The towed vehicle as an oscillating system

Vibrations set up in a vehicle by the excitations induced by the terrain profile lead to wear and eventually to structural deterioration. Excitation forces acting on a vehicle being towed across terrain cause vibrations that lead to wear and structural deterioration. The rate of deterioration depends on the road profile geometry and the dynamic properties of the vehicle. The research presented here attempts to find out how the response function of the vehicle depends on the transfer function of the structure and the level of road profile excitation. Knowledge of the relationship between the towed vehicle and the terrain profile will enable the design of an artificial road profile for fatigue testing with stresses similar to those that arise in normal use.