Church

Floor Vibration

Church floor vibration

 Paya Lebar Chinese Methodist Church

Site photo
 Paya Lebar Chinese Methodist Church

1st storey

Site photo
 Paya Lebar Chinese Methodist Church

2nd storey

Site photo
 Paya Lebar Chinese Methodist Church

Existing structures
 Serviceability Limit State

An existing 30 years old church is found to have vibration issue by the

users. The affected floor is located on 2nd storey of the initial building.
As vibration is a serviceability problem, we will focus on the long-term
effect of a reinforced concrete (RC) structure.

What is Serviceability Limit State

SS EN 1990 Basis of structural design

Serviceability assessment
 Vibration Assessment

These are the 3 methods to assess the vibration of a RC structural

element and shall be performed in sequence

1. Calculate deflection and assess span / depth ratio

a. To determine section is crack or uncrack
b. To determine stiffness modification factor
c. To calculate creep due to long term effect and modify concrete
modulus of elasticity
2. Determine natural frequency
3. Determine acceleration and calculation response factor

Methods of assessment
 Assessment Aids

Etabs is used to determine the defection, natural frequency,

acceleration and response factor and below are the assumption and
parameters adopted

• Structure is modelled as 2D portal frame with flexible support

• Mass source is from 100% dead load and 10% live load
• Damping to be 1.2% (Bare floor with minimum furniture)
• Live load of 2.5 kPa and SDL of 1.2 kPa
• Foot fall load to be 1000 N

Etabs
 Deflection

Section is cracked

Crack or uncrack section

 Deflection

SS EN 1992-1-1 C3.1.4

Creep – Modulus of elasticity

 Deflection

Section is uncracked
No creep

Section is cracked
No creep

Section is cracked
Consider creep

< L/250

Deflection
 Natural Frequency

Section is cracked
No creep

Section is cracked
Consider creep

< 3Hz

Natural Frequency
 Acceleration

Human foot fall is found to cause the vibration and to determine the
acceleration due to walking, Time History analysis is performed

Foot fall

Time history analysis

 Acceleration

- Load = 1000 N (Human) Determine

- Pace = 2 Hz by engineers
- Walking speed = 1.5 m/s
- Stride = 725 mm (1.5/2 = 750 mm)

Time history analysis

 Acceleration

Time history analysis parameter

Time history analysis

 Acceleration

Unsatisfactory

Satisfactory
Depend
on usage

Response factor

Acceleration
 Rectification

Strengthening of RC beams
 Rectification

Unsatisfactory

Satisfactory

Depend
on usage

Response factor

Acceleration
 Verification

Acceleration measurement

On site measurement
 Conclusion

Questions

Question and answer