VIBRATION MEASUREMENT AND ANALYSIS OF TRACTOR DRIVER SEAT VIBRATION IN AGRICULTURAL FIELD

Increased vehicle capacity and speed, induced by higher work costs, creates a lot of vibration problems therefore reducing the vehicle life, working precision and driver’s comfort. Suspension systems should be developed in such way that they minimize the transmission of harmful vibrations and shocks as much as possible. The low - frequency range (2 ? 8 Hz) is crucial for good driver comfort and health, and work efficiency. Opera tors of agricultural equipment perform various duties at work that expose them to a variety of risk factors that may lead to health problems. A few of the health hazards among operators of construction equipment are whole - body vibration and musculoskeletal disorders . The objective of the study was to evaluate the vibrations transmitted through the tractor driver’s seat. In this study the vibration transmitted through the seat of a four - wheel drive tractor equipped with different types of instruments were me asured on different types of conditions and at different speeds using OR34 - 2, 4 Channel FFT analyser and analysed according to the ISO standard. From the observations it is seen that the values for the root - mean - square (RMS) accelerations levels measured o n the driver’s seat was increased above the comfort range of the operator, as forward speed of travel increased under most of the operating conditions that may lead to health problems.