Using three linear accelerometers and three angular rate sensors arranged to measure
local acceleration in the X, Y, and Z directions and angular velocity about those axes, it is
possible to calculate spatial orientation and position in a global coordinate system. The intent of
this thesis is to use this calculation to provide the head trajectory of an Anthropomorphic Test
Device (ATD) to supplement or replace photometric analysis. This thesis examines the various
parameters of the calculations of the spatial orientation and position to determine the most
accurate and efficient method. Using the local angular velocity as an input, this method
determines spatial orientation as a function of a unit quaternion by numerically solving a system
of ordinary differential equation.
The parameters of the numerical integration examined are the numerical integration
methods, time step, and order of rotation. These functions are examined through simulation data
generated by various MADYMO models. The MADYMO three-dimensional multi-body
simulations output the linear accelerations and angular velocity of selected bodies in simulations
similar to the data provided from accelerometers and angular rate sensors during dynamic impact
testing. Simulation data is useful in the examination and validation of the different parameters
used in the method due to the lack of noise and gravitational effects incurred during physical
dynamic impact testing.
The method is evaluated for dynamic impact testing through a comparison between the
calculated spatial orientation and position using the algorithm and photometric analysis as well
as physical limitations in the test setup, i.e. rigid bulkhead. The method is demonstrated to be
successfully implemented into the NIAR Crash Dynamics Laboratory at Wichita State
University. / Thesis (M.S.)--Wichita State University, College of Engineering, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:WICHITA/oai:soar.wichita.edu:10057/5045 |
| Date | 07 1900 |
| Creators | Huculak, Robert D. |
| Contributors | Lankarani, Hamid M. |
| Publisher | Wichita State University |
| Source Sets | Wichita State University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | xxii, 214 p. |
| Rights | © Copyright 2011 by Robert D. Huculak. All rights reserved |
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