COACH DESIGN FOR THE KOREAN HIGH-SPEED TRAIN - A SYSTEMATIC-APPROACH TO PASSENGER SEAT DESIGN AND LAYOUT

Proper ergonomic design of a passenger seat and coach layout for a hig h-speed train is an essential component that is directly related to pa ssenger comfort. In this research, a systematic approach to the design of passenger seats was described and the coach layout which reflected the tradeoff between transportation capacity and passenger comfort wa s investigated for the Korean high-speed train. As a result, design re commendations and specifications of the passenger seat and its layout were suggested. The whole design process is composed of four stages. A survey and analysis of design requirement was first conducted, which formed the base for designing the first and second class passenger sea ts. Prototypes were made and evaluated iteratively, and seat arrangeme nt and coach layout were finally obtained. The systematic approach and recommendations suggested in this study are expected to be applicable to the seat design for public transportations and to help modify and redesign existing vehicular seats. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.