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NSC1506 Feature 08
NSC1506 Feature 08
1. Introduction
In 1989, the Steel Construction Institute
produced publication P076[1] entitled
Design Guide on the Vibration of Floors.
From vibration measurements taken over
the last 10 years on steel-framed oors,
it was decided that a new version of the
publication was required: to extend the
guidance to new forms of construction
(such as Slimdek); to include guidance on
special oors (such as dance oors); and,
from calibrating numerical models against
test performance, to develop a new design
methodology. Following the publication
of P354[2] entitled Design of Floors for
Vibration: A New Approach, P076 and
P331[3] have been withdrawn. This article reviews the
new publication, indicating and explaining changes.
2. Sources of Vibration
There are many sources of vibration in buildings,
from external sources such as trafc and train lines
to internal sources such as machinery. However, the
common source of vibration on most oors will be
caused by the occupants, in most cases by walking.
Previously it was suggested that walking can occur
between 1.4 Hz and 2.5 Hz (i.e. 1.4 to 2.5 steps per
second), but by considering a large number of
measurements taken during a European project and
using statistical techniques in Annex C of EN 1990[4],
this range has been reduced to 1.8 Hz to 2.2 Hz for
design. This research has also indicated that four,
rather than three, harmonics of the pace frequency
should be considered, and so the cut-off between
a low and high frequency oor has risen to 10 Hz
to take account of the off-resonant excitation of the
fourth harmonic.
Guidelines for vibration caused by aerobic and
dancing activities (as found in gyms, dance oors
and rock concerts) are also included with a method
for calculating the dynamic design load in these
circumstances (which can be used as an alternative
to designing above the 8.4 Hz limit specied in
Annex A of BS6399-1[5]).
3. Design Considerations for Floors
As well as giving design values for the elastic
modulus of the concrete and the critical damping
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Technical
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Technical
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6. Lightweight Floors
Lightweight oor construction, where oor
panels made from materials such as chipboard
are supported on cold formed steel C-sections, is
also reviewed. Guidance is given for a response
analysis of these oor types which can be used as
an alternative should the frequency/stiffness criteria
presented in SCI P301[12] (and reproduced in P354)
not be appropriate or if the design specication
requires particular response factor or VDV limits.
7 Hospital Floors
P354 will also replace the previous guidance given
in SCI P331[3], and a section dealing specically with
hospital oors is provided that summarises the
requirements that are specic to hospitals (from
publications such as HTM 2045[13]) for use with the
assessment methods that are general for any oor.
8 Appendices
As well as the worked examples and a comparison
of test results with the assessment methods, two
other appendices are provided for information.
The rst of these examines retrot and remedial
measures to improve the performance of oors
due to a change of use or in the rare case of a
problematic oor. The second is a chapter on
the dynamic testing of building oors, written by
Professor Aleksander Pavic and Dr Paul Reynolds,
both of Shefeld University; this gives an overview
References
1. WYATT, T.A.
Design guide on the vibration of oors,
(SCI P076)
The Steel Construction Institute, Ascot, 1989
2. SMITH, A.L., HICKS, S.J. & DEVINE, P.J.
Design of Floors for Vibration: A New Approach,
(SCI P354)
The Steel Construction Institute, Ascot, 2007
3. HICKS, S.J. & DEVINE, P.J.
Design Guide on the Vibration of Floors in
Hospitals (SCI P331)
The Steel Construction Institute, Ascot, 2004
4. BS EN 1990:2002
Eurocode. Basis of structural design
British Standards Institution, London 2002
5. BS 6399-1:1996 Loadings for buildings. Code of
practice for dead and imposed loads
British Standards Institution, London, 1996
6. BS 6472:1992 Guide to evaluation of human
exposure to vibration in buildings (1 Hz to 80 Hz)
British Standards Institution, London, 1992
7. BS 6841:1987 Guide to measurement and
evaluation of human exposure to whole-body
mechanical vibration and repeated shock
British Standards Institute, London, 1987
8. ISO 2631-1: Mechanical vibration and shock
Evaluation of human exposure to whole-body
vibration: Part 1: General requirements
International Organisation for Standardization,
Geneva. 1997
9. ISO 2631-2: Evaluation of human exposure
to whole-body vibration, Part 2: Continuous
and shock-induced vibration in buildings
(1 to 80 Hz), International Organisation for
Standardiztion, Switzerland, 2003
10. ISO/DIS 10137 Bases for design of structures
Serviceability of buildings against vibration
International Organisation for Standardization,
Paris, 2006
11. Advisory Desk Note AD312,
Steel Construction Institute, Ascot, 2007.
12. GRUBB, P.J., GORGOLEWSKI, M.T. &
LAWSON, R.M.
Light Steel Framing in Residential Construction
(SCI P301)
The Steel Construction Institute, Ascot, 2001
13. Health Technical Memorandum 2045 Acoustics:
Design considerations
The Stationery Ofce, London, 1996
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