This thesis takes place in the context of the development of digital human models for ergonomic assessment of vehicle design, particularly automotive controls. It aims to develop biomechanical models that can take into account the dynamics of movement and the force exerted during a task to predict the movement and the associated discomfort. This work focused on the clutch pedal. For the development of the discomfort criteria, the concept of neutral movement is explored. An approach, based on comparing imposed pedal configurations and less constrained pedal configurations movements, has been proposed. It allowed the identification of relevant biomechanical parameters and to propose indicators of discomfort for the design of the clutch pedal. The relationships between posture and force exertion were studied experimentally by varying the level of force exerted on a static pedal. Our results show that the direction of force exertion and the postural adjustment follow the principle of minimization of joint torques. Furthermore, the use of a criterion for minimizing muscle activity showed an improvement in predicting the direction of effort for the low and intermediate force levels. Discomfort indicators proposed in this study provide objective information that allows design engineers to compare design alternatives. Work on the control mechanisms of force exertion and posture is, in turn, a first step towards the simulation of posture/movement by taking into account force exertion.
