This optimizing tool may be shared with EA seat manufacturers and applied to military seat development efforts for EA mechanisms for a given occupant and designated blast severity. The tool consists of a mathematical dynamic model (MADYMO)-modified human body model (HBM), basic EA seat model, and an optimizing sequence using modefrontier software. Using dynamic rigid-body modeling, a virtual tool to determine optimal force and deflection limits was developed to reduce pelvis and lower spine injuries in underbody blast events using a generic seat model. EA seats utilize stroking mechanisms to absorb energy and reduce the vertical forces imparted on the occupant's pelvis and lower spine. Though energy attenuating (EA) seats for air and spacecraft applications have existed for decades, they have not yet been fully characterized for their energy attenuation capability or resulting effect on occupant protection in vertical underbody blast.
