Anti tank (AT) mines pose a serious threat to the occupants of armored vehicles. High acceleration pulses and impact forces are transmitted to the occupant through vehicle-occupant contact interfaces, such as the floor and seat, posing the risk of moderate to fatal injury.

 

The use of an energy absorbing seat in conjunction with vehicle armor plating greatly improves occupant survivability during such an explosion. The crushing of aluminum tubes over a steel rail constitutes the principal energy absorption mechanism. Concepts to further reduce the transmitted shock pulse to the occupant are introduced during the study, such as the use of a foam cushion and an inflatable sensor-controlled airbag cushion.

 

The explicit non-linear finite element software LS-DYNA is used to perform all numerical simulations. Vertical drop testing of the seat structure with the occupant are performed for validation of collected data after which simulations are run using acceleration pulses comparable to a mine blast under a vehicle. The occupant is modeled using both GEBOD and HYBRID III dummies. Data such as lumbar compressive load and flexion-extension moment, neck moments, head and neck acceleration, torso accelerations are collected for comparison with known allowable values to assess injury. Further, a comparison between the responses of the GEBOD and HYBRID III dummies to the same loading conditions and input pulses is studied. The design of the most efficient energy absorbing seat mechanism is then finalized

 

In another related study, an energy absorbing honeycomb mechanism is developed, which provides occupant protection in a 360 degree horizontal plane as well as in the vertical direction.

 

 

Dr. Gaurav Nilakantan

Research—

Energy Absorbing Seat

University of Delaware, USA

Office     : +1(302)831-0376

E-mail    : nilakag@udel.edu

Gmail     : nilakantan.gaurav@gmail.com

LinkedIn : www.linkedin.com/in/gauravnilakantan

Center for Composite Materials

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Newark, DE 19716

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