Assessment of the whole body vibration exposure and the dynamic seat comfort in passenger aircraft

This paper describes the study performed to investigate and assess the whole body vibration (WBV) and the dynamic seat comfort of aircraft seats under three different flight conditions. The WBV exposures were assessed based on the international standard ISO-2631-1 (1997) and the British Standard BS-6841 (1987). The seat effective amplitude transmissibility (SEAT) value was then calculated and used as a measure of comfort. Three different methods were used to calculate the SEAT value; these methods include using average weighted vibration (A(w)), vibration dose values (VDV) and using the transmissibility data. The experiments were performed using a multi-axis shaker table simulating takeoff, landing and cruise through turbulence vibration levels. The vibration levels were modeled closely to recordings obtained onboard an actual aircraft during flight. The effect of passenger weight and cushion material on the vibration transmissibility are also discussed. Relevance to Industry: One of the customer's top priorities when looking to travel in an airplane is comfort. Assessing the WBV exposure and the dynamic seat comfort on passenger aircraft seats in laboratory will allow for better development of aircraft seats at much lower costs which, in turn, will provide the customer with high quality products. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.