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An investigation in crashworthiness evaluation of aircraft seat cushions at extreme ranges of temperature

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Abstract

This paper obtains a Mathematical Dynamic Model (MADYMO) for occupant lumbar load evaluation under CFR Part 23 and 25 at extreme ranges of temperature. The validation of results is performed by full scale sled test results. Aircraft industries are using viscoelastic polyurethane foams as seat cushion. Visco-elastic foams bring not only more comfort to the passengers in long term sitting but it also maintains more safety during unpredicted crashes and hard landings. Aircraft seat cushions are exposed to varying temperature ranges during their life time. This fact has motivated aircraft industries to evaluate the seat cushion dynamic behavior at extreme ranges of temperatures in addition to what is mentioned in Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Regulations at room temperature. This research provides a methodology based on simulation and modeling to eliminate, or at least, minimize the number of full scale dynamic sled tests defined by regulations for aircraft seats at extreme ranges of temperature.

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References

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Isfahan, Hezar Jarib Ave., Isfahan, 81746-73441, Iran

    Hamid Khademhosseini Beheshti

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Wichita State University, Wichita, KS, 67260-0133, USA

    Hamid Lankarani

Authors
  1. Hamid Khademhosseini Beheshti
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  2. Hamid Lankarani
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hamid Khademhosseini Beheshti.

Additional information

This paper was recommended for publication in revised form by Associate Editor Eung-Soo Shin

Hamid Kh. Beheshti is an assistant professor of the Mechanical Engineering at the University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran. His research interests include structural dynamics, aeroelasticity, automotive and aircraft crashworthiness, occupant protection, and injury biomechanics. He received the B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in mechanical engineering from Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran in 1994 and 1998, respectively. He received the Ph.D from Wichita State University, Wichita, Kansas, USA in 2004. He worked as a dynamics and loads engineer in dynamics loads group at Cessna Aircraft Company, mostly involved with landing gear design and aircraft dynamic load calculation from 2004 to 2006.

Hamid Lankarani is a Professor of the Mechanical Engineering and a senior fellow of the National Institute for Aviation Research, at Wichita State University. He is one of the world’s leading researchers and educators in the field of multi-body system dynamics and its application to automotive and aircraft crashworthiness, occupant protection, structural impact, and injury biomechanics. He is the recipient of several educational and research awards. He has served as a Technical Editor or a member of Editorial Board for a number of international journals.

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Beheshti, H.K., Lankarani, H. An investigation in crashworthiness evaluation of aircraft seat cushions at extreme ranges of temperature. J Mech Sci Technol 24, 1105–1110 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-010-0316-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-010-0316-5

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