A computational model of the pregnant occupant, which is capable of simulating the dynamic response to acceleration impacts, is introduced. The occupant model represents a 5th percentile female at around the 38th week of pregnancy. A finite element uterus and multi-body fetus is integrated into an existing female model to incorporate pregnant female anthropometry.

    The complete model, ‘Expecting’, is used to simulate a range of frontal impacts of increasing severity from 15km/h to 45km/h. Three levels of occupant restraint, completely unrestrained, three-point seat belt, and three-point seat belt with an airbag, are investigated. The strains developed in the uterus because of loading from the seat belt and steering-wheel unit are presented, together with an analysis of stress distribution due to inertial loading of the fetus on the uterus.

    The unrestrained cases are shown to be the most dangerous to the fetus, owing to the large interaction with the vehicle steering wheel at the level of the placenta. The use of a three-point seat belt together with a driver airbag appears to offer the greatest protection to the fetus.


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    Title :

    Computational pregnant occupant model, ‘Expecting’, for crash simulations


    Contributors:


    Publication date :

    2009-07-01


    Size :

    12 pages




    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English




    Computational pregnant occupant model, 'Expecting' for crash simulations

    Serpil Acar, B. / Lopik, D. van | Tema Archive | 2009


    Computational pregnant occupant model, "expecting", for crash simulations

    Acar,B.S. / van Lopik,D. / Loughborough Univ.of Technology,GB | Automotive engineering | 2009



    Pregnant occupant model with a fetus: "expecting"

    Acar,B.S. / Loughborough Univ.of Technology,GB | Automotive engineering | 2014


    Pregnant occupant model with a fetus: "Expecting"

    Acar, B. Serpil | ELBA - Federal Highway Research Institute (BASt) | 2015

    Free access