A Laboratory Excitation Technique to Test Road Bike Vibration Transmission

• Published in: Experimental techniques (Westport, Conn.) Conn.), 2016-02, Vol.40 (1), p.227-234
• Main Authors: Lépine, J., Champoux, Y., Drouet, J.-M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry and Materials Science; Materials Science
• ISSN: 0732-8818; 1747-1567
• DOI: 10.1007/s40799-016-0026-8

This paper describes a technique designed to measure the in-situ acceleration signals that will be used to drive a road simulator in the study of road bike vibration transmission in a laboratory setting. To measure the signals, a bike mounted by a cyclist and towed by a motor vehicle is used. A road simulator using actuators driven by a digital signal is described. The impulse response of the bike used to measure road data is convoluted with the road acceleration in order to obtain the required actuator signal. The reproduction capacity of the simulator is evaluated by comparing the frequency content as well as the time statistical parameters of the acceleration signal measurement with road to the acceleration obtained on the simulator. On a granular road with a broadband excitation spectrum, the vertical excitation obtained with the simulator adequately mimics the measured road acceleration. This technique can be used to compare vibration transmission characteristics among different road bikes.