This project will pursue research in prediction of floor vibrations due to human activities. The research plan consists of two parts: (1) a study of the effects of the human-floor system interaction, and (2) a study of floor vibration assessment for human acceptance. To conduct the research, the project will use laboratory experiments, field investigations, and analytical studies. Finite element analytical model will be used to represent the structural system of the floor. Experimental research will be conducted using an existing two-story structure in the Laboratory. The test structure will help the investigators to study the effects of human-structure interaction and assess floor vibrations under a controlled laboratory environment. In addition, parameters for the assessment of floor vibrations for human perception will be studied. A series of field tests and measurements on large floor structures are planned to validate analytical and laboratory results.
The outcome of this research will be of significance to the committees dealing with building serviceability issues as related to floor vibrations. Unacceptable floor vibrations can be a serious serviceability issue for architects, engineers, and building owners. This problem is becoming prevalent due to the use of higher strength materials, use of computer-assisted design to optimize the weight of structural members, rhythmic human activities such as dancing, aerobics, indoor jogging, etc., and innovative designs by architects achieving long, column-free spans resulting in a reduction in the natural frequency and damping. The result is that many floors are susceptible to annoying vibrations requiring expensive retrofitting. In addition, housing of sensitive equipment such as magnetic resonance imaging scanners, electron microscopes, etc., on building floors require very low vibration limits for their proper operations. It is necessary to predict analytically vibration performance of floors when subjected to excitations by human activities. The most important issues in floor vibrations are the dynamic interaction between humans and floor structure and human perception of vibrations
