Deformation Measurement of Double Layer Mattress for Cylindrical Protrusion and Theoretical Prediction of Pressure Distribution Based on Compressive Characteristics of Polyurethane Foams

Abstract

Double layer mattresses (DLM) are used commonly, but the correlation between the mechanical properties and the function of pressure redistribution is not revealed yet. In this study we measured the nonuniform deformation of the DLM with low and high repulsion polyurethane foams, which was compressed with a semicircular tube. We also carried out finite element analysis with a compressible isotropic hyperelastic model to obtain the deformation of the DLM and the pressure on the contact surface of the tube. The results showed the concentration of the strain in the vicinity of the semicircular tube and the concentration of the surface pressure at the most deformed location.