Performance evaluation of occupant protection seats for underbody explosion conditions

Tactical vehicles operating in conflict regions have a risk of threats both within and outside combat zones. Enhancing protection against external threats is important, necessitating compliance with standards of ballistic resistance. These standards classify and test the bullet-resistant capabilities of military vehicles, construction materials, and personal protective gear. Occupant protection seats have been fabricated with impact and vibration absorption systems of pantograph with spring structure to reduce the impact on occupants. The experimental results demonstrate that the designed occupant protection seats effectively absorb the impact caused by an underbody explosion. Data obtained from accelerometers installed throughout the test facility indicate a significant reduction in impact velocity as it is absorbed by the pantograph with spring structure. This reduction assumes an 80 % decrease in impact transferred to anthropomorphic test devices occupants. These results imply that the designed occupant protection seats safely protect occupants within tactical vehicles.