Pressure simulation and optimization design of functional waist protectors based on a finite-element method

Functional waist protectors are commonly used protective devices for physical laborers, exercisers, and people who sit for long periods. The key to their design lies in effectively balancing functionality and comfort. In view of the problems of insufficient protective performance and unbalanced pressure distribution resulting in poor comfort of current functional waist protector products, this study established a biomechanical model of the human waist by using three-dimensional human body modeling and finite-element analysis. Through pressure test experiments and finite-element simulations, the pressure and body surface displacement distribution trends of the human body after wearing five types of experimental waist protectors were obtained. The experimental results show that the structure, material, width of the waist protector, and the curvature radius of the human waist have significant effects on the pressure distribution. Based on the distribution law of pressure and displacement at the waist, the waist protector product was optimized and designed, and the physical waist protector was fabricated. By comparing the distribution relationship of pressure, displacement, and volume shrinkage of the waist after compression on the human waist between the experimental waist protector and the designed waist protector, it was found that the designed waist protector has a relatively significant improvement in the support for the waist, the comfort of wearing for the human body and the fit with the human waist. This research provides theoretical support and practical basis for the optimal design of functional waist protector.