5aBV2. A method of health hazard assessment for human exposure to repeated mechanical shocks.

Session: Friday Morning, June 20


Author: James Morrison
Location: School of Kinesiology, Simon Fraser Univ., Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada, jmorriso@sfu.ca
Author: Jordan Nicol
Location: School of Kinesiology, Simon Fraser Univ., Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada, jmorriso@sfu.ca
Author: Daniel Robinson
Location: B.C. Res., Inc., Vancouver, BC V6S 2L2, Canada
Author: George Roddan
Location: B.C. Res., Inc., Vancouver, BC V6S 2L2, Canada
Author: Julie Springer
Location: B.C. Res., Inc., Vancouver, BC V6S 2L2, Canada
Author: Steven Martin
Location: B.C. Res., Inc., Vancouver, BC V6S 2L2, Canada
Author: John Albano
Location: U.S. Army Aeromedical Res. Lab., Fort Rucker, AL 36362-0577

Abstract:

This study describes a health hazard assessment (HHA) method for evaluating human exposures to repeated shocks in tactical ground vehicles. The method predicts the risk of injury to the occupants of a vehicle from the accelerations measured at the seat. The HHA will identify both acute and chronic health risks resulting from either a single exposure, or from multiple exposures to travel over rough terrain. The HHA is based on existing models, human injury data, and experimental data obtained from volunteers subjected to a range of shock profiles and to prolonged repeated shock exposures. The HHA consists of three components: (1) dynamic response models which predict seat-to-spine transmission of acceleration; (2) a dose model for exposure to repeated shocks based on fatigue failure theory and subjective tolerance data; and (3) an injury risk model based on the cumulative probability of failure. A biomechanical model is also described which analyzes spinal compression forces in response to shock. This model uses human experimental data to provide an independent evaluation of the HHA. The components of the HHA are outlined and some test results are presented. [Work supported by US Army Med. Res. & Dev. Command, Contract No. DAMD17-91-C-1115.]


ASA 133rd meeting - Penn State, June 1997