Citation

Zhou Z, Griffin MJ. Ergonomics 2016; 60(3): 347-357.

Affiliation

a Human Factors Research Unit, Institute of Sound and Vibration Research , University of Southampton , Southampton SO17 1BJ , England.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/00140139.2016.1164902

PMID

27006084

Abstract

The frequency-dependence of discomfort caused by vertical mechanical shocks has been investigated with 20 seated males exposed to upward and downward shocks at 13 fundamental frequencies (1 to 16 Hz) and 18 magnitudes (±0.12 to ±8.3 ms(-2)). The rate of growth of discomfort with increasing shock magnitude depended on the fundamental frequency of the shocks, so the frequency-dependence of equivalent comfort contours (for both vertical acceleration and vertical force measured at the seat) varied with shock magnitude. The rate of growth of discomfort was similar for acceleration and force, upward and downward shocks, and lower and higher magnitude shocks. The frequency-dependence of discomfort from shocks differs from that for sinusoidal vibrations having the same fundamental frequencies. This arises in part from the frequency content of the shock. Frequency weighting Wb in BS 6841:1987 and ISO 2631-1:1997 provided reasonable estimates of the discomfort caused by the shocks investigated in this study. Practitioner summary No single frequency weighting can accurately predict the discomfort caused by mechanical shocks over wide ranges of shock magnitude, but vibration dose values with frequency weighting Wb provide reasonable estimates of discomfort caused by shocks similar to those investigated in this study with peak accelerations well below 1 g.

Language: en