Dynamic Serviceability in Lightweight Engineered Timber Floors
Publication: Journal of Structural Engineering
Volume 134, Issue 2
Abstract
Vibration of lightweight engineered timber floors (ETFs) is a problem occasionally reported by occupants of dwellings constructed with such floors. Vibration of timber floors has been studied extensively in the past resulting in the development of design criteria to prevent dynamic serviceability problems. Nevertheless, unsatisfactory serviceability continues to be reported. The present experimental investigation has examined several lightweight ETF configurations and found that most satisfy existing design criteria intended to preclude bodily oscillations under foot traffic. However, these same floors failed to display satisfactory performance with respect to vibrational disturbances such as drumminess and shaking. Common variations in design such as changes in fasteners or the inclusion of blocking have little effect on vibrational disturbances. Instead, experimental evidence suggests that minimum levels of structural damping may be required to control such phenomena.
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Acknowledgments
The writer gratefully acknowledges the support provided for this research project by the Forest and Wood Products Research and Development Corporation through Grant No. PN04.2011. He also thanks Futurebuild, Craig Kay of Tillings Timber, Hyne & Son, and the Timber Development Association of NSW for their ongoing support of research into this subject.
References
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Structural Engineering
Volume 134 • Issue 2 • February 2008
Pages: 258 - 268
Copyright
© 2008 ASCE.
History
Received: Apr 2, 2007
Accepted: Jul 5, 2007
Published online: Feb 1, 2008
Published in print: Feb 2008
Notes
Note. Associate Editor: Rakesh Gupta
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