A genetic algorithm for optimal design of an inflatable knee bolster
An inflatable knee bolster (IKB) is an inflatable airbag cushion deployed in the knee area in conjunction with the frontal airbags to reduce lower-leg injuries. It is conceivable that the IKB has potential to prevent severe lower-leg injuries. However, the effects of the IKB on occupant head and chest injuries are still unknown. This research investigates the effects of the IKB, and its interaction with other components of the occupant restraint system, on the occupant head and chest injuries, using a genetic algorithm (GA). One of the major challenges for the introduction of the IKB is that it may result in a significant increase in the number of possible discrete combinations, as the number of design parameters increase. GA works simultaneously on a population of designs based on the survival of the fittest. It has potential to obtain a global optimal design, and it gives more flexibility to engineering implementations because it provides multiple design solutions. The results demonstrate that the GA is a useful and applicable tool to optimize design configurations for a large-scale occupant simulation problem.
genetic algorithm inflatable knee bolster