Computational investigation of the effects of knee airbag design on the interaction with occupant lower extremity in frontal and oblique impacts

Objective: The lower extremity of the occupant represents the most frequently injured body region in motor vehicle crashes. Knee airbags (KABs) have been implemented as a potential countermeasure to reduce lower extremity injuries. Despite the increasing prevalence of KABs in vehicles, the biomechanical interaction of the human lower extremity with the KAB has not been well characterized. This study uses computational models of the human body and KABs to explore how KAB design may influence the impact response of the occupant's lower extremities.

Methods: The analysis was conducted using a 50th percentile male occupant human body model with deployed KABs in a simplified vehicle interior. The 2 common KAB design types, bottom-deploy KAB (BKAB) and rear-deploy KAB (RKAB), were both included. A state-of-the-art airbag modeling technique, the corpuscular particle method, was adopted to represent the deployment dynamics of the unfolding airbags. Validation of the environment model was performed based on previously reported test results. The kinematic responses of the occupant lower extremities were compared under both KAB designs, 2 seating configurations (in-position and out-of-position), and 3 loading conditions (static, frontal, and oblique impacts). A linear statistical model was used to assess factor significance considering the impact responses of the occupant lower extremities.

Results: The presence of a KAB had a significant influence on the lower extremity kinematics compared to no KAB (P <.05) by providing early restraint and distributing contact force on the legs during airbag deployment. For in-position occupants, the KAB generally tended to decrease tibia loadings. The RKAB led to greater lateral motion of the legs compared to the BKAB, resulting in higher lateral displacement at the knee joint and abduction angle change (51.2 ± 21.7 mm and 15° ± 6.0°) over the dynamic loading conditions. Change in the seating position led to a significant difference in occupant kinematic and kinetic parameters (P <.05). For the out-of-position (forward-seated) occupant, the earlier contact between the lower extremity and the deploying KAB resulted in 28.4° ± 5.8° greater abduction, regardless of crash scenarios. Both KAB types reduced the axial force in the femur relative to no KAB. Overall, the out-of-position occupant sustained a raised axial force and bending moment of the tibia by 0.8 ± 0.2 kN and 21.1 ± 8.7 Nm regardless of restraint use.

Conclusions: The current study provided a preliminary computational examination on KAB designs based on a limited set of configurations in an idealized vehicle interior. Results suggested that the BKAB tended to provide more coverage and less leg abduction compared to the RKAB in oblique impact and/or the selected out-of-position scenario. An out-of-position occupant was associated with larger abduction and lower extremity loads over all occupant configurations. Further investigations are recommended to obtain a full understanding of the KAB performance in a more realistic vehicle environment.     

Pyrolysis behaviors of oil sludge based on TG/FTIR and PY-GC/MS

Pyrolysis is an alternative technology for oil sludge treatment. Thermogravimetric Analysis-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and Pyrolysis-Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry were employed to investigate the pyrolysis process and products of oil sludge. The pyrolysis process was divided into five stages: drying and gas desorption, oil volatilization, main pyrolysis, semi-coke charring, and mineral decomposition. The main reaction temperatures ranged from 497.6 K to 753.2 K. The products were mainly composed of pairs of alkane and alkene (carbon number ranges from 1 to 27). The mechanisms consisted of random chain scission followed by end chain scission at high temperatures with volatilization occurring during the whole process. This study is useful not only for the proper design of a pyrolysis system, but also for improving the utilization of liquid oil products.     

可生物降解材料聚羟基脂肪酸酯（PHA）的合成与应用概述

聚羟基脂肪酸酯（polyhydroxyalkanoates,PHA）是很多微生物合成的一种细胞内聚酯,是一种天然的高分子生物材料。PHA具有良好的生物相容性能、生物可降解性和塑料的热加工等性能。文章主要综述了PHA的合成途径与有关应用方面的研究。     

污染物在下包气带非饱水条件下迁移转化的研究

一、前言 城市污水施于农田,其中的污染物可能潜入地下水中造成危害,为了控制这种现象的发生,有必要开展污染物在地下包括下包气带的迁移转化规律研究,以供制订有关标准的依据。     

废催化剂浸出规律的静态实验方法

利用静态浸出实验方法对废催化剂中重金属在不同固水比和浸出次数条件下的浸出规律进行了系统研究。实验发现浸出次数大于３次后,重金属的浸出浓度和浸出速率趋于稳定,同时固水比的增加也没有明显改变废催化剂中重金属的浸出。认为在浸取次数大于３次以后,随着表面溶质的溶解,浸出过程主要为内扩散所控制。     

生活垃圾填埋场渗滤液处理技术研究

根据处理工艺原理的不同 ,分别介绍生化和物化处理技术、膜处理技术、土地处理技术和蒸发处理技术等处理工艺研究与应用的进展情况 ,同时根据我国填埋场渗滤液的产生特点和处理处置现状 ,展望了我国渗滤液处理工艺的发展趋势。     

花卉废物和牛粪联合堆肥中的氮迁移

以花卉废物和牛粪为原料,进行了温度反馈的通气量控制联合堆肥中的氮迁移中试研究.采用自制的静态好氧床进行一次发酵,过程控制采用温度反馈通气量控制方法,发酵周期20d;采用周期性翻堆进行物料二次腐熟,腐熟周期40d.研究了堆肥过程中总氮、有机氮、无机氮、氨氮、硝氮等氮素形态转化随时间的变化特征及温度反馈的通气量控制对氮迁移的影响.结果表明:堆肥初期的氨化作用和反硝化作用显著,氮素总量损失累计达41.98%,其中主要是有机氮的损失,99.95%的氮损失发生在一次发酵阶段;氮素损失主要是在pH和温度较高条件下的氨气大量挥发造成的.对通风进行有效控制、提高物料C/N及添加酸性物质有望减少N损失.对于C/N较低,硝态氮含量较高的物料堆肥,NH₄⁺-N≤0.04%、NH₄/NO₃≤0.16不能作为腐熟度指标.     

特低渗透油层含油污水处理工艺新技术

针对大庆油田低渗透油层水处理工艺存在的问题,设计了金刚砂过滤工艺。进行过滤效果及现场应用稳定性试验,通过工艺的调整及参数的优化,使其出水指标稳定,确定其最佳滤速、反洗再生、级配等运行工艺参数。并对其技术、经济性评价分析,确定为适合油田的精细过滤技术。     

大气中黑碳的健康效应及机制研究进展

虽然人类社会不断进步发展,但大量工业和自然排放也导致了严重的空气污染。大气颗粒物是大气污染物的主要成分之一,黑碳是其中的重要组成成分,被国际癌症研究机构(IARC)归类为2B类致癌物。黑碳可以吸附其他致癌物质,会对环境和人体健康产生不利影响,因此黑碳暴露对人类的危害得到越来越多的重视。空气中黑碳的水平与心血管、呼吸和神经系统疾病的发生都有关系;黑碳主要通过引起氧化应激和炎症反应,诱发基因突变等一系列损伤。虽然现今对于黑碳健康效应的研究已取得了一些进展,但研究多数处于起步阶段,且仅针对黑碳本身进行单独研究,未来还需要加强开展对黑碳和其他污染物联合毒性效应及机制的研究。本综述主要针对近年来已开展的研究进行了总结归纳。