Evaluation of the passive safety in cars adapted with steering control devices for disabled drivers

The purpose of this research is to analyse the influence of steering control devices for disabled people on passive safety. It is based on the advances made in the modelling and simulation of the driver position and in the suit verification test. The influence of these devices is studied through airbag deployment and/or its influence on driver safety. We characterise the different adaptations that are used in adapted cars that can be found mounted in vehicles in order to generate models that are verified by experimental test. A three-dimensional design software package was used to develop the model. The simulations were generated using a dynamic simulation program employing LS-DYNA finite elements. This program plots the geometry and assigns materials. The airbag is shaped, meshed and folded just as it is mounted in current vehicles. The thermodynamic model of expansion of gases is assigned, and the contact interfaces are defined. Static tests were carried out on the deployment of the airbag to contrast with and to validate the computational models and to measure the behaviour of the airbag when there are steering adaptations mounted in the vehicle. © 2011 Taylor & Francis.Masiá Vañó, J.; Eixerés Tomás, B.; Dols Ruiz, JF. (2011). Evaluation of the passive safety in cars adapted with steering control devices for disabled drivers. International Journal of Crashworthiness. 16(1):75-83. doi:10.1080/13588265.2010.514772S7583161Bedewi, N. E., Marzougui, D., & Motevalli, V. (1996). Evaluation of parameters affecting simulation of airbag deployment and interaction with occupants. International Journal of Crashworthiness, 1(4), 339-354. doi:10.1533/cras.1996.0025Chawla, A., Mukherjee, S., & Sharma, A. (2005). Development of FE meshes for folded airbags. International Journal of Crashworthiness, 10(3), 259-266. doi:10.1533/ijcr.2005.0343Cheng, Z., Rizer, A. L., & Pellettiere, J. A. (2003). Modeling and Simulation of OOP Occupant-Airbag Interaction. SAE Technical Paper Series. doi:10.4271/2003-01-0510Crandall, J. R., Bass, C. R., Pikey, W. D., Miller, H. J., Sikorski, J., & Wilkins, M. (1996). Thoracic response and injury with belt, driver side airbag, and force limited belt restraint systems. International Journal of Crashworthiness, 2(1), 119-132. doi:10.1533/cras.1997.0039Dalrymple, G. (1996). Effects of Assistive Steering Devices on Air Bag Deployment. SAE Technical Paper Series. doi:10.4271/960223Khan, M. U., & Moatamedi, M. (2008). A review of airbag test and analysis. International Journal of Crashworthiness, 13(1), 67-76. doi:10.1080/13588260701731674Khan, M. U., Moatamedi, M., Souli, M., & Zeguer, T. (2008). Multiphysics out of position airbag simulation. International Journal of Crashworthiness, 13(2), 159-166. doi:10.1080/13588260701788385Richert, J., Coutellier, D., Götz, C., & Eberle, W. (2007). Advanced smart airbags: The solution for real-life safety? International Journal of Crashworthiness, 12(2), 159-171. doi:10.1080/13588260701433461Ruff, C., Jost, T., & Eichberger, A. (2007). Simulation of an airbag deployment in out-of-position situations. Vehicle System Dynamics, 45(10), 953-967. doi:10.1080/0042311070153830

Passive safety evaluation in driving adapted vehicles

[EN] Driving a private vehicle represents nowadays one of the most viable ways by which disabled drivers can maintain their mobility and transport conditions. To do so it is necessary to adapt a vehicle to the user's residual capabilities. Nevertheless the technical aids installed in the vehicles must fulfill the same safety requirements as standard vehicles. This paper shows the results of a research project held at the Automobile Laboratory of the Technical University of Valencia (Spain), the main objective being to generate basic design criteria for improving the passive safety behaviour of the adapted vehicle under different impact conditions. The research project whose partial results are shown in this paper was developed by the Automobile Laboratory of the Technical University of Valencia (Spain), under the auspices of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (Ref. TRA2005-08649) during the years 2006–2008. Dols Ruiz, JF.; Masiá Vañó, J.; Eixerés Tomás, B. (2012). Passive Safety evaluation in driving adapted vehicles. International Journal of Vehicle Safety. 6(1):77-89. doi:10.1504/IJVS.2012.048534 S 77 89 6

Session THE DYNAMIC SIMULATION AS INNOVATIVE TOOL IN THE TEACHING OF THE MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Abstract ⎯ Till a few years ago, the analysis of movements in mechanisms and machines derived of the application of the conventional theories, required a long time of problem resolution. Therefore, these theories were difficult to be applied in the field of design. The possibility to automate these calculations by modelling tools means a challenge to the use of these new methodologies in the industrial environment. In regards to the design of a product, it becomes more and necessary having tools that besides generating the group of planes, lists of elements, etc., allow to have a clear idea about how the system will work. Up to date, the teaching in the field of mechanisms and machines was of complicate illustration, since it was to explain the operation of the mechanical systems, without having tools that allowed to display the movement of the different components. This had to be carried out through static images for certain positions of the system (transparencies, drawings on blackboard,...). Index Terms ⎯ Mechanisms, Simulation, mechanical system, tridimensional modelitation