1

VIBRATIONS IN FLOOR SYSTEMS OF STEEL

STRUCTURES DUE TO HUMAN USE
Presented by
Telmo Andres Sanchez, Ph.D.
HDR Engineering, Inc.
Pittsburgh, PA
asanchez@hdrinc.com
Developed by
Thomas M. Murray, Ph.D., P.E.
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, VA
thmurray@vt.edu
2222
Topics
Basic Vibration Terminology
Floor Vibration Fundamentals
Natural Frequency of Steel Framed
Floor Systems
Design for Walking Excitation
3
BASIC VIBRATION
TERMINOLOGY
4444
Period And Frequency
Period t
p
5555
Natural Frequency

=
wL
t
I
s
gE
2
f
2 / 1
4
n
6666
Damping
Loss of Mechanical Energy in a
Vibrating System
Critical Damping
Smallest Amount of Viscous Damping
Required to Prevent Oscillation of a
Free Vibrating System
7
Harmonics
P

3
1st Harmonic
2nd Harmonic
3rd Harmonic
Footstep =
( ) t
f i
cos P
step
i

=
2
f
1
f
step 1

=
f
2
f
step 2

=
f
3
f
step 3

=
P
1
P

2
8888
Acceleration Ratio
Acceleration Of A System, a
p
Acceleration Of Gravity, a
g
Usually Expressed As %g.
0.5%g is the Human Tolerance
Level for Quite Environments.
Ratio =
9999
Effective Weight
Floor Width
F
l
o
o
r

L
e
n
g
t
h

W
10
FLOOR VIBRATION
FUNDAMENTALS
11
The Power of Resonance
0 1 2
F
l
o
o
r

R
e
s
p
o
n
s
e
2 - 3% Damping
Natural frequency, f
n
Forcing frequency, f
5 - 7% Damping
12 12 12 12
Phenomenon of Resonance
Resonance can also occur when a
multiple of the forcing function
frequency equals a natural frequency of
the floor.
Usually concerned with the first natural
frequency.
Resonance can occur because of walking
dancing, or exercising.
13 13 13 13
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
Frequency (Hz)
M
e
a
s
u
r
e
d

A
u
t
o
s
p
e
c
t
r
u
m

(
P
e
a
k
,

%
g
)
Walking
Speed
100 bpm
2
nd
Harmonic
3.33 Hz
System Frequency
5 Hz 3
rd
Harmonic
Response from a Lightly
Damped Floor
14 14 14 14
A Tolerance Criterion has two parts:
Prediction of the floor response to a
specified excitation.
Human response/tolerance
Human Tolerance Criterion
15 15 15 15
FloorVibe v2.02
Software for Analyzing
Floors for Vibrations
Criteria Based on AISC/CISC Design
Guide 11
SEI
Structural Engineers, Inc.
537 Wisteria Drive
Radford, VA 24141
540-731-3330 Fax 540-639-0713
tmmurray@floorvibe.com
http://www.floorvibe.com
AISC/CISC Design Guide
16 16 16 16
_ _ _ _
_ _ _ _
_ _ _ _
_ ___ _
1 3 4 5 8 10 25 40
25
10
5
2.5
1
0.5
0.25
0.1
0.05
Rhythmic Activities
Outdoor Footbridges
Shopping Malls,
Dining and Dancing
Offices,
Residences
ISO Baseline Curve for
RMS Acceleration
P
e
a
k

A
c
c
e
l
e
r
a
t
i
o
n

(
%

G
r
a
v
i
t
y
)
Frequency (Hz)
Indoor Footbridges,
. . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
DG11 Uses
the Modified
ISO Scale for
Human
Tolerance
17
NATURAL FREQUENCY
OF
STEEL FRAMED
FLOOR SYSTEMS
18 18 18 18
Fundamental Natural Frequency
Uniformly Loaded Simply
Supported Beam
(3.3)
(3.1)
(Hz.)

