• Journal of Platform Technology
• /
• v.11 no.6
• /
• pp.47-55
• /
• 2023

With the goal of ensuring the safety of wheelchair users, this study was conducted using finite element analysis, focusing on the development of a platform that can be used to evaluate safety during the design stage. Safety evaluation criteria for wheelchairs used in vehicles are defined in ANSI/RESNA WC19 and ISO 7176-19. Based on these standards, finite element analysis was performed to assess the sectional forces of each component of the wheelchair and sensitivity analysis was conducted based on the specifications. These results were used to derive equivalent composite loads for the wheelchair's main components, determine the necessary sectional specifications for these main components in the wheelchair design phase, and investigate the process of safety assessment verification. The study showed that member forces vary with changes in the cross-sectional values of the wheelchair frame's main components, with the front and rear lower members, as well as the rear upper and lower members, requiring the highest cross-sectional values for safety design. This study offers a proactive method for evaluating safety in the wheelchair design stage, and in future research, we plan to develop a safety evaluation platform based on these results.