Hand-arm equal sensation curves for steering wheel rotational vibration

Abstract

The present study has established equal sensation curves for steering wheel handarm rotational vibration. Psychophysical response tests of 20 participants were performed using the category-ratio Borg CR10 scale procedure. The test stimuli used were sinusoidal vibrations at 22 third octave band centre frequencies in the range from 3 to 400 Hz, with amplitudes in the range from 0.06 to 30 m/s2 r.m.s. A multivariate regression analysis was performed on the mean Borg CR10 intensity values as a function of the two independent parameters of the vibration frequency and amplitude. The results suggested a nonlinear dependency of the perceived intensity on both the steering wheel rotational vibration frequency and amplitude. A sixth-order polynomial model has been proposed as a best fit regression model.