Master of Science / Department of Civil Engineering / Sunanda Dissanayake / Over the past few years, motorcycle fatalities have increased at an alarming rate in the United States. Motorcycle safety issues in Kansas are no different from the national scenario. Accordingly, this study attempted to investigate motorcycle crashes in Kansas to identify critical characteristics and to evaluate the effect of those on motorcycle crash injury outcomes. State-level motorcycle rider fatality rates were investigated while considering various factors including helmet laws, using generalized least squares regression modeling. A detailed characteristic analysis was carried out for motorcycle crashes, using Kansas crash data. Comparisons were made between several aspects of motorcycle crashes and other vehicle crashes. Analysis using Logistic regression was performed on Kansas motorcycle crash data to identify factor affecting fatal motorcycle crashes. In addition, a survey was conducted focusing on identifying motorcycle rider behaviors, helmet usage patterns, perception towards helmet laws in Kansas, potential problems, crash contributory factors, and difficulty levels of different motorcycle maneuvers to execute. Ordered probit modeling was used to identity factors contributing to increased severity of Kansas motorcycle riders involved in crashes. Results from state-level modeling showed statistically significant relationships between motorcycle fatality rates in a given state as well as several other factors. These factors included weather-related conditions, helmet laws, per capita income, highway mileage of rural roads, population density, education, demographic distributions, and motorcycle registrations in the state. The study showed that states with mandatory helmet laws had 5.6% fewer motorcycle fatalities per 10,000 registrations and 7.85% fewer motorcycle fatalities per 100,000 populations. Characteristic analysis of motorcycle crashes in Kansas revealed that motorcycle maneuvers such as overtaking, motorcyclists being older than 40 years, using motorcycle helmets, using motorcycle helmets and eye protection simultaneously, daytime riding, crashes occurring on roadside shoulders, and influence of alcohol among the riders during crashes had higher risk of ending up as a fatal motorcycle crash in Kansas. Results from the survey conducted among motorcycle riders in Kansas revealed that 71% of respondents thought drivers of other vehicles were the single biggest threat to their own safety. Survey results also revealed that 64% of respondents opposed a mandatory law requiring motorcycle riders and passengers to wear helmets in Kansas. Result from the ordered probit modeling of motorcycle rider injury severity showed that overturned and fixed-object motorcycle crashes, helmet use, younger motorcycle riders, speeding, presence of alcohol among motorcycle riders, and good weather contributed to increased severity of injury of motorcycle riders involved in crashes in Kansas.

Plusieurs études ont montré que dans les accidents réels, la vitesse d’impact de la tête n’est que rarement normale à la surface et présente une composante tangentielle non négligeable. Aucune norme, à l’heure actuelle ne propose de choc oblique avec enregistrement de l’accélération en translation et en rotation de la fausse tête. Un aspect essentiel de cette recherche a été d’aborder les descriptions d’accidents réels impliquant un motocycliste et un véhicule afin d’évaluer les conditions aux limites de la tête juste avant impact, en termes de vecteur vitesse et de localisation d’impact. Cette étude a permis d’établir le vecteur vitesse possible et de l’angle d’impact de la tête du motocycliste en situation. Une méthode de test pour évaluer le casque a été proposée. Les tests d'impact obliques, sont effectués avec une vitesse d’impact de 8.5 m/s sur une enclume inclinée de 45° permettant la rotation autour de l’axe Y X et Z. Les accélérations 6-D sont implémentés dans le modèle SUFEHM afin d’extraire la déformation axonal maximale et le risque lésionnel. Cette fusion de la méthode expérimentale et numérique donne un avantage par rapport aux normes conventionnelles, tant en termes de conditions d’impact qu’en termes de critère de blessure de la tête. / It is well know that in case of accident the head does not only impact perpendicularly to the impacted structure but presents an oblique impact condition. However none of the today helmet standards do integrate oblique impacts with the recording of the dummy head rotational acceleration. An essential aspect of the present research is to simulate real world accident and to compute the victim’s kinematic in order to extract the head impact conditions. In collaboration with University Florence (Italy) 19 cases were considered and it was shown that the head impact velocity vector presents a significative angle. A novel helmet test method has been proposed. Helmeted headfoml is impacting a 45° inclined anvil at a speed of 8.5 m/s and the 6D acceleration versus time curves are introduced into an existing head FEM in order to compute the axon strains and to derive the brain injury risk.

This work deals with economic impact of accidents caused by motorcyclists on public budgets in Czech Republic in 2008. The theoretical part discuss the determinants that may influence risky driving behavior of motorcyclist. Special attention is devoted to the endogenous variable -- the law on compulsory use of helmet. The practical section gives a presentation of some statistical data of motorcycle accidents on Czech roads during 2000 -- 2009. In analytical terms, focusing on 2008, are first examined the cost items of public budgets, which are divided into direct (health care, examination by the police, courts and sickness benefits) and indirect (loss of income from taxes, regulatory fees and loss of product). The second part consists of items of benefits, which are also divided into direct (fines, taxes on equipment and fuel) and indirect (saving the payment of pensions and health care costs). The main contribution of the thesis is the calculation of total costs and benefits of the accidents caused by motorcyclists in 2008, with the conclusion of an obvious negative effect on public budgets. The loss comes at a nominal value of almost CZK 1.2 billion.

This research compares methods for measuring pilot mental workload (MWL) from the electrocardiogram (ECG) signal. ECG-based metrics have been used extensively in MWL research. Heart rate (HR) and heart-rate variability (HRV) exhibit changes in response to varying levels of task demand. Classical methods for HRV analysis examine the ECG signal in the linear time and frequency domains. More contemporary research has advanced the notion that nonlinear elements contribute to cardiac control and ECG signal generation, spawning development of analytical techniques borrowed from the domain of nonlinear dynamics (NLD). Applications of nonlinear HRV analysis are substantial in clinical diagnosis settings; however, such applications are less frequent in MWL research, especially in the aviation domain. Specifically, the relative utility of linear and non-linear HRV analysis methods has not been fully assessed in pilot MWL research. This thesis contributes to aforementioned research gap by comparing a non-linear HRV method, utilizing transition probability variances (TPV), to classical time and frequency domain methods, focusing the analysis on sensitivity and diagnosticity. ECG data is harvested from a recent study characterizing spatial disorientation (SDO) risk amongst three candidate off-boresight (OBS) helmet-mounted display (HMD) symbologies in a tactically relevant live-flight task. A comparative analysis of methods on this dataset and supplemental workload analysis for the HMD study are presented. Results indicate the TPV method may exhibit higher sensitivity and diagnosticity than classical methods. However, limitations of this analysis warrant further investigation into this question.

<p>A protection helmet for young people (3-7 years) in winter environment has been developed in this thesis. The result is a concept proposal for development at STIGA Sports AB in Eskilstuna. This thesis work has been performed during 20 weeks, for a Master of Science in Product and Process development at Mälardalen University Eskilstuna Sweden in September 2009 to January 2010. The helmet is shown as a CAD model with detailed solutions to the outer shell, interior and adjustability (in sizes 50-56 cm) which are the three focused areas in the development. Also a physical model in scale 1:1 has been developed and is shown in this thesis work.</p><p>To achieve the best result possible the process started with an analysis of the market and the product. All decisions during the development process were made according to European Standard SS EN 1080 Impact protection helmets for young people, which are the requirements necessary for market interest, security and to be CE approved. In the product development process scientific methods have been used to guarantee quality. A function analysis and a product specification formed the basis of the QFD tool, which measured the concept in relation to the requirements and existing products on the market.</p><p>The analysis of current competitors on the market combined with a SWOT analysis showed that there is potential for STIGA Sports AB to develop a play helmet. That since there is only one direct competitor on the market today. Due to the fact that they do not have their own product development department it is, in a safety perspective, important for STIGA Sports AB to keep a continuous contact with the production. It will guarantee the product’s quality and meet all the requirements of SS EN 1080. A product decomposition was performed to understand the construction of a helmet. Eight developed concepts led, through an evaluation of three concepts with the highest ranking score, to one final combined concept.</p><p>The concept consists of a two-piece outer shell for the ability to adjust size and a three-piece interior to ensure comfort and safety regarding the essential parts of the head (forehead, rear, sides, temples and crown of the head). The shape and color have been chosen with the intention to appeal the user (children) and at the same time provide a feeling of safety to the purchaser (adults). Stiga Sports AB current product range and design profile has influenced the design throughout the project.</p> / <p>En lekhjälm för användning vid vintermiljö har i detta examensarbete tagits fram. Resultatet är ett konceptförslag för utveckling inom STIGA Sports AB i Eskilstuna. Arbetet har utförts som ett examensarbete på 30 Högskolepoäng för civilingenjör inom produkt- och processutveckling på Mälardalens högskola i Eskilstuna september 2009- januari 2010. Hjälmen visas som en CAD-modell med detaljerade lösningar på ytterskal, inredning och ställbarhet (storlek 50-56 cm), de tre områdena har varit fokus i arbetet. För att arbeta fram bästa resultat har omvärlden och produkten först bearbetats och analyserats. Dessutom har en modell i skala 1:1 tagits fram och visas i detta examensarbete.</p><p>Besluten i arbetet har Europeiska Standarden SS EN 1080 Impact protection helmets for young people legat till grund för få produkten i de riktlinjer och följa de krav som krävs för godkännande på marknaden i säkerhet och därmed vara CE-godkänd. I produktutvecklingsprocessen och konceptskapandet har vetenskapliga metoder använts för att säkerhetsställa att rätt arbete utförs. En funktionsanalys har uppförts och en kravspecifikation på produkten, dessa verktyg har legat till grund för metodverktyget QFD, som använts för att mäta konceptet i förhållande till krav och befintliga produkter på marknaden.</p><p>För att ta reda på hur marknaden ser ut har omvärlden bevakats genom en konkurrentanalys och SWOT-analys samt informationsökning på företaget. Resultatet visade på att det finns potential för STIGA Sports AB att ge sig ut på marknaden med en lekhjälm eftersom att det idag bara finns en direkt konkurrent på marknaden. I säkerhetsåsyn så är det viktigt att STIGA Sports AB har en fortlöpande kontakt med tillverkningen för att säkerhetsställa detaljutvecklingen och kvalitén av konceptet för att möjliggöra att produkten klarar alla krav enligt SS EN 1080. I kombination har det varit viktigt att förstå hur en hjälm är uppbyggd och därför har en produktnedbrytning utförts. Arbetet med produktnedbrytningen i samband med litteratursökning och kunskapsinhämtning gav tre områden att rikta produktutvecklingen kring; yttre skal, inredning och ställbarhet.</p><p>Efter koncept hade tagits fram har värdering av de olika koncepten lett till att produkten har fått ett tvådelat ytterskal som medger ställbarhet på enklaste sätt med en tredelad inredning för att skydda och ge komfort till de viktigaste delar på huvudet. Färg och form har valts utifrån användaren för att tilltala den primära användaren barnet och förmedla säkerhet till den primära köparen vuxna. Samtidigt har Stiga Sports nuvarande produktsortiment och designprofil utgjort de val som påverkat formgivningen.</p>

A protection helmet for young people (3-7 years) in winter environment has been developed in this thesis. The result is a concept proposal for development at STIGA Sports AB in Eskilstuna. This thesis work has been performed during 20 weeks, for a Master of Science in Product and Process development at Mälardalen University Eskilstuna Sweden in September 2009 to January 2010. The helmet is shown as a CAD model with detailed solutions to the outer shell, interior and adjustability (in sizes 50-56 cm) which are the three focused areas in the development. Also a physical model in scale 1:1 has been developed and is shown in this thesis work. To achieve the best result possible the process started with an analysis of the market