Impact of traffic routes reconstruction on vehicle vibrations

In our everyday car riding, we are often exposed to unpleasant vibrations. Vibrations are, as a rule, the consequence of vehicles passing over various irregularities and roughness on the pavement. These cause both damages of vehicles, increase of noise and vibrations and a reduced ride comfort. Within the framework of the pavement management in relation to the achievement of a best possible ride comfort, it is very important to foresee, when a traffic route should be reconstructed. By traffic road reconstruction, an even driving surface is achieved, apart from the solution of traffic jams. Such interventions on traffic routes contribute an increased ride comfort but also driving safety, as well as vehicle vibration decrease. In the paper, measurement of vehicle vibrations on main city traffic routes in Zagreb (Croatia), before and after the finished reconstruction, is shown. The results obtained by this research may serve as a proposal for making of recommendations, for which of the irregularities on the pavement reconstruction or maintenance should be undertaken in order to decrease vehicle vibrations and increase ride comfort.