Theoretical investigation of a linear planar model of a passenger car with seated people

Abstract

This paper deals with simulation results of a planar passenger car model, supposed to simulate a ‘standard European saloon car’, with simple linear cushioned seats and a seated human model, which accounts for variation in the body weight. As excitation a short harmonic undulation (so called ‘rollete’) is used, sometimes encountered ahead of traffic-light-controlled road crossings. The simulation results indicate some dependence of the respective frequency response characteristics on the stipulated driver's and passenger's weights. Further large vertical acceleration values at axle hop frequencies are observed, which may under circumstances even exceed the standard gravity acceleration. These decrease with increased traversing velocity, say, above 50 km/h to bearable values. Further it is illustrated that the visibility of lights or signs may be momentarily impaired when accelerating from standstill at a road crossing with a large ‘rollete’ directly before the crossing.