=
wL
4
I
t
gE
s
2
f
2 / 1
n
(Hz.)
= / g 18 . 0
f
n
( )
I
t
E 384
s
/
wL 5
4
=
19 19 19 19
Member
Bay
System
Fundamental Frequencies
( )
H
/ g 18 . 0
f
z n
=
) /( g 18 . 0
f
g b n

+

=
) /( g 18 . 0
f
c g b n

+
+
=
20 20 20 20
Loads for Vibration Analysis
( )
L D w
I
t
E 384
s
/
wL 5
4
+ = =
D: Actual Load
L: 11 psf for Paper Office
6-8 psf for Electronic Office
6 psf for Residence
0 psf for Malls, Churches, Schools
21 21 21 21
Section Properties - Beam/Girder
b (< 0.4 L)
Fully Composite
Effect Width
n = E
s
/1.35E
c
22 22 22 22
Minimum Frequency
To avoid resonance with the first
harmonic of walking, the
minimum frequency must be
greater than 3 Hz. e.g.
f
n
> 3 Hz
23
DESIGN FOR
WALKING EXCITATION
24 24 24 24
Walking Vibrations Criterion
g
a
W
)
f 35 . 0
exp(
P
g
a
o n o
p

=
Predicted Tolerance
25 25 25 25
a
p
= peak acceleration
a
o
= acceleration limit
g = acceleration of gravity
f
n
= fundamental frequency of a beam or joist panel, or a
combined panel, as applicable
P
o
= a constant force equal to 65 lb for floors and 92 lb for
footbridges
= modal damping ratio (0.01 to 0.05 or 1% to 5%)
W = effective weight supported by the beam or joist panel,
girder panel, or combined panel, as applicable
g
a
W
)
f 35 . 0
exp(
P
g
a
o n o
p

=
Walking Vibrations Criterion
26 26 26 26
_ _ _ _
_ _ _ _
_ _ _ _
_ _ __ _
1 3 4 5 8 10 25 40
25
10
5
2.5
1
0.5
0.25
0.1
0.05
Rhythmic Activities
Outdoor Footbridges
Shopping Malls,
Dining and Dancing
Offices,
Residences
P
e
a
k

A
c
c
e
l
e
r
a
t
i
o
n

(
%

G
r
a
v
i
t
y
)
Frequency (Hz)
Indoor Footbridges,
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ISO Baseline Curve for
RMS Acceleration
Modified
ISO Scale
27 27 27 27
Recommended Values of Parameters in Equation (4.1) and a /g Limits
o
Occupancy Constant Force Damping Ratio
Acceleration Limit
a
o
/g x 100%
P
o
Offices, Residences, 65 lb 0.02 0.05 * 0.5%
Churches
Shopping Malls 65 lb 0.02 1.5%
Footbridges - Indoor 92 lb 0.01 1.5%
Footbridges - Outdoor 92 lb 0.01 5.0%
Table 4.1
* 0.02 for floors with few non-structural components (ceilings, ducts, partitions,
etc.) as can occur in open work areas and churches,
0.03 for floors with non-structural components and furnishings, but with only
small demountable partitions typical of many modular office areas,
0.05 for full height partitions between floors.
Parameters
28
Estimating Modal Damping,
Structural System 0.01 (1%)
Ceiling and Ductwork 0.01(1%)
Electronic Office Fitout 0.005 (0.5%)
Paper Office Fitout 0.01 (1%)
Churches, Schools, Malls 0%
Dry Wall Partitions in Bay 0.05 to 0.10
5% to 10%
Note: Damping is cumulative.
29 29 29 29
Equivalent Combined Mode
Panel Weight (W in Eqn. 2.3)
(4.4)
g
a
W
)
f 35 . 0
exp(
P
g
a
o n o
p

=
W W
W
g
g j
g
j
g j
j

=
30 30 30 30
Beam and Girder Panel
Effective Weights
Beam Panel:
Girder Panel:
L
j
B
j
) S / w
j
( = W
j
L
g
B
g
)
L
avg , j
/
w
g
( =
W
g
31 31 31 31
Beam Panel Width
B
j
= Beam Panel
Width
32 32 32 32
Effective Beam Panel Width
Floor Width
C
j
= 2.0 For Beams In Most Areas
= 1.0 For Beams at a Free Edge
(Balcony)
D
j
= I
j
/S (in
4
/ft)
3 / 2
L
)
D
j
/
D
s
(
C
j
B
j
4 / 1
j
< =
33 33 33 33
Section Properties - Slab
12

