Citation

Abernethy CN, Plank GR, Sussman ED, Jacobs HH. Transp. Res. Rec. 1977; 646: 12-17.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1977, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences USA, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This paper describes the testing of seated human subjects to determine the maximum deceleration and associated rate of change of deceleration (jerk) at which the majority of potential users of automated-guideway-transportation systems will remain securely in their seats. The subjects underwent various levels of deceleration and associated jerk in an instrument vehicle while seated normally (forward facing); sideways (turned 90 deg counterclockwise from the direction of travel); and normally, but tilted backward (facing forward, but with the entire seat tilted 5 deg backward). The subjects also underwent various levels of jerk (seated normally only). Two groups of subjects were chosen to represent the anthropometric extremes of potential passengers: males larger than 95 percent of the male population and females smaller than all but 5 percent of the female population. Estimates based on these tests of the maximum permissible emergency deceleration are 0.47 g for forward-facing, seated passengers and 0.41 g for side-facing, seated passengers. Tilting the entire seat assembly back 5 deg increased the estimated maximum permissible deceleration to 0.52 g.