Prediction and Mitigation of Building Floor Vibrations Using a Blocking Floor
Publication: Journal of Structural Engineering
Volume 138, Issue 10
Abstract
Buildings that are located near transportation corridors often experience floor vibrations induced by passing trains or traffic, which causes building owners some concern. In this paper, a mathematical, impedance-based (wave propagation) model is presented for predicting train-induced floor vibrations in buildings. The model analytically predicts velocities, velocity ratios, and impedances. The analytical predictions of the model were compared and validated with the measured floor vibrations in a 4-story scale model building constructed by the writers. These predictions closely mimicked the measured responses. Using the results from the method presented indicate that the vibrations on the upper floors can be mitigated by increasing the thickness of a floor at a lower level in the building. This lower-level floor with the increased thickness is called a blocking floor. The scale model building was tested with and without a blocking floor. The predicted and measured responses of the scale model building using floor slabs with various thicknesses on the first floor are compared. It is concluded that the use of a blocking floor can mitigate the transmission of structure-borne vibration to the upper floors.
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Acknowledgments
The writers would like to thank Dr. Eric E. Ungar of Acentech, Inc., for the initial development of this research. The writers would like to thank former graduate students Cory Brett, Mike Hughes, and Kaitlyn Conroy for their work on the mathematical modeling and floor vibration testing. The writers would like to thank Dr. Babak Moaveni and Dr. Brian Tracey at Tufts University for their advice and concern in this research. Special thanks are given to Stephen J. Fratto, CEE Laboratory Coordinator, for his assistance in building the scale building model. The writers also appreciate Tufts Faculty Research Awards Committee (FRAC) for partial funding of this research.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Structural Engineering
Volume 138 • Issue 10 • October 2012
Pages: 1181 - 1192
Copyright
© 2012 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jun 30, 2011
Accepted: Dec 16, 2011
Published ahead of production: Dec 21, 2011
Published in print: Oct 1, 2012
Published online: Dec 21, 2012
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