title: Simulated effects of head movement on contact pressures between headforms and N95 filtering facepiece respirators-part 1: headform model and validation.
abstract: In a respirator fit test, a subject is required to perform a series of exercises that include moving the head up and down and rotating the head left and right. These head movements could affect respirator sealing properties during the fit test and consequently affect fit factors. In a model-based system, it is desirable to have similar capability to predict newly designed respirators. In our previous work, finite element modeling (FEM)-based contact simulation between a headform and a filtering facepiece respirator was carried out. However, the headform was assumed to be static or fixed. This paper presents the first part of a series study on the effect of headform movement on contact pressures-a new headform with the capability to move down (flexion), up (extension), and rotate left and right-and validation. The newly developed headforms were validated for movement by comparing the simulated cervical vertebrae rotation angles with experimental results from the literature.
authors.affiliation: 1.Department of Mechanical Engineering, Human-Centric Design Research Laboratory, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA.
authors.forename: Zhipeng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Lei
authors.affiliation: 2.State Key Lab of Automotive Safety and Energy, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
authors.forename: Xuewu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.affiliation: 1.Department of Mechanical Engineering, Human-Centric Design Research Laboratory, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA.
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: 1.Department of Mechanical Engineering, Human-Centric Design Research Laboratory, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA james.yang@ttu.edu.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: 3.National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Pittsburgh, PA 15236, USA.
authors.forename: Ziqing
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhuang
authors.affiliation: 3.National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Pittsburgh, PA 15236, USA.
authors.forename: Dana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rottach
mesh_terms: D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000502:physiology; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004867:Equipment Design; D019416:Head Movements / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008422:Materials Testing / Q000379:methods*; D008953:Models, Anatomic; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000517:prevention & control; D011312:Pressure; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012134:Respiratory Protective Devices; D013314:Stress, Mechanical
keywords: contact pressure; filtering facepiece respirator; finite element method; head movement; headform