PAMM Proc. Appl. Math. Mech. 11, 129 130 (2011) / DOI 10.1002/pamm.

201110056

Development of a biomechanical model to study the horizontal vibration

transmitted from shoulder to head
Aurica Truta1, , Aurora-Felicia Pop1 , Monica Balcau1 , and Mariana Arghir1,
1

Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, B-dul Muncii 103-105, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

On daily activity a human operator is exposed to vibration in working environment. So, the human body will react in different
way. The problem is how much from the initial signal will be sent to the other parts of the body and how much that motion
will be damped along the studied parts. The vibrations in horizontal plane are some unexpected, so the human operator will
not take any position to prevent them. In this condition the horizontal vibrations will have the higher effect possible. In this
paper, the shoulder, neck and the head are modeled together like a mechanical system with four degree of freedom.
c 2011 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim

Introduction

In daily work we are surrounded by vibrations: in the bus, in the buildings, at the office. In their daily activity, human operators
are exposed to vibrations in their working environment. So, the human body will react in different way. The EU has a continue
preoccupation to protect humans and environment. In this context, it raises a question: how much from the initial signal will be
sent to the other parts of the body and how much that moving will be damped along the studied parts? According to estimates
made in some European countries, 4% to 7% of workers are exposed to potentially harmful whole body vibration. A long
time exposure to whole body vibration (WBV) means disorders and implicit loss in productivity. An increase in health care
costs mean additional costs to society [3].

Experimental

In industrial environments, the most important sources of vibrations are the equipments during the technological process [5].
The operator is considered in a standing position on a platform, working on a machine-tool fixed on the floor [4]. It neglects the excitation received from the under the legs support and taken into account only the excitation received through
the hand that is in direct contact with a working part of the machine. In this paper, the shoulder, neck and the head are
modeled together like a mechanical system with four degree of freedom [2], [3]. Along the study we do not kept account
about the building vibrations. It was written the differential equation system based on mechanical simplified model (Fig.1).

Fig. 1 Simplified model for the shoulder-neck-head

The differential equations system (1) of four nonlinear equations was solved by Simulink. For system stability it was expressed
the velocities variation depending on the displacements for the given system (Fig. 2).

m1 y1 + c0 (y 1 u)
+ k0 (y1 u) c1 (y 2 y 1 ) k1 (y2 y1 )

m y + c (y y ) + k (y y ) c (y y ) k (y y )
2 2
1 2
1
1 2
1
3 3
2
3 3
2
1 cos 1 ) + k3 (y3 y2 l sin 1 )
m
y

+
c
(
y

3
3
3
3
2

m2 2l sin 1 y2 + c3 y 2 l cos 1 + k3 y2 l sin 1 + ct1 1 + kt1 1

=
0
=
0
=
0
= Jc 1

(1)

Corresponding author: Email auricatruta@yahoo.com, phone +00 40 264 401 667

Email marianaarghir@yahoo.com, phone +00 40 264 401 657

c 2011 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim

130

Section 2: Biomechanics

The entrance signal is an harmonically wave applied at the shoulder u(t) = u0 sin t where u0 = 3.0 103 m/s. It was
computed the displacements on OY1 , OY2 , OY3 and rotation around OX2 axis (Fig. 3).

Fig. 2 Velocities variation depending on the displacements for system (1)

Fig. 3 Displacements variation depending on the time for considered system and a detail of the diagram.

Conclusion

Transmitted motion on horizontal direction (Fig. 3) has the same magnitude at the end of system as initial motion from the
beginning of the system. So the motion is not amplified and it is not damped. Means that the vibrations are transmitted through
the human body, and for long time exposure they could be dangerous. There are methods to minimize the level of vibrations
and here are some of them: selecting work equipments, selecting work procedures and selecting working methods so as to
give priority to reducing the risk at source.
Acknowledgements This paper was supported by the project Development and support of multidisciplinary postdoctoral programmes in
major technical areas of national strategy of Research - Development - Innovation 4D-POSTDOC, contract no. POSDRU/89/1.5/S/52603,
project co-funded by the European Social Fund through Sectorial Operational Programme Human Resources Development 2007-2013.
Acknowledgements The conference fee was supported by the project Development of a computerized system for assessing occupational
hazards type mechanical vibrations and impact on the human operator to work place - VIBROM - Project number 92-112/2008 funded by
Ministry Education and Research from Romania (Program 4- Partnerships in priority areas)

References
[1] A. Truta, M. Arghir, Research about moving restrictions of cervical spine under the action of mechanical vibrations, PAMM Journal
Volume 9 Issue 1, 2010, Pages 143144, DOI: 10.1002/pamm.200910046
[2] A. Truta, M. Arghir, Study regarding the cervical spine motion under the action of mechanical vibration, Acta Technica Napocensis,
Series: Applied Mathematics and Mechanics 52, Vol. III, 2009, ISSN 1221-5872, Pag. 6166
[3] A.Truta, Modelari biomecanice ale organismului uman sub actiunea vibratiilor mecanice produse de masini si utilaje n mediul de
lucru (Biomechanical models of human body under the action of mechanical vibrations done by machines and equipments in working
environment), Doctoral thesis, 28.10.2009, 224 pag, UTCN, Cluj-Napoca, 2009
[4] A. Truta, A.F. Pop, M. Arghir, Research about transmission of the mechanical vibration done by machine-tools on the group of bones
shoulder-neck-head, PAMM Journal, Vol. 8, Nr. 1, Pag. 1019910200, December 2008, ISSN 1617-7061
[5] A.F. Pop, A. Truta, M. Arghir, The mechanical stability for the hand-arm system under the vibration action, PAMM Journal vol. 8, Issue
1, 2009, Pag. 1018710188, ISSN 1617-7061
c 2011 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim

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