and the product. All decisions during the development process were made according to European Standard SS EN 1080 Impact protection helmets for young people, which are the requirements necessary for market interest, security and to be CE approved. In the product development process scientific methods have been used to guarantee quality. A function analysis and a product specification formed the basis of the QFD tool, which measured the concept in relation to the requirements and existing products on the market. The analysis of current competitors on the market combined with a SWOT analysis showed that there is potential for STIGA Sports AB to develop a play helmet. That since there is only one direct competitor on the market today. Due to the fact that they do not have their own product development department it is, in a safety perspective, important for STIGA Sports AB to keep a continuous contact with the production. It will guarantee the product’s quality and meet all the requirements of SS EN 1080. A product decomposition was performed to understand the construction of a helmet. Eight developed concepts led, through an evaluation of three concepts with the highest ranking score, to one final combined concept. The concept consists of a two-piece outer shell for the ability to adjust size and a three-piece interior to ensure comfort and safety regarding the essential parts of the head (forehead, rear, sides, temples and crown of the head). The shape and color have been chosen with the intention to appeal the user (children) and at the same time provide a feeling of safety to the purchaser (adults). Stiga Sports AB current product range and design profile has influenced the design throughout the project. / En lekhjälm för användning vid vintermiljö har i detta examensarbete tagits fram. Resultatet är ett konceptförslag för utveckling inom STIGA Sports AB i Eskilstuna. Arbetet har utförts som ett examensarbete på 30 Högskolepoäng för civilingenjör inom produkt- och processutveckling på Mälardalens högskola i Eskilstuna september 2009- januari 2010. Hjälmen visas som en CAD-modell med detaljerade lösningar på ytterskal, inredning och ställbarhet (storlek 50-56 cm), de tre områdena har varit fokus i arbetet. För att arbeta fram bästa resultat har omvärlden och produkten först bearbetats och analyserats. Dessutom har en modell i skala 1:1 tagits fram och visas i detta examensarbete. Besluten i arbetet har Europeiska Standarden SS EN 1080 Impact protection helmets for young people legat till grund för få produkten i de riktlinjer och följa de krav som krävs för godkännande på marknaden i säkerhet och därmed vara CE-godkänd. I produktutvecklingsprocessen och konceptskapandet har vetenskapliga metoder använts för att säkerhetsställa att rätt arbete utförs. En funktionsanalys har uppförts och en kravspecifikation på produkten, dessa verktyg har legat till grund för metodverktyget QFD, som använts för att mäta konceptet i förhållande till krav och befintliga produkter på marknaden. För att ta reda på hur marknaden ser ut har omvärlden bevakats genom en konkurrentanalys och SWOT-analys samt informationsökning på företaget. Resultatet visade på att det finns potential för STIGA Sports AB att ge sig ut på marknaden med en lekhjälm eftersom att det idag bara finns en direkt konkurrent på marknaden. I säkerhetsåsyn så är det viktigt att STIGA Sports AB har en fortlöpande kontakt med tillverkningen för att säkerhetsställa detaljutvecklingen och kvalitén av konceptet för att möjliggöra att produkten klarar alla krav enligt SS EN 1080. I kombination har det varit viktigt att förstå hur en hjälm är uppbyggd och därför har en produktnedbrytning utförts. Arbetet med produktnedbrytningen i samband med litteratursökning och kunskapsinhämtning gav tre områden att rikta produktutvecklingen kring; yttre skal, inredning och ställbarhet. Efter koncept hade tagits fram har värdering av de olika koncepten lett till att produkten har fått ett tvådelat ytterskal som medger ställbarhet på enklaste sätt med en tredelad inredning för att skydda och ge komfort till de viktigaste delar på huvudet. Färg och form har valts utifrån användaren för att tilltala den primära användaren barnet och förmedla säkerhet till den primära köparen vuxna. Samtidigt har Stiga Sports nuvarande produktsortiment och designprofil utgjort de val som påverkat formgivningen.

