Title: Vibration isolation evaluation of transit bus operator seats based on lower torso acceleration

Authors: Brian Oesterling, Heecheon You, Brian D. Lowe, Brian J. Gilmore, Andris Freivalds

Addresses: Deere & Co., Technical Center, 3300 River Drive, Moline, IL 61265, USA. ' Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, Pennsylvania Transportation Institute, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA. ' Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, Pennsylvania Transportation Institute, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA. ' Deere & Co., Technical Center, 3300 River Drive, Moline, IL 61265, USA. ' Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, Pennsylvania Transportation Institute, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA

Abstract: This paper presents the characterization and testing of several representative transit bus operator seats. The test procedure used a mechanical ride quality dummy to evaluate the vibrations of the mechanical analogue thorax and hips. Reducing the vibrations of these equivalent masses will reduce lower back injury, since lower back injury is a function of acceleration cycles. A statistical t-test is used to assess the relative performance of the seats in attenuating vibration at the dummy|s resonant frequencies. It is found that seats with a 6 link pin-joint suspension and stiffer cushion properties generally performed better at attenuating vibration at these frequencies.

Keywords: ergonomics; ride quality; suspension seat evaluation; transit buses; transmissibility; vibration; heavy vehicles; lower torso acceleration; lower back injury.

DOI: 10.1504/IJHVS.1999.054642

International Journal of Heavy Vehicle Systems, 1999 Vol.6 No.1/2/3/4, pp.374 - 390

Published online: 18 Jun 2013 *

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