VIBRATION EXPOSURE OF INDIVIDUALS USING WHEELCHAIRS OVER CONCRETE PAVER SURFACES

SUMMARY According to the International Standards Organization 2631-1 standard on human vibration, individuals in a seated position are at risk of injury due to whole-body vibrations when exposed for long periods of time. Wheelchair users fit this description perfectly, however little research has been conducted to evaluate the amount of vibration transmitted to a wheelchair user. The vibration exposure was produced by traversing nine pavement surfaces with 10 individuals without disabilities in a manual and powered wheelchair. The surfaces included poured, jointed concrete and concrete and clay pavers with chamfers from 0 to 8 mm wide and two herringbone laying patterns for selected surfaces. Power wheelchair results: The standard poured concrete surface was used as a norm and compared to the other surfaces. Two surfaces resulted in higher vibration exposure than the standard; an 8mm wide chamfer concrete paver in a 90 degree herringbone pattern and a 6mm wide chamfer pavers 90 degree herringbone pattern. Manual wheelchair results: Three surfaces resulted in higher vibration exposure than the standard surface; the 8mm wide chamfer surface in a 90 degree herringbone pattern, and the two 6mm wide chamfer surfaces placed in 90 and 45 degree patterns. Recommendations: Smaller chamfer widths on pavers exposes individuals using wheelchairs to less vibration. Also, pavers installed in a 90 degree herringbone pattern produced lower vibration exposures. It is recommended that only pavers of 6 mm wide chamfers or less be used with a 90 degree herringbone pattern.