Kinematics and injury risk of a wheelchair occupant in a railway vehicle crash

摘要

This paper presents results of computer numerical modelling of a wheelchair occupant during a railway vehicle crash for the baseline wheelchair seating condition. The baseline condition (baseline securement case) refers to the current practice in the EU where the wheelchair occupant is provided with a designated wheelchair space. However, the wheelchair is not secured and the occupant is not restrained. A numerical model of a wheelchair and occupant in a railway vehicle were developed and solved using LS-DYNA3D. Validation was achieved using experimental results. A crash pulse of about 5 g was applied to the virtual crash test sled in line with the European Commission (EC) requirements. For all crash tests to assess the potential injury severity, a Hybrid Ⅲ 50th percentile male anthropometric test device (ATD) was applied. The initial conditions, boundary conditions and material characteristics were obtained from human factors studies, experimental tests and literature.