Application of the Pareto-optimal approach for selecting dynamic characteristics of seat suspension systems

In this paper, a method for selecting the dynamic characteristics of seat suspension systems is presented. The basic principle of such a method consists in the shaping of nonlinear seat suspension dynamic behaviour for the different requirements defined by machine operators. A combined optimisation procedure has allowed to find the Pareto-optimal system configuration with simultaneous minimisation of conflicted optimisation criteria: the suspended body acceleration and suspension travel. As an example of the proposed method, the seat with a viscous-elastic passive suspension is investigated and its vibro-isolation properties are shaped by the air-spring and shock-absorber force characteristics.