This report is the culmination of a master’s program resulting in a Master of Arts in Science Technology Engineering Mathematics (STEM) Education. The author is a veteran high school physics teacher who has participated in the ongoing development of the Engineering Design and Problem Solving Course created by UTeachEngineering and The University of Texas at Austin. As a pilot instructor teaching this course, the author has experienced the teething problems common to radically new curriculum. The trials and tribulations of a twelve-week capstone design project, that was the last engineering challenge of the inaugural year of the course, are discussed. Reasons for the module’s failure and modifications for improvement are suggested and supported by a survey of current literature. The author uses the engineering design process to reengineer the Helmet DesignCapstone Project. This report identifies the needs of the teachers and students who are, in fact, the customers of the redesign, and provides a step-by-step plan for improving the project to make it easier for the teachers and more engaging for the students. All of the instructions and material lists needed to build the testing devices and conduct the student activities are presented in detail. In this second iteration of the project, the design challenge for the students will be to evaluate the impact performance of a skateboard-type helmet and use simple tests to characterize the impact performance of various foam types. Using the insights gained by the characterization of the foam, students will design and install foam composite padding into the helmet. The engineering principle that is being stressed is the use of data acquisition for making informed design decisions, rather than trial and error testing. The report concludes with some reflections by the author about the lessons learned while developing this project and the impact they will have on his classroom practices. / text

Road traffic injuries (RTI) currently rank as the 11th leading cause of death world wide and the leading cause of injury related deaths worldwide. Globally, road traffic crashes kill over 1.2 million people per year with over 90% of the deaths occurring in low and middle income countries. Pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists, collectively called vulnerable road users, are often times the victims. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify the factors that are associated with traffic fatalities as well as the factors that are associated with being a vulnerable road user in traffic injuries and traffic fatalities in Pasto, Colombia. The results from this study showed that males had increased odds of being involved in a traffic fatality (OR=2.16 95%;CI 1.03-4.53). Rural road users are more likely to be involved in fatal traffic crashes than their urban counterparts (OR=5.92 95%;CI 3.00-11.71) Other groups such as young adults, vulnerable road users, and those not using safety equipment were also more likely to be injured or die in a traffic crash. Interventions specifically targeting these groups are needed.

Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are a major health and socioeconomic problem throughout the world, with an estimated 10 million deaths and instances of hospitalization annually. Numerical methods such as finite element (FE) methods can be used to study head injuries and optimize the protection, which can lead to a decrease in the number of injuries. The FE head models were initially evaluated for biofidelity by comparing with donated corpses experiments. However, there are some limitations in experiments of corpses, including material degradation after death. One feasible alternative to evaluating head models with living human tissue is to use reconstruction of real accidents. However, the process of accident reconstruction entails some uncertainties since it is not a controlled experiment. Therefore, a deeper understanding of the accident reconstruction process is needed in order to be able to improve the FE human models. Thus, the aim of this thesis was to evaluate and further develop more advanced strategies for accident reconstructions involving head injuries. A FE head model was used to study head injuries in accidents. Existing bicycle accident data was used, as were hypothetical accident situations for cyclists and pedestrians. A FE bicycle helmet model having different designs was developed to study the protective effect. An objective method was developed based on the Overlap Index (OI) and Location Index (LI) to facilitate the comparison of FE model responses with injuries visible in medical images. Three bicycle accident reconstructions were performed and the proposed method evaluated. The method showed to have potential to be an objective method to compare FE model response with medical images and could be a step towards improving the evaluation of results from injury reconstructions. The simulations demonstrated the protective effect of a bicycle helmet. A decrease was seen in the injurious effect on both the brain tissue and the skull. However, the results also showed that the brain tissue strain could be further decreased by modifying the helmet design. Two different numerical pedestrian models were compared to evaluate whether the more time-efficient rigid body model could be used, instead of a FE pedestrian model, to roughly determine the initial conditions as an accident reconstruction involves some uncertainties. The difference, in terms of the head impact location, rotation and velocity, attributable to the two models was in the same range as differences due to uncertainties in some of the initial parameters, such as vehicle impact velocity. / <p>QC 20150414</p>

