Conceptual stress study model.

The conceptual stress study model (SSM) is basically a schematic representation of the key elements associated with the study of mechanical forces on the human operator. It has been a useful tool for systematically describing the scope and effects of vibration stress study efforts. The model structure is organized in a hierarchy of four levels established to reflect four different levels of description of human response complexity. In order of increasing complexity, these four classes of responses are biodynamic, physiological, psychophysical, and performance. The model also depicts the internal energy and/or information pathways that are likely to occur in the formation of a response to specified vibration inputs. The present utility of this model is to provide a conceptual scheme to help guide vibration study efforts. It is not a general mathematically predictive model. It could prove useful in pulling together the many-segmented modeling results achieved over the last several years to form a centralized interpretive data base.