_ _ _ _
d
e
=d
c
-d
deck
/2
A = (12 / n) d
e
n = E
s
/1.35 E
c
in
4
/ ft
f
c
in ksi
) 12 /
d
)( n / 12 (
D
3
e s
=
f w E
c
5 . 1
c

=
34 34 34 34
Beam or Joist Panel
Effective Weights
For hot-rolled beams or joists
with extended bottom chords, W
j
can increased 50% if an adjacent
span is greater than 0.7 x the span
considered. That is,
W
j
= 1.5(w
j
/S)B
j
L
j
35 35 35 35
Effective Girder Panel Width
B
g
= Girder
Panel
Width
36 36 36 36
Effective Girder Panel Width
B
g
= C
g
(D
j
/D
g
)
1/4
L
g
2/3 Floor Length
C
g
= 1.6 For Girders Supporting Joists
Connected Only to a Girder Flange
= 1.8 For Girders Supporting Beams
Connected to a Girder Web
D
g
= I
g
/L
j,avg
in
4
/ft
37 37 37
DG11 Floor Width and Length
38 38 38 38
Bay Floor
Width
Floor
Length
A
B
C
D
Floor Width and
Length Example
A
B
D
C
39 39 39 39
Bay Floor
Width
Floor
Length
A 90 90
B
C
D
Floor Width and
Length Example
A
B
D
C
40 40 40 40
Bay Floor
Width
Floor
Length
A 90 90
B 150 90
C
D
Floor Width and
Length Example
A
B
D
C
41 41 41 41
Bay Floor
Width
Floor
Length
A 90 90
B 150 90
C 150 30 (45?)
D
Floor Width and
Length Example
A
B
D
C
42 42 42 42
Bay Floor
Width
Floor
Length
A 90 90
B 150 90
C 150 30
D 30 90
Floor Width and
Length Example
A
B
D
C
43 43 43
Example
44 44 44 44
S
W24 55
W21 44
4 SPA @ 7- 6 =30= L
g
W
2
1

4
4
W
1
4

2
2
W
1
8

3
5
W
1
4

2
2
L



=

4
5

j
W18 35
3.50
2.00
d = 3.50 +
e
2.00
2
= 4.50
Section
W
1
4

2
2
Floor Width = 30 ft
Floor Length = 90 ft
Paper Office
45 45 45 45
Gravity Loads:
LL : 11 psf (For Vibration Analysis)
Mech. & Ceiling : 4 psf
Deck Properties:
Concrete: w
c
= 110 pcf f
c
= 4000 psi
Floor Thickness = 3.50 in. + 2 in. ribs
= 5.50 in.
Slab + Deck Weight = 47 psf
46 46 46 46
Beam Properties
W18 35
A = 10.30 in.
2
I
x
= 510 in.
4
d = 17.70 in.
Girder Properties
W24 55
A = 16.20 in.
2
d = 23.57 in.
Member Properties
I
x
= 1350 in.
4
47 47 47 47
Beam Mode Properties
Effective Concrete Slab Width = 7.5 ft < 0.4 L
j
= 0.4 x 45 = 18 ft.
n = modular ratio = E
s
/1.35E
c
= 29000 / (1.35 x 2307)
= 9.31
I
j
= transformed moment of inertia = 1799 in
4
ksi 2307 0 . 4
110 f w E
5 . 1
c
5 . 1
c
= = =

48 48 48 48
w
j
= 7.5 (11 + 47 + 4 + 35/7.5) = 500 plf
Equation (3.3)
Beam Mode Properties Cont.
. in 885 . 0
1799 10 29 384
1728
45
500 5
EI 384
L w 5
6
4
j
4
j j
j
=


