Dynamic Behavior Analysis of Off-Road Mining Vehicle Seat

Abstract

Drivers of the vehicles particularly of the off road vehicles such as the mining trucks, agricultural tractors, vehicles used in forestry and in constructions are exposed to intense vibrations and shocks due to the uneven and irregular terrains in which they are operated. The driver when exposed to such vibrations is unable to ride comfortably and this also reduces the efficiency of the driver. It is also known that if the driver continuously works under the environment having vibration frequency in the range of 0.5-80 Hz then he will have persistent health problems such as back pain, spine problems, abdominal problems, vision problems etc.[8]
Keeping in mind the above health problems which the drivers suffer, improvement of the driving environment is emphasized. This improvement is done by designing a comfortable driver seat considering the anthropometric data and other ergonomic factors. Also the driving environment is improved by analysing the dynamic behavior of the seat and trying to reduce the vibrations reaching the driver. Aiming at developing a comfortable seat which serve the driver with pleasurable driving environment then the designer should properly select the design parameters and also the materials of construction selected should have suitable properties.
Though lot of research have been done on the vibration reaching the truck driver but still they suffer from many injuries due to the continuous vibration exposure while driving. Practically there is no such ideal material which can completely restrict the vibrations from reaching the driver hence a study is carried out on two different materials to find the best one. Also the angle between the seat base and backrest has been a continuous topic of debate. Hence different angles between the backrest and seat pan are analysed and the most comfortable angle with the combination of best material is identified.