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。     

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。     

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。     

低剂量丙烯酰胺多世代持续暴露对秀丽隐杆线虫的损伤作用

论文研究了丙烯酰胺(acrylamide,AA)低剂量多代持续暴露对模式生物秀丽隐杆线虫(Caenorhabditis elegans,C.elegans)的发育、生殖、寿命和捕食行为能力的影响。将线虫暴露于不同剂量水平的AA中,检测对当代线虫的发育周期、后代数量、寿命和捕食行为的影响,结果显示,1.0 mmol·L~(-1)AA水平可诱发当代线虫发育周期延长和后代数量减少(P 0.05),0.05mmol·L~(-1)和0.001 mmol·L~(-1)水平可分别诱发捕食行为能力下降和寿命缩短(P0.05)。进一步选取对当代线虫不产生明显损伤效应的AA剂量,将线虫进行多代持续暴露处理,结果显示,0.01 mmol·L~(-1)AA分别可在第2代g1和第3代g2诱发发育周期延长和后代数量减少(P0.05),0.005 mmol·L~(-1)AA可在第2代g1引起摄食行为能力下降,0.0001 mmol·L~(-1)(约7μg·L~(-1),低于推测人的平均AA暴露水平)的AA在第2代g1即可诱发寿命缩短(P0.05)。以上结果表明AA生物学毒性可以在后代间积累,极低剂量AA多代持续暴露仍可诱发生物学损伤。     

类二噁英多氯联苯生殖毒性的研究进展

类二噁英多氯联苯(DlPCBs)作为典型的环境内分泌干扰物,会干扰接触个体或其后代的内分泌功能,破坏机体的神经系统、免疫系统,尤其对生殖系统的影响最为明显,比如对生殖器官的形态与功能、生殖内分泌、原始生殖细胞及其受精和早期胚胎发育等产生严重影响,最终导致各种生殖系统疾病的发生。DlPCBs的蓄积性及半挥发性使其在环境中分布广泛,半衰期长的特点使其将对动物及人类的生存和健康造成难以想象的影响。本文综述了DlPCBs的分类与构成、一般性质、生殖毒性以及其可能的致病机理,并对DlPCBs生殖毒性机理研究的重点方向进行了展望。     

Aerosol size distributions in urban Jinan: Seasonal characteristics and variations between weekdays and weekends in a heavily polluted atmosphere

Aerosol size distributions, trace gas, and PM(2.5) concentrations have been measured in urban Jinan, China, over 6 months in 2007 and 2008, covering spring, summer, fall, and winter time periods. Number concentrations of particles (10-2,500 nm) were 16,200, 13,900, 11,200, and 21,600 cm(?-3) in spring, summer, fall, and winter, respectively. Compared with other urban studies, Jinan has higher number concentrations of accumulation-mode particles (100-500 nm) and particles (10-2,500 nm), but lower concentrations of ultrafine particles (10-100 nm). The number, surface and volume concentrations, and size distributions of particles showed obvious seasonal variation and are also influenced by traffic emissions. Through correlation analysis, traffic emissions are proposed to be a more important contributor to Atkien-mode and accumulation-mode particles than coal firing. Around midday, the presence of nanoparticles and new particle formation is limited to pre-existing particles from traffic emissions and the mass transport of particles from suburban and rural areas. Compared with other studies in urban areas of Europe and the USA, the variation of particle number concentration and related gas concentration in Jinan between weekdays and weekends is smaller and the reasons has been deduced.