Dynamic simulation of train driver under secondary impact

Abstract

In this paper, a passenger train with detailed cabin structural has been established based on the finite element method. Simulation results indicate that the train driver injury by the triangular impact pulse in US 49CFR is more seriously than those by the collision scenarios in EN15227. Besides that the driver seat position has a significant effect on the driver injury severity during a secondary impact. It is found that generally the head injury criterion (HIC15) is proportional with the longitudinal and vertical distance between the driver seat and control desk. And the leg injury criterion (TI) is inversely proportional with the longitudinal distance and proportional with the vertical distance. In terms of the chest injury criterion (V*C), it is more complicated, and its minimal value is about at the position of 0.43 m (longitudinal) and 0.15 m (vertical). Moreover, simulation results indicate that the train driver with arms lying on the control desk has a less injury severity than that with the arms dropping naturally, and equipping with the three-point belt is of significant benefit for the train driver to reduce the secondary impact against the control desk during a train collision accident.