Investigating the Effect of Form Factors of Shock Absorption Mat’s Subunits on Attenuation of Force from Elderly’s Fall

Background and Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate how differently various
form factors of subunits of shock absorption mat attenuate force from the elderly’s fall.
Methods: The study procedures were the following: (1) literature review: possible form factors
affecting the shock absorbing capacity were analyzed and synthesized from the review; (2) synthesis
of design criteria: criteria for force simulation were formulated based on the information from the
review; and (3) simulation: simulation of force from elderly’s fall absorbed by such mats with the
following control and independent variables that were analyzed and synthesized in the previous steps:
(control variables): 1) impact force, 2) physical properties of the rubber material; (independent
variables): 1) form of cross-section, 2) form of edges, 3) pattern of arrangement of subunits in the
structural layer, and 4) dimensional proportion of subunits.
Results and Conclusion: The simulation results show that the subunits with a circular-cross-section
and hourglass-like-edge form factors were the best at attenuating impact force. The best pattern of
subunit arrangement was a table arrangement. This study was a preliminary study to a design of
subunits of shock absorption mat. The results would be used in the next, more comprehensive study.