Vibration Design Criterion for Wood Floors Exposed to Normal Human Activities

• Published in: Journal of structural engineering (New York, N.Y.) Vol. 125; no. 12; pp. 1401 - 1406
• Main Authors: Al-Foqaha'a, Arshad A, Cofer, William F, Fridley, Kenneth J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Reston, VA American Society of Civil Engineers 01.12.1999
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Buildings; Buildings. Public works; Exact sciences and technology; External envelopes; Floor. Ceiling; TECHNICAL PAPERS; United States; North America; America; Technical code; Vibration; Human activity; Vibration control; Computing method; Timber flooring; Wood joist floor
• ISSN: 0733-9445; 1943-541X
• DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9445(1999)125:12(1401)

Annoying vibration for occupant-induced footfalls is a serviceability limit state that must be considered in the design of structures, including residential wood floors. Recently proposed design methods addressing excessive floor vibrations require knowledge of the dynamic characteristics of the floor system, such as the fundamental frequency or the root-mean-square acceleration (arms). A finite-element approach was utilized to model wood floor systems under dynamic loads resulting from normal human activities, and design curves relating arms to floor fundamental frequency and mass are proposed. Predicted behavior from the design curves was compared with behavior observed from an experimental study and the two sets of results were found to be in close agreement. From the results, it is concluded that current vibration criteria based upon static properties or fundamental frequency are inadequate for preventing undesirable floor vibration. To obtain an acceptable value of arms for a floor, it is shown that a stiffer floor with a higher fundamental frequency is required. It is also concluded that a proper floor design may be achieved through the use of the proposed design curves.