Vibration analysis based on health and comfort levels on ride vehicles

The production and use of ride vehicles have grown in recent decades. Back-pain has been associated with the prolonged use of several types of vehicles and the vibration reported as the main cause. This paper aims at determining the degree of driver's comfort and safety related to vibration in ride vehicles. Experimental measurements in four vehicles of the same category are performed. Comparisons based on type of pavement and car speeds are used as a basis for analysis in each case. The whole body vibration (WBV) and hand-arm vibration (HAV) are measured using accelerometers placed at contact parts of the driver-vehicle interface and on the steering wheel. Trends in the comfort levels could be statistically observed in the analysed cars based on the acquired data. It was also possible to infer about the potential harm for certain conditions where vibration levels may exceed standard exposure limits.