Title: Using a mobile app to estimate whole-body vibration and seat isolation performance in surface mining

Authors: Alan G. Mayton; Brian Y. Kim

Addresses: Pittsburgh Mining Research Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 626 Cochrans Mill Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15236, USA ' Pittsburgh Mining Research Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 626 Cochrans Mill Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15236, USA

Abstract: The objectives for this study were twofold: (1) to determine whether the whole-body vibration application (WBV app) may effectively serve as a simple tool for monitoring WBV exposure; and (2) to assess when vehicle seats may need adjustment, repair, or replacement. Data were collected on 17 mobile mining vehicles and equipment at six surface operations. Comparing the WBV app to the Siemens/LMS reference system showed excellent correlation (r = 0.998 and 0.987, respectively) for frequency-weighted-root-mean-square acceleration (a_w) and vibration dose value (VDV) normalised to an 8-hour shift. Seat performance, using the mobile app showed greater variation, yet high positive correlations (r = 0.896 and 0.936) for the a_w and VDV computational methods, respectively. Hence, the WBV app demonstrates potential as a low-cost instrument to measure WBV exposures for mobile equipment operators and the capability to estimate seat performance or seat effective amplitude transmissibility (SEAT) when utilised on two iPod Touch devices.

Keywords: WBV; whole-body vibration; mobile iPod app; surface mining; haul trucks; loaders; dozers.

DOI: 10.1504/IJHVS.2021.118239

International Journal of Heavy Vehicle Systems, 2021 Vol.28 No.4, pp.487 - 502

Received: 20 Dec 2018
Accepted: 15 Jul 2019
Published online: 18 Oct 2021 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article