title: An integrated biomechanical modeling approach to the ergonomic evaluation of drywall installation.
abstract: Three different methodologies: work sampling, computer simulation and biomechanical modeling, were integrated to study the physical demands of drywall installation. PATH (Posture, Activity, Tools, and Handling), a work-sampling based method, was used to quantify the percent of time that the drywall installers were conducting different activities with different body segment (trunk, arm, and leg) postures. Utilizing Monte-Carlo simulation to convert the categorical PATH data into continuous variables as inputs for the biomechanical models, the required muscle contraction forces and joint reaction forces at the low back (L4/L5) and shoulder (glenohumeral and sternoclavicular joints) were estimated for a typical eight-hour workday. To demonstrate the robustness of this modeling approach, a sensitivity analysis was conducted to examine the impact of some quantitative assumptions that have been made to facilitate the modeling approach. The results indicated that the modeling approach seemed to be the most sensitive to both the distribution of work cycles for a typical eight-hour workday and the distribution and values of Euler angles that are used to determine the "shoulder rhythm." Other assumptions including the distribution of trunk postures did not appear to have a significant impact on the model outputs. It was concluded that the integrated approach might provide an applicable examination of physical loads during the non-routine construction work, especially for those operations/tasks that have certain patterns/sequences for the workers to follow.
authors.affiliation: Department of Computer Science and Industrial Technology, Southeastern Louisiana University, SLU 10847, Hammond, LA, 70402, USA; Department of Work Environment, University of Massachusetts Lowell, 1 University Avenue, Lowell, MA, 01854, USA. Electronic address: Lu.Yuan@selu.edu.
authors.forename: Lu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: Department of Work Environment, University of Massachusetts Lowell, 1 University Avenue, Lowell, MA, 01854, USA. Electronic address: Bryan_Buchholz@uml.edu.
authors.forename: Bryan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Buchholz
authors.affiliation: Department of Work Environment, University of Massachusetts Lowell, 1 University Avenue, Lowell, MA, 01854, USA. Electronic address: Laura_Punnett@uml.edu.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Punnett
authors.affiliation: Department of Work Environment, University of Massachusetts Lowell, 1 University Avenue, Lowell, MA, 01854, USA. Electronic address: David_Kriebel@uml.edu.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kriebel
mesh_terms: D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D003198:Computer Simulation; D060389:Construction Industry; D003252:Construction Materials; D006804:Ergonomics; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000502:physiology; D008161:Lumbosacral Region / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008954:Models, Biological; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D016272:Occupational Health; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology; D012785:Shoulder Joint / Q000502:physiology*; D013247:Sternoclavicular Joint / Q000502:physiology*; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis
keywords: Biomechanical model; Monte-Carlo simulation; Work sampling