Dynamic Test Rig for Railway Seats: Design and Experimental Characterisation

A railway passenger vehicle must ensure a high level of comfort, especially if it is used for the transport of passengers with reduced mobility. Comfort is a physical and psychological condition, affected by many factors, such as vibration, noise, temperature and humidity. The comfort level of a railway vehicle is particularly affected by mechanical vibrations with a frequency range of 0 to 80 Hz. This range depends on the characteristics of the track and the vehicle’s suspension. The technical standards currently in use require the measurement of acceleration at the level of the floor of the vehicle, neglecting the important effects of the seat. This work, which has been developed within the Industry 2015 program "Caritas", describes the design and the experimental characterisation of an innovative test rig that allows one to test the comfort level of different types of railway seats before operation. The test bench described in the paper can appreciably help the design process of railway seats.