In this study, the effect of posture, vibration magnitude and frequency on seat-to-head (STH) and back support-tohead (BTH) transfer functions has been studied under vertical sinusoidal vibration. Twelve healthy male subjects were participated in experimental work to measure vertical vibration transmitted to the occupants head in three representative postures (erect, vertical back on and forward lean on table) under three magnitudes of vibration (0.4, 0.8 and 1.2 m/s 2 r.m.s.) in frequency range 1 to 20 Hz. From collected data sets, the effect of vibration magnitude, vibration frequency and postures on STH and BTH transmissibility's and phase has been drawn over the prescribed frequency range. The result suggested that inclusion of all possible variables in optimal design of vehicle seat, suspension and comfort analysis most benefit for better design and analysis. The comparison of experimental and model response reveals that both models matched with mean experimental data sets most closely and the models provide best description about biodynamic response study of seated human subjects under vertical whole body vibration.

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The dynamic behaviour of cylindrical roller bearings is presented, in both balanced and unbalanced conditions as a function of speed. The stiffness and damping non-linearities at the contact points (due to Hertzian contact force between rollers and races), radial internal clearance and unbalanced rotor force make the bearing system non-linear. Presently, the differential equations representing the dynamics of the cylindrical roller bearings have been obtained using Lagrange’s equation and solved numerically using modified Newmark-β method. The results of the analyses of various motion behaviours are presented as time–displacement responses, orbit plots, phase portraits, Poincaré maps and Fast Fourier Transform plots. The obtained responses revealed the sensitive behaviour of the system from periodic to quasi-periodic and chaotic with speed variations for both balanced and unbalanced rotor conditions. Also, intermittent chaotic behaviour has been observed. A pattern of the interaction between rotational and variable compliance vibration is observed with speed variations. The frequency pattern analysis (with different techniques used like phase/orbit plots and Poincaré plots) for healthy cylindrical bearing and different rotor conditions under different applied non-linearity consideration is a new attempt to analyse dynamic behaviour of the bearing. This analysis is helpful for online monitoring of fault-free cylindrical roller bearings and for studying the impact of speed on system’s dynamical behaviour.

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An experimental study has been conducted on the vibration simulator, developed as a mockup of a railway vehicle. In this paper, the effect of variations in the posture and vibration magnitude on head motions in three translational directions (fore-and-aft, lateral and vertical) are studied with seat vibration in fore-and-aft direction. Thirty healthy male subjects are exposed to random vibration with three vibration magnitudes of 0.4, 0.8 and 1.2 m/s 2 r.m.s. over the frequency range 1-20 Hz. The data results are analyzed in terms of seat-to-head transmissibility (STHT) in two sitting postures; backrest and forward lean. Vibration measurements of the head motions are made with an apparatus (bite-bar). The study confirms that the measured responses to single fore-and-aft axis vibration have shown notable cross-axis responses. An increase in the excitation magnitude consistently revealed a decrease in the response peak magnitude and the corresponding resonant frequency, particularly in the presence of a back support. Such non-linear behavior has been interpreted as a non-linear softening effect in the muscle tension under increasing intensity of vibration. The use of a back support significantly alters the biodynamic responses of the seated body, which is attributable to the constraint due to the backrest support.