Experimental Seat for Aerospace Applications

Jay R. Mehta1
Mechanical Engineering Undergraduates

University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701

A lighter, smaller seat for aerospace applications is proposed. Current seats can weigh
upwards of 50 pounds. Using the proposed design can save over 40 pounds as well as
improve space usage efficiency. A test fixture and procedure have been designed to prove
the feasibility of the seat.

Nomenclature
U = potential energy
m = mass
g = acceleration due to gravity
h = height
G's = a measure of acceleration in multiples of acceleration due to gravity1

Introduction
In the SAE BAJA competitions, lowering the weight of the racing vehicle is a primary goal in the design
process. One area for weight reduction is the seat. Traditionally, BAJA vehicles use a lighter, more spartan version
of a standard car seat. This year's University of Arkansas Baja Team proposed to use a seat composed of GForce
window netting joined with nylon straps 2. The proposed experimental seat would be close to 40 lbs lighter than a
standard racing seat and possibly improve drivers' ability to control the vehicle on rough terrain, while providing
greater impact dissipation. The material itself and securements would be much less expensive than a standard seat
as well.
Upon further inspection, it was seen that the same seat could be adapted for aerospace applications, notably
space shuttle seating. In the aerospace field, weight savings are even more sought after because of the inverse
relationship between weight and fuel consumption, speed, and payload capacity. However, to adapt the seat for
possible high stress aerospace situations, the seat's durability and strength would have to be tested and proven.
The procedure chosen was a drop test, due to its simplicity and the relative ease in producing a large
amount of impact energy. The energy be estimated using the standard gravitational potential difference equation
displayed in Eq. (1)3.

∆U = mg ∆h (1)

1
Undergraduate Student, Mechanical Engineering Dept., University of Arkansas, AIAA Member
1
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
 Experimental Set Up
The seat consisted of two GForce Window Netting square sections joined together with 1” tubular webbing. The
seat was secured in a bare Baja chassis as seen in Fig. 1. The nylon straps were secured using machined steel
buckles shown in Fig.2.

Figure 1: Seat attachment Figure 2: Strap Buckles

A lifting attachment was welded onto the chassis for ease in raising it. A quick release was attached to the lifting
attachment, and then the assembly, shown in Fig. 3, was attached to a manual chain hoist. For the most realistic
loading distribution, a crash test dummy (aka BOB) was placed in the seat and then weights were added to reach the
desired load, shown in Fig. 4. A 3-axis accelerometer tracked the acceleration of the chassis through the fall.
Correct loading was verified using a set of digital scales. The fall was recorded on a high speed camera, and
another camera synced to the accelerometer. The seat and attachments were inspected for damage after each drop.

Figure 3: Lifting Assembly Figure 4: Load secured onto seat

2
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
 Procedure
For each drop, the chassis was raised using the chain hoist. Once it reached the desired height, the area around
the chassis was cleared and the quick release was engaged from a distance. A total of 5 drops were completed.
Three drop heights were used, 1, 2, and 3 feet with a load of 250 lbs (the maximum specified driver weight) and then
two drop heights, 1 and 2 feet, with a 500 lbs load in the seat. Table 1 displays the conditions for each test and the
estimated energy dissipated for each .

Table 1: Test Conditions

Test Load, Drop height, Estimated energy,
# lbs ft J
1 250 1 340
2 250 2 680
3 250 3 1019
4 500 1 680
5 500 2 1359

Data and Results

The seat itself did not suffer any damage or stretching. However, after the third test noticeable shearing of the
nylon straps was seen at the buckles. This led to the failure of the nylon straps at the end of the fifth test. The
failure was due entirely to improperly machined buckles with very sharp edges. The buckles were replaced with
pairs of standard rounded buckles. Fig. 5 below displays a sample plot of the acceleration of the seat vs. time.
Table 2 tabulates the range of acceleration peaks for each test. As can be seen, the seat was subjected to loads far
greater than those an astronaut could be subjected to. Thus, the seat itself possesses more than enough strength for
several aerospace applications.

Figure 5: Test 1 Results

Table 2: Peak Accelerations

Test Acceleration peak ranges,
# G's
1 50-130
2 90-210
3 120-380
4 90-200
5 140-400

3
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
 I. Conclusion
The experimental seat has proved its strength for aerospace applications. The buckles that sheared the nylon
straps have been upgraded and are currently undergoing fatigue testing through several seasons of Baja races. In
conclusion, the proposed seat design is a viable alternative to current seats and has many advantages over standard
seats, most notably its lightweight.

Acknowledgments
J. R. Mehta thanks Dr. Renfroe, David Beltran, and the Engineering Institute for their aid and the use of their
equipment and software.

References
1
"G-force." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 06 Apr. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G-force>.
2
"Potential Energy." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 06 Apr. 2011.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravitational_potential_energy>.
3
2010 Baja SAE Rules, SAE International, http://www.sae.org/students/mbrules.pdf

4
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics