Author ORCID Identifier
Date Available
4-1-2020
Year of Publication
2020
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSME)
College
Engineering
Department/School/Program
Mechanical Engineering
Advisor
Dr. Suzanne Weaver Smith
Abstract
Rotational falls are the leading cause of death and serious injury in the equestrian sport of eventing. Previous studies to develop safety devices used physical models representing one or at most several physical situations leading to different designs and no common understanding. In this thesis, a statistical ensemble model is developed and applied to generate and evaluate 10,000 different situations that might potentially lead to rotational falls. For accurate statistical representation of the horse and rider inertia distributions, measurements of over 400 training or competing horses and riders were recorded and incorporated. Video was recorded of 218 total competitors approaching 10 different jumps on cross country courses in competitions ranging from Preliminary to CCI5*, yielding jump configuration angles for different fence types. Combining information for these, among 26 total variables, a statistical ensemble simulation using impulse momentum physics identifies conditions for rotation and defines design criteria for future general and situation-specific jumps and safety devices. A Jump Safety Quality Index is also devised to represent the benefit of an activating fence design for mitigating rotational falls versus the detriment and competition penalties of false activation.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.13023/etd.2020.173
Funding Information
University of Kentucky Department of Mechanical Engineering 2018-2020
United States Eventing Association 2017-2018
Recommended Citation
Wood, Shannon, "SAFETY CONCEPTS FOR EVERY RIDE: A STATISTICAL ENSEMBLE SIMULATION TO MITIGATE ROTATIONAL FALLS IN EVENTING CROSS COUNTRY" (2020). Theses and Dissertations--Mechanical Engineering. 153.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/me_etds/153
