Efficient Design of Floor Structures Using Active Vibration Control

Improved design methods have led to the use of more slender structural elements in the construction of many newly built structures, especially office floors. These floors satisfy ultimate limit state criteria but can attract complaints arising from excessive human-induced vibrations. Active vibration control is a technology that has been shown to significantly reduce the level of response in this situation. This paper investigates the potential increases in slenderness and associated materials savings that can be realised whilst adhering to the vibration serviceability limits through the implementation of an active vibration control system. The decentralised control setup used was found to realise significant material savings whilst still achieving desirable vibration performance.