Prediction of Floor Vibration Response Using the Finite Element Method

Several different aspects of floor vibrations were studied during this research. The focus of the research was on developing a computer modeling technique that will predict the fundamental frequency of vibration and the peak acceleration due to walking excitation as given in AISC Design Guide 11, Floor Vibrations Due to Human Activity (Murray, et al., 1997). For this research several test floors were constructed and tested, and this data was supplemented with test data from actual floors.

A verification of the modeling techniques is presented first. Using classical results, an example from the Design Guide and the results of some previous research, the modeling techniques are shown to accurately predict the necessary results.

Next the techniques were used on a series of floors and the results were compared to measured data and the predictions of the current design standard.

Finally, conclusions are drawn concerning the success of the finite element modeling techniques, and recommendations for future research are discussed. In general, the finite element modeling techniques can reliably predict the fundamental frequency of a floor, but are unable to accurately predict the acceleration response of the floor to a given dynamic load.