Assessment of vibration influence on comfort level of an agricultural narrow tractor in vineyard operations

Narrow and specialised tractors are characterised from peculiar geometrical dimensions that could have influence on the driver comfort. The CRA Research Institute of Treviglio and the University of Bologna, in the frame of the Vibramag Project have evaluated the influence on operator’s comfort in a narrow isodiametric tractor fitted with different mounted implements and in different work and transport conditions on farm roads, in vineyard and in orchard. The tractor presented a good comfort index during operations cause the low forward speed. During transfer on terrain resulted very sensible to forward speed increasing. Beside the results were very similar, working in ascent slope was always more comfortable than in descent but, in both cases, resulted worst than working on plain. Front motion was more comfortable than reverse, but the mass distribution characterised from the kind of implement could introduce resonance condition. The highest value for single channel is, normally, resulted the z of the back, probably due to the short wheelbase and the isodiametric tires characterising a vertical reaction on the four wheels and not the classic pitch of tractors.