DYNAMICS AND VIBRATION: FLOOR VIBRATION

A common situation found in buildings is floor vibration. Office spaces are generally expected to have low levels of background vibration. HGC Engineering has assisted in diagnosing and correcting many situations where people walking in corridors, or performing rhythmic exercises such as aerobics have resulted in surprising vibration levels in offices or boardrooms, sometimes many floors away.

It is often wise to assess the likelihood of perceptible vibration in sensitive spaces during the initial design of a building. This is particularly true where unusual building geometry or complicated structural systems are called for. HGC has assisted structural engineers on numerous occasions early in the design phase of new buildings. The Canary Wharf Towers in London, England, are a typical example, where one floor is suspended from the complex floor system of the floor above.

The more complex a structure becomes, the more difficult it is to accurately predict and effectively minimize the impact of vibration. HGC Engineering uses Finite Element Analysis techniques to systematically approach vibration analysis, often creating both detailed models of a small floor section, or complicated models of entire buildings.

Vibration Mode of a Complex Floor System
Representation of these advanced analysis capabilities in identifying vibration mode in complex flooring system.

Vibration Mode of a Floor Structure
Illustration of vibration modes in a flooring system