Effects of pothole type pavement distress on whole-body vibration

The study investigated the levels of whole-body vibration (WBV) that people travelling in the vehicle are exposed to when passing through potholes of standard defined sizes. Firstly, vibration measurements were made at different speeds in road profiles whose geometry is known with a passenger car. With the help of these data, a half-car dynamic model was calibrated, and vehicle responses were digitized. WBV values occurring in the seat surfaces of vehicles caused by pothole type deterioration, which have nine different sizes were dynamically simulated. Evaluations were repeated using profiles representing three road classes. In the simulation, vibration values were produced by changing speeds ten units between 10 and 50 km/h and the effects of ride speed on WBV were also taken into account. Vibration data were analysed using vertical weighted root-mean-square acceleration (aw), vibration dose value (VDV) and equivalent static compressive stress (Se) parameters defined in the ISO 2631 standard.