A Study on Safety Assessment Platform for wheelchair structural design

휠체어 설계를 위한 구조 안전성 평가 플랫폼 연구

  • Yongwoo Lee ;
  • Jinhee Lee
  • 이용우 (신한대학교, 미래자동차공학과) ;
  • 이진희 (신한대학교 산학협력단)
  • Received : 2023.11.06
  • Accepted : 2023.12.18
  • Published : 2023.12.30

Abstract

With the goal of ensuring the safety of wheelchair users, this study was conducted using finite element analysis, focusing on the development of a platform that can be used to evaluate safety during the design stage. Safety evaluation criteria for wheelchairs used in vehicles are defined in ANSI/RESNA WC19 and ISO 7176-19. Based on these standards, finite element analysis was performed to assess the sectional forces of each component of the wheelchair and sensitivity analysis was conducted based on the specifications. These results were used to derive equivalent composite loads for the wheelchair's main components, determine the necessary sectional specifications for these main components in the wheelchair design phase, and investigate the process of safety assessment verification. The study showed that member forces vary with changes in the cross-sectional values of the wheelchair frame's main components, with the front and rear lower members, as well as the rear upper and lower members, requiring the highest cross-sectional values for safety design. This study offers a proactive method for evaluating safety in the wheelchair design stage, and in future research, we plan to develop a safety evaluation platform based on these results.

본 연구는 휠체어 사용자의 안전성을 확보하기 위한 목적으로, 유한요소 해석을 활용하여 휠체어의 구조 안전성을 평가할 수 있는 플랫폼의 개발을 위한 연구를 수행하였다. 차량 탑승 휠체어의 안전 평가 기준은 ANSI/RESNA WC 19 및 ISO 7176-19에서 정의되어 있다. 이러한 기준을 기반으로 유한요소 해석을 수행하여 휠체어의 각 부재의 단면력을 분석하고 제원에 따른 민감도 분석을 수행하였다. 이를 통해 휠체어의 주요 부재에 대한 등가 복합하중을 도출하고, 휠체어 설계 시 주요 부재가 가져야 하는 단면 제원을 확인하며 안전성 평가 검증 프로세스를 연구하였다. 연구 결과, 휠체어 프레임의 주요 부재의 단면값이 변화함에 따라 부재력이 변화하는 것을 확인할 수 있었으며, 안전 설계를 위해 측면부의 전후방향 하부 부재와 후면부 상하방향 부재가 가장 높은 단면값의 확보가 필요한 것으로 나타났다. 이를 통해 휠체어 설계단계에서 안전성을 사전에 평가할 수 있는 방법을 제시하였으며, 향후 연구에서는 이 결과를 기반으로 휠체어의 설계 제원에 따른 안전평가 플랫폼의 연구를 수행하고자 한다.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

본 연구는 국토교통부 "자동차전용도로 주행이 가능한 저상 좌석버스 표준모델 개발"사업의 연구비지원(과제번호# RS-2023-00253588)에 의해 수행되었습니다.

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