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%0 Thesis %A Schube, Falko %T Beitrag zur numerischen Simulation des Wirbelsäulenverhaltens eines Kraftfahrers infolge durch Straßenunebenheiten induzierter Ganzkörperschwingungen %C Aachen %I Publikationsserver der RWTH Aachen University %M RWTH-CONV-122123 %P IV, 142 S. : graph. Darst. %D 2002 %Z Aachen, Techn. Hochsch., Diss., 2002 %X In the course of human evolution, the anatomy of the body has been optimally adapted to static vertical loading. However, many of today’s professionals, such as truck or bus drivers, have to work under conditions of sustained low-level vibrations. The main reason why such vibrations lead to vertebral disc damage is that the muscles are unable to compensate for the cyclic loading imposed to the spine, and therefore cannot adequately protect the spine from the mechanical forces induced by these vertical vibrations. Especially long-term exposure to whole-body vibrations (WBV) in a driving environment contributes to early degeneration of the lumbar spinal system. In order to evaluate the effects of the vibration environment likely to be encounterd by professional drivers, a numerical simulation tool has been developed. Essential elements of the simulation system are a profile generator, a numerical model of a truck and a three-dimensional model of the human upper body including the head, spine and pelvis. The uneveness of the road in the longitudinal direction can be described mathematically by its spectral density. Based on the technique of autoregressive filters, a profile generator has been developed which is in a position to calculate arbitrary long profiles of roads satisfying given quality standards. To estimate the impact of the whole-body vibrations induced by the road uneveness to the human body, a three-dimensional model of the human spine, torso and head has been developed using the finite element method. The model is used to study the response of the lumbar spinal system to the vibrations induced by the uneveness profiles of different road quality levels. The simulation environment enables the engineer to compare the damage potential of different uneveness profiles as a function of the mechanical forces developed in the lumbar spine. %F PUB:(DE-HGF)11 %9 Dissertation / PhD Thesis %U https://publications.rwth-aachen.de/record/60409