau P.-É., Stiharu I.Source : Journal of Sound and Vibration, vol. 253, no 1, 2002, p. 57-76Study of occupant-seat models for vibration comfort analysis of automotive seatsTchernychouk V., Rakheja S., Stiharu I., Boileau P.-É.Source : in International Body Engineering Conference and Exhibition (IBEC), (3-5 octobre 2000 : Détroit, Michigan) Proceeding of the International Conference Body Engineering Conference and Exhibition (IEBC), 3-5 October 2000, Detroit, MichiganLimits of application of human body dynamics in assessing vibration comfort of seatsPolitis H., Rakheja S., Juras D., Boileau P.-É., Boutin J.Source : in SAE 2003 Transactions Journal of Passenger Cars - Mechanical Systems, 2003, SAE Paper 2003-01-0953, p. 973-979Comparison of Biodynamic Response Characteristics of Various Human Body Models as Applied to Seated Vehicle DriversBoileau P.-É., Rakheja S., Yang X., Stiharu I.Source : Noise and Vibration Worldwide, vol. 28, no 9, 1997, p. 7-15A body mass dependent mechanical impedance model for applications in vibration seat testingBoileau P.-É., Rakheja S., Wu X.Source : in 2nd International Conference on Whole-Body Vibration Injuries (2nd : November 7-9, 2000 : Sienna, Italy) 2000, p. 87-88Seated occupant apparent mass characteristics under automotive postures and vertical vibrationRakheja S., Boileau P.-É., Stiharu I.Source : in 2nd International Conference on Whole-Body Vibration Injuries (2nd : November 7-9, 2000 : Sienna, Italy) 2000, p. 39-40Les problèmes associés à l'exposition aux vibrations globales du corpsBoileau P.-É.Source : in Colloque de l'Association des médecins du travail du Québec / AMTQ, (20 février, 2004 : Québec, Canada), 2004Influence of back support conditions on the apparent mass of seated occupants under horizontal vibrationMandapuram S., Rakheja S., Ma S., Demont R. G., Boileau P.-É.Source : Industrial Health, vol. 43, no 3, 2005, p. 421-435Seated occupant interactions with seat backrest and pan, and biodynamic response under vertical vibrationRakheja S., Zhang H., Stiharu I., Boileau P.-É.Source : in International Conference on Whole-Body Vibration Injuries (3rd : June 7-9, 2005 : Nancy, France), 2005Seated occupant interactions with seat backrest and pan, and biodynamic responses under vertical vibrationRakheja S., Stiharu I., Zhang H., Boileau P.-É.Source : Journal of Sound and Vibration, vol. 298, no 3, 2006, p. 651-671 Additional Information Type: Project Number: 0099-0660 Status: Completed Year of completion: 2002 Research Field: Mechanical and Physical Risk Prevention Team: Paul-Émile Boileau (IRSST)Subhash Rakheja (Université Concordia)Ion Stiharu (Université Concordia)