Abstract:

Drivers in the each sector, a profession that plays a significant role in various industries. Vehicle drivers hold an important position in many fields such as transportation and logistics, public utilities, courier and distribution services, and tourism. Vibrations occurring in vehicle seats expose individuals to whole-body vibrations. Evaluating these vibrations in terms of exposure action and limit values is crucial according to Occupational Health and Safety Regulations. According to occupational health and safety regulations, employers are required to take precautions for vibration values to which employees are exposed, ranging from 0.5 to 1.15 𝑚/𝑠!, in the workplace. Additionally, from an ergonomic perspective, it is necessary to adhere to the relevant regulations regarding the vibrations experienced for the comfort of vehicle drivers. In the scope of the study, a three degrees of freedom theoretical vehicle model representing an actual vehicle was first established. Different road roughness profiles (concrete, asphalt, pave, dirt, stabilized), obtained experimentally, were applied as road inputs to this vehicle model. Thus, vehicle seat vibrations were obtained in terms of time and frequency under different road roughness conditions. The impact of vehicle design parameters on seat vibration magnitudes was evaluated within the framework of Occupational Health and Safety regulations. As a result, an ideal vehicle model was designed for all types of roads, with seat vibration magnitudes remaining below the exposure limit value.

Keywords: