CRASH TEST SOFTWARE ANALYSIS

摘要

The development of highly advanced computer simulation software packages has enabled design engineers to more effectively integrate safety features into their designs. Designs can be tested long before any physical construction ever begins. This saves money, allowing more extensive testing to be performed, and it also saves time, expediting the process of moving concept to reality. In the automotive industry, such software can be especially useful, since computer simulations can be run over and over again, making it possible to observe the effects of adjusting single variables in dynamic situations. This has opened the door for testing of non-typical occupants. Restraints and safety devices are no longer designed to suit the needs of the average person; they can be tailored to account for all body types, or even for the disabled. The original purpose of this study was to simulate a vehicular collision involving a wheelchair-bound occupant and then analyze the quality of current wheelchair restraint systems. The project has evolved into a more general study of current simulation software packages and injuries incurred in common automobile accidents. Once general simulations are successfully completed, more highly specific simulations, such as disabled occupant dynamics, can be performed by modifying the general template simulation. Data concerning the strengths of different bones and joints will be used in conjunction with crash test simulations to predict injuries.