Human Body Vibration Analysis under Consideration of Seat Dynamic Characteristics

Abstract In this study, vibration properties of seat and human body are analyzed through test and numerical analysis methods by taking into account the viscoelastic characteristics of polyurethane foam as seat material which is applied for vehicle. These viscoelastic characteristics which show nonlinear and quasi-static behavior are obtained by compression test. In addition, the viscous elastic property of polyurethane foam is modelled mathematically by using convolution integral and nonlinear stiffness model. In order to analyze the performance on ride comfort of seat, vertical vibration model is established by using dynamic model of seat and vertical vibration model of human body at ISO5982, and so the related motion equations are derived. A numerical analysis simulation is applied by using the nonlinear motion equation with Runge-Kutta integral method. The dynamic responses of seat and human body on the input of vibration acceleration measured at the floor of the railway vehicle are examined. The variation of the index value at ride comfort on seat design parameters is analyzed and the methodology on seat design is suggested.