Safety Effects of Operator Seat Design in Large Commercial Vehicles

This Innovations Deserving Exploratory Analysis (IDEA) project sought to develop an evaluation method to compare driver fatigue between a variety of different seat cushions. The focus was on evaluating fatigue between two distinct types of seat cushions, foam and air-inflated seat cushions. This work builds upon our earlier studies on finding efficient and scientific methodologies that can be used by the commercial transportation community for relating seat dynamics with driver fatigue. Whereas previous studies used a single axis test rig for understanding some of the fundamentals of the interaction between the dynamic human-vehicle interface and human fatigue, this study conducted a series of road tests with a group of Class 8 trucks for the purpose of (1) Better understanding the relationship between vehicle seat design and driver fatigue, and in particular how it can affect vehicle safety, in terms of driver alertness and attentiveness, reduced rates of accidents, frequency of near misses, and ability to perform the tasks that are commonly required while driving; (2) Improving two newly proposed methods and increasing the transportation industry’s confidence in their utility for objectively assessing the fatigue effects of vehicle seats; and (3) Providing design guidelines that can be used for evaluating and improving fatigue characteristics of vehicle seats since most guidelines currently available are confined to comfort – an issue different from fatigue. Throughout this document, the term “comfort” is used to define the short-term effect of a seat on the human body, which is commonly the sensation that occurs from sitting on a seat for a short period of time. In contrast, the term “fatigue” is used to define the physical effect that results from exposure to the seat dynamics for a long period of time.

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/archive/studies/idea/finalreports/safety/S-04_Final_Report.pdf
• 
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved
• Authors:
  • Ahmadian, Mehdi
  • Boggs, Christopher
• Publication Date: 2005-5

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 43p
• Serial:
  • Safety IDEA Program Project Final Report
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
• Publication flags:

  Open Access (libre)

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Comfort; Commercial vehicles; Design; Foams; Physiological fatigue; Road tests; Seats; Technological innovations; Trucks
• Identifier Terms: Innovations Deserving Exploratory Analysis (IDEA) (Program)
• Uncontrolled Terms: Air-inflated cushions; Human-vehicle interfaces
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Motor Carriers; Vehicles and Equipment; I91: Vehicle Design and Safety; I92: Vehicle Comfort;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01149280
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: Safety IDEA Project 04
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Jan 28 2010 8:29PM