Virtual Simulation of Static and Dynamic Seating Comfort in the Development Process of Automobiles and Automotive Seats: Application of Finite-Element-Occupant-Model CASIMIR 2007-01-2459

To perform virtual development phase simulations in the field of seating comfort, an occupant model is needed which reflects the static and dynamic properties of humans. In this paper, the application of the dynamic finite-element-occupant-model CASIMIR to the development of an automotive seat is described.

For static seating comfort simulations, CASIMIR is used with a finite-element representation of the seat. Results of such simulations are the static pressure distributions and measures like “meat-to-metal”, or the real position of the occupant inside the vehicle considering compliances of seat, seat cushion, and human body.

Dynamic seating comfort is closely related to the seat transfer function, which can be simulated with CASIMIR. Knowledge about seat transfer functions enable the developers of cars and/or seats to adopt dynamic characteristics of the seat to the special NVH-requirements of a specific vehicle and to avoid matching of resonances of seat and vehicle body.