Crash Sled System for the Experimental Development and Certification of Crashworthy Structures, Seats and Interiors that Improve Occupant Survivability for Air, Land and Sea Applications
Abstract
The National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) Crash Dynamics Laboratory at Wichita State University is a premier dynamic sled" testing facility providing research, training, development testing, and certification of aircraft and non-aviation components under"" dynamic impact conditions. Established in 1992 and updated in 2005, the Crash Dynamics Laboratory has become the premiere facility"" supporting crashworthiness research for government (DOT, FAA, FTA, and NSF) and industry organizations worldwide. Within the next 1""2 months the principal systems [electronics, and hydraulics] that are used in the construction of the current MTS servo hydraulic Sl"ed System at WSU-NIAR are reaching the end of their useful life. MTS and their suppliers are no longer supporting changes or upgrades to the current sled systems. In order for WSU-NIAR to continue its operations of the dynamic sled facility it is imperative that the Dynamic Sled System is replaced within the next 12 months.NIAR~s dynamic sled facility is currently being used for the development and ertification of various Navy Helicopter Crashworthy Seat applications and is part of an academia-industry consortium proposal to support the future Advanced Helicopter Seating System (AHSS) Army W911W6-17-R-0011 R&D project. The funding requested in this proposal in conjunction with NIAR~s cost sharing funds ($1.26M) will be used to upgrade the NIAR dynamic sled facility to an Instron HyperGplus 220. This system not only provides a replacement for the current system but also has additional system performance feat"ures [double payload capability, and increased deceleration levels] that will enable WSU-NIAR to conduct research in high-g loading" military applications when the occupants are subjected to high decelerations fields due to crash and blast loading; it will also su"pport additional new emerging transportation fields such as space capsule crashworthy seat design, high-speed impact ground vehicle"" applications, and vehicles with multioccupant configurations [high payload configurations]. This new facility will provide state of"" the art research, development and certification services to government and industry organizations. It could be the cornerstone of a" future Crashworthiness and Personnel Protection R&D and training center for the Navy with the mission of developing new technologie"s to increase personnelsurvivability. Finally, the acquisition of this system would allow hundreds of current university students t"hat work at NIAR to get trained and gain hands on experience in crashworthiness dynamic testing. This will result in a better qualified work force who understands the complex processes of dynamic testing and can support future crashworthiness and safety personnel needs at NAVAIR and their suppliers.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Jan 23, 2018
- Source ID
- N000141812092
Entities
People
- Gerardo Olivares
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy
- Wichita State University