The purpose of this dissertation was doing a survey of perceptions of the professional motorcycle users about the quality of the product helmet as work equipment required. The study area was the city of Santa Maria RS, whose scenario mapped the profile and professional activity of the mototaxi e motofrete. The methodology applied in this thesis is exploratory purpose and quantitative nature, with a delineation of the survey used method, and is based on technical research in the analysis of statistical yearbooks on the evolution of the fleet of motorcycles, occurred between 2001 and 2010. The research was held in two steps. The first step deals with the theoretical, using the techniques of documentary and bibliographic study on standards and legislation of motorcycle helmets, and mapping the study area. The second step of the research refers to survey studies using 291 questionnaires of the representative sample of 1200 professionals, to understand the perception of satisfaction and importance on the uses and qualities of helmets. The result of this study showed that exist standards and Brazilian legislation that are in line with that recommend by the World Health Organization (WHO) and are aligned with international standards, as instruments those help to reduce the risks in traffic accidents. Identify that the professional activity with motorcycles and scooters is regulated by the federal law (Lei 12.009/2009), although it is not legal in the investigated area; show significant raise of the fleet of motorcycles in the last decade, contributing factor to modify the urban setting of Santa Maria RS, leading to a new profession known as motoboy ; reveal that this activity is structured in a informal relation, without employment, based on the flexibility and the inherent risk in the occupation; identified the drivers of other cars are the main cause of accidents involving motorcycles and, as a result of these accidents were the legs the most affected part, by the non-use of the protect equipment; in the other side, the head was the less affected, what was assigned to the use of the helmet; the visor was appointed as the helmet item that had the higher degree of insatisfaction, although was assigned as important. The research was guided by the focus on the user, appropriateness to the use , and showed the dimensions of quality in the order of satisfaction and importance attached to the helmet as: performance, comfort, durability, technical assistance and design, classifying them into equality of satisfaction and importance , except the items closures, accessories, ventilation, neck guard and visor. / O objetivo desta dissertação de mestrado é fazer um levantamento das percepções dos usuários profissionais de motocicletas sobre as qualidades do produto capacete como equipamento de trabalho obrigatório. A área de estudo é a cidade de Santa Maria RS, cujo cenário mapeou o perfil e atividade profissional do motofrete e mototáxi. A metodologia aplicada nessa dissertação é de finalidade exploratória de natureza quantitativa com delineamento do emprego do método de levantamento e está baseada na técnica de investigação na análise dos anuários estatísticos sobre a evolução da frota de motocicletas, ocorridos entre os anos de 2001 e 2010. A pesquisa foi realizada em duas etapas. A primeira etapa trata da fundamentação teórica, com emprego das técnicas de estudos bibliográfico e documental sobre normas e legislação dos capacetes motociclisticos, e do mapeamento da área de estudo. A segunda fase da pesquisa refere-se a estudos de levantamento com emprego de 291 questionários da amostra representativa de 1200 profissionais motoboys, para levantar as percepções de satisfação e importância quanto aos usos e qualidades dos capacetes. O resultado desse estudo mostrou existir normas e legislação brasileira que vem ao encontro com o preconizado pela Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS) e estarem alinhadas com as normas internacionais, como instrumentos que ajudam em diminuir os riscos de acidentes no trânsito. Identifica que atividade profissional com motocicletas e motonetas encontra-se regulamentada pela lei federal (Lei 12.009/2009), embora não esteja legalizada na área investiga; aponta aumento significativo da frota de motocicletas na última década, fator contribuinte para modificar o cenário urbano de Santa Maria - RS, originando uma nova profissão, conhecida popularmente como motoboy ; mostra que essa atividade encontra-se estruturada numa relação de informalidade, sem vínculo empregatício, alicerçado pela flexibilidade e pelo risco inerente a profissão; identificou os motoristas de outros automóveis os principais causadores de acidentes com motocicletas e, decorrente destes acidentes as pernas foram a parte do corpo humano mais afetadas pelo não uso de equipamento de proteção, ao contrário da cabeça a menos impactada atribuída ao uso do capacete; a viseira foi apontada como o item dos capacetes como gerador de insatisfação embora atribuída como sendo importante. A pesquisa norteou-se pelo enfoque no usuário, adequação ao uso , e apresentou as dimensões da qualidade na ordem de satisfação e importância atribuída aos capacetes como sendo: Desempenho, Conforto, Durabilidade, Assistência Técnica e Estética, classificando-as em igualdades de satisfação e importância , exceto os itens fecho, acessórios, ventilação, protetor de nuca e viseira.