Citation

Bertocci G, Souza AL, Szobota S. J. Rehabil. Res. Dev. 2003; 40(2): 125-130.

Affiliation

University of Pittsburgh, Injury Risk Assessment and Prevention (iRAP) Laboratory, Department of Rehabilitation Science and Technology, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA. ginaber@pitt.edu

Copyright

(Copyright © 2003, Rehabilitation Research and Development Service, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

15077638

Abstract

Many wheelchair users must travel in motor vehicles while seated in their wheelchairs. The safety features of seat assemblies are key to motor vehicle occupant crash protection. Seating system properties such as strength, stiffness, and energy absorbance have been shown to have significant influence on risk of submarining. This study investigated the effects of wheelchair seat stiffness and energy absorption properties on occupant risk of submarining during a frontal motor vehicle 20 g/30 mph impact using a validated computer crash simulation model. The results indicate that wheelchair-seating stiffness and energy absorption characteristics influence occupant kinematics associated with the risk of submarining. Softer seat surfaces and relatively high energy absorption/permanent deformation were found to produce pelvis excursion trajectories associated with increased submarining risk. Findings also suggest that the current American National Standards Institute/Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America (ANSI/RESNA) WC-19 seating integrity may not adequately assess submarining risk.