The transmission of translational seat vibration to the head—II. Horizontal seat vibration

Abstract

The second part of this study of the six axes of head motion caused by translational seat vibration is concerned with the effect of fore-and-aft ( x-axis) and lateral ( y-axis) seat vibration. Seat-to-head transmissibilities have been determined at frequencies up to 16 Hz for each of the three translational and three rotational axes of the head during exposure to random vibration of the seat. Repeatability measures within a single subject and studies of the variability across a group of twelve subjects have been conducted with two seating conditions: a rigid seat with a backrest, and the same seat with no backrest. Fore-and-aft seat motion mainly resulted in head motion within the mid-sagittal plane ( x- z plane). Without the backrest, transmissibilities for the fore-and-aft, vertical and pitch axes of the head were greatest at about 2 Hz. The backrest greatly increased head vibration at frequencies above 4 Hz and caused a second peak in the transmissibility curves at about 6 to 8 Hz. Lateral seat motion mainly caused lateral head motion with a maximum transmissibility at about 2 Hz. The backrest had little effect on the transmission of lateral vibration to the head. For both axes of excitation inter-subject variability was much greater than intra-subject variability.