In the automotive sector, virtual prototyping allows to reduce time and costs of designing. Crash tests can be simulated by computer models, by using multibody-FEM techniques and, among the solvers available on the market, Madymo (TNO Automotive Safety Solutions - NL) has been developed for being particularly suitable for studying problems of impact and crash mechanics. Born as a general-purpose multibody code, Madymo includes (i) powerful routines of contact detection, (ii) libraries of numerical dummies (which reproduce the dynamical behaviour of the real instrumented dummies, with the aim of evaluating injuries to the occupants) and (iii) the principal active and passive safety systems as different kinds of belts and airbags. We have extended, to our knowledge for the first time, these techniques of numerical simulation to work accidents, analysing the reliability of safety systems aimed at protecting workers and proposing an original approach for their functional design and optimisation. In this paper, the results pertinent to the roll-over of a wheeled tractor with narrow track, placed on a sloping ground, is presented as an application, with the purpose of evaluating the safety performance of a pelvic restraint system.
Use of Simulation Techniques to Improve Tractor Operator Safety
PASCUZZI, Simone;
2008-01-01
Abstract
In the automotive sector, virtual prototyping allows to reduce time and costs of designing. Crash tests can be simulated by computer models, by using multibody-FEM techniques and, among the solvers available on the market, Madymo (TNO Automotive Safety Solutions - NL) has been developed for being particularly suitable for studying problems of impact and crash mechanics. Born as a general-purpose multibody code, Madymo includes (i) powerful routines of contact detection, (ii) libraries of numerical dummies (which reproduce the dynamical behaviour of the real instrumented dummies, with the aim of evaluating injuries to the occupants) and (iii) the principal active and passive safety systems as different kinds of belts and airbags. We have extended, to our knowledge for the first time, these techniques of numerical simulation to work accidents, analysing the reliability of safety systems aimed at protecting workers and proposing an original approach for their functional design and optimisation. In this paper, the results pertinent to the roll-over of a wheeled tractor with narrow track, placed on a sloping ground, is presented as an application, with the purpose of evaluating the safety performance of a pelvic restraint system.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
