Computer modeling of lift trucks and operators to simulate lateral tipover

Abstract Lift truck lateral tipovers are mostly caused by its intrinsic instability. The objective of this paper was to develop a computer model of a parametric lift truck and its driver in order to simulate lateral tipover. For this, a biomechanical model of a driver (50th percentile Hybrid III dummy), a parametric lift truck (156 parameters), as well as the interface (contacts) between them and the ground were developed using the MADYMO multibody software. Two different rollover conditions were simulated: at rest (0 km/h) and high speed (20 km/h). Seven parameters (tire, ground and seat foam stiffnesses, lift truck angular and linear velocities, braking deceleration, and curve radius of a J turn) were tested to assess their influence on the vehicle and driver behaviors during rollover. Head and torso velocities and accelerations, as well as the Head Injury Criterion (HIC), were used to compare simulation results and to evaluate driver's possible traumatisms and survival probability. A realistic kinemati...