The design of seat suspensions having linear stiffness and damping characteristics involves a tradeoff between three performance measures. These measures are: (1) suspension range of motion, (2) improved average vibration isolation (weighted average across a wide exposure spectrum), and (3) improved isolation at the frequency of peak transmissibility. To overcome the limitations associated with this tradeoff, nonlinear mechanical properties are used here in the design of a seat suspension. From the infinite number of possible nonlinear mechanical characteristics, several possibilities that showed promise in previous studies were selected. The selected nonlinear force-deflection relationship (stiffness) of the seat is described by a combination of cubic and linear terms. The selected damping behavior of the seat is described by a combination of a linear term and a position-dependent term. A lumped parameter model (linear-human/nonlinear-seat) of the human/seat-suspension coupled system and a robust direct search routine are used to obtain pseudo-optimal values of the seat design parameters (mass, stiffness, and damping) via simulation in the time domain. Results indicate that the optimal nonlinear seat suspension is significantly better than the optimal linear seat suspension in overall vibration isolation characteristics.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
September 2003
Technical Papers
Improved Vibration Isolating Seat Suspension Designs Based on Position-Dependent Nonlinear Stiffness and Damping Characteristics
Yi Wan,
Yi Wan
Milsco Manufacturing Company, 9009 North 51st Street, Milwaukee, WI 53223-2403
Search for other works by this author on:
Joseph M. Schimmels
Joseph M. Schimmels
Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI 53201-1881
Search for other works by this author on:
Yi Wan
Milsco Manufacturing Company, 9009 North 51st Street, Milwaukee, WI 53223-2403
Joseph M. Schimmels
Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI 53201-1881
Contributed by the Dynamic Systems, Measurement, and Control Division of THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERS for publication in the ASME JOURNAL OF DYNAMIC SYSTEMS, MEASUREMENT, AND CONTROL. Manuscript received by the ASME Dynamics Systems and Control Division July 26, 2001; final revison, January 24, 2003. Associate Editor: R. Mukherjee.
J. Dyn. Sys., Meas., Control. Sep 2003, 125(3): 330-338 (9 pages)
Published Online: September 18, 2003
Article history
Received:
July 26, 2001
Revised:
January 24, 2003
Online:
September 18, 2003
Citation
Wan, Y., and Schimmels, J. M. (September 18, 2003). "Improved Vibration Isolating Seat Suspension Designs Based on Position-Dependent Nonlinear Stiffness and Damping Characteristics ." ASME. J. Dyn. Sys., Meas., Control. September 2003; 125(3): 330–338. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.1592189
Download citation file:
Get Email Alerts
Multi Combustor Turbine Engine Acceleration Process Control Law Design
J. Dyn. Sys., Meas., Control
A Distributed Layered Planning and Control Algorithm for Teams of Quadrupedal Robots: An Obstacle-Aware Nonlinear Model Predictive Control Approach
J. Dyn. Sys., Meas., Control (May 2025)
Active Data-Enabled Robot Learning of Elastic Workpiece Interactions
J. Dyn. Sys., Meas., Control (May 2025)
Innovative Pressure Control With ANFIS-Enhanced Mode Switching for High-Speed Pneumatic Systems
J. Dyn. Sys., Meas., Control (May 2025)
Related Articles
A Comparative Study and Analysis of Semi-Active Vibration-Control Systems
J. Vib. Acoust (October,2002)
Active Vibration Control and Isolation for Micromachined Devices
J. Mech. Des (September,2009)
Analytical Study of Vibration Isolation Between a Pair of Flexible Structures
J. Vib. Acoust (April,2009)
Application of Practical Observer to Semi-Active Suspensions
J. Dyn. Sys., Meas., Control (June,2000)
Related Proceedings Papers
Related Chapters
Supporting Systems/Foundations
Handbook on Stiffness & Damping in Mechanical Design
Fundamentals of Structural Dynamics
Flow Induced Vibration of Power and Process Plant Components: A Practical Workbook
Engineering Design about Electro-Hydraulic Intelligent Control System of Multi Axle Vehicle Suspension
International Conference on Instrumentation, Measurement, Circuits and Systems (ICIMCS 2011)