Review of Pedestrian Load Models for Vibration Serviceability Assessment of Floor Structures

Abstract

Innovative design and technological advancements in the construction industry have resulted in an increased use of large, slender and lightweight floors in contemporary office buildings. Compounded by an ever-increasing use of open-plan layouts with few internal partitions and thus lower damping, floor vibration is becoming a governing limit state in the modern structural design originating from dynamic footfall excitations. This could cause annoyance and discomfort to building occupants as well as knock-on management and financial consequences for facility owners. This article presents a comprehensive review pertinent to walking-induced dynamic loading of low-frequency floor structures. It is intended to introduce and explain key walking parameters in the field as well as summarise the development of previous walking models and methods for vibration serviceability assessment. Although a number of walking models and design procedures have been proposed, the literature survey highlights that further work is required in the following areas; (1) the development of a probabilistic multi-person loading model which accounts for inter- and intra-subject variabilities, (2) the identification of walking paths (routes accounting for the effect of occupancy patterns on office floors) coupled with spatial distribution of pedestrians and (3) the production of a statistical spatial response approach for vibration serviceability assessment. A stochastic approach, capable of taking into account uncertainties in loading model and vibration responses, appears to be a more reliable way forward compared to the deterministic approaches of the past and there is a clear need for further research in this area.

Reliability of Field Experiments, Analytical Methods and Pedestrian’s Perception Scales for the Vibration Serviceability Assessment of an In-Service Glass Walkway

“…Additional uncertainties can then derive from the possible / progressive degradation of materials and restraints (i.e., Figure 1), hence resulting in even marked variations of the fundamental dynamic properties. Finally, HSI effects may be crucial [18,[31][32][33][34]. From a mathematical point of view, a single stationary human body represents in fact a dynamic system able to interact with a given structure (see for example Figure 4a).…”

A mobile tool for teaching advanced dynamic analysis = Una aplicación móvil para el aprendizaje del análisis dinámico avanzado

“…Thus, the complete process of the serviceability evaluation can be carried out in situ. Controlled tests, such as walking, running bouncing (individually, groups or stream) or heel drops can be planned and carried out in the same test [14,15]. The students have to design the tests and make measurements.…”

Vibration serviceability assessment of office floors for realistic walking and floor layout scenarios: Literature review

“…However, it is important to stress that the recommended VDV limits (such as the ones proposed by BSI 6472-1:2008) need much improved calibration, since such limits are disproportionately higher than VDV values measured in monitored, and demonstrably problematic, full-scale and operational built floors (Muhammad et al, 2018; Reynolds and Pavic, 2015).…”