Development and evaluation of numerical models of an aircraft seat assembly and occupant for the simulation of dynamic certification tests

The use of numerical simulation presents an opportunity for advancements in aircraft seat design while upholding rigorous safety standards. This study is focused on the development of three numerical models for simulating dynamic tests to certify aircraft seats, including a simplified Multibody model, a Multibody model with plastic hinges and a Finite Element model. The accuracy of these models was assessed by comparing simulation results with experimental measurements. The findings indicate that these models have the potential to serve as valuable tools for designing and enhancing aircraft seat configurations as well as streamlining the certification process. Providing accurate results with low computational time, Multibody models serve as an efficient and cost-effective approach for assessing seat performance while emphasizing occupant safety. • MB models can describe occupant kinematics during dynamic testing of aircraft seats. • The MB and FE models can be utilized to assess the crashworthiness of aircraft seats. • MB models outperform FE models in computational run times with no accuracy loss.