= =

=
j
j
g
18 . 0
f
Hz 76 . 3
885 . 0
386
18 . 0 = =
49 49 49 49
C
j
= 2.0
B
j
= C
j
(D
s
/ D
j
)
1/4
L
j
= 2.0 (9.79 / 240)
1/4
(45) = 40.4 ft > 2/3 (30) = 20 ft.
W
j
= 1.5(w
j
/S)B
j
L
j
(50% Increase)
= 1.5 (500/7.5)(20.0 45) = 90,000 lbs = 90.0 kips
Beam Mode Properties Cont.
B
j
= 20 ft.
. ft /
. in 240
4
= 5 . 7 / 1799 = S /
I
j
= D
j
ft /
. in 79 . 9
4
= ) 12
/
50 . 4
3
)( 31 . 9 / 12 (
=
) 12
/
d (
3
e
) n / 12 ( = D
s
50 50 50 50
Girder Mode Properties
Eff. Slab Width = 0.4 L
g
= 0.4 x 30 x 12
= 144 in. < L
j
= 45 x 12 = 540 in.
b = 144
I
g
= 4436 in
4
51 51 51 51
w
g
= L
j
(w
j
/S) + girder weight per unit length
= 45(500/7.5) + 55 = 3055 plf.
(3.3)
Girder Mode Properties Cont.
. in 43 . 0 =
4436
10 29 384
1728
30 3055 5
=
g
I
s
E 384
L w 5
=

6
4
4
g g
g
. Hz 37 . 5 =
433 . 0
386
18 . 0 =

g
18 . 0 = f
g
g
. ft /
. in 6 . 98
4
= 45 / 4436 = L
j
/ I
g
= D
g
52 52 52 52
C
g
= 1.8 (Beam Connected To Girder Web)
(4.3b)
= 1.8 (240 / 98.6)
1/4
(30) = 67.4 ft > 2/3 (90) = 60
(4.2)
=(3055/45)(60 30) = 122,200 lb = 122 kips
Use
Girder Mode Properties Cont.
L
)
D
g
/
D
j
(
C
g
B
g
4 / 1
g
=
L B
)
L
/
w (
W
g g j
g
g
=
53 53 53 53
Combined Mode Properties
L
g
= 30 ft < B
j
= 20 ft Do Not Reduce
f
n
= Fundamental Floor Frequency
) + 18 . 0 =

/( g
g
j
Hz 08 . 3 =
) 433 . 0 + 885 . 0 /( 386 18 . 0 =
54 54 54 54
Combined Mode Properties Cont.
W


W


g
g j
g
j
g j
j
+
+
+
= W
kips 100 =
) 122 (
433 . 0 + 885 . 0
433 . 0
+ ) 90 (
433 . 0 + 885 . 0
885 . 0
=
55 55 55 55
= 0.0074
= 0.03 from Table 4.1 (Modal Damping Ratio)
W = 0.03 100 = 3.0 kips
Evaluation
= 0.74% g > 0.50% g N.G.
3000
) 08 . 3 35 . 0 exp( 65
W
)
f 35 . 0 exp(
P
g
a
n
o
p

= =
56 56 56 56
_ _ _ _
_ _ _ _
_ _ _ _
_ _ __ _
1 3 4 5 8 10 25 40
25
10
5
2.5
1
0.5
0.25
0.1
0.05
Rhythmic Activities
Outdoor Footbridges
Shopping Malls,
Dining and Dancing
Offices,
Residences
P
e
a
k

A
c
c
e
l
e
r
a
t
i
o
n

(
%

G
r
a
v
i
t
y
)
Frequency (Hz)
Indoor Footbridges,
Extended by Allen
and Murray (1993)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ISO Baseline Curve for
RMS Acceleration
57 57 57 57
Original Design
W18x35 f
b
= 3.76 hz f
n
= 3.08 Hz
W24x55 f
g
= 5.37 hz a
p
/g=0.74%g
Improved Design
Increase Concrete Thickness 1 in.
W18X35 f
b
= 3.75 hz f
n
= 3.04 Hz
W24x55 f
g
= 5.28 hz a
p
/g=0.65%g
58 58 58 58
Original Design
W18x35 f
b
= 3.76 hz f
n
= 3.08 Hz
W24x55 f
g
= 5.37 hz a
p
/g=0.74%g
Improved Design
Increase Girder Size
W18X35 f
b
= 3.76 hz f
n
= 3.33 Hz
W24x84 f
g
= 7.17 hz a
p
/g=0.70%g
59 59 59 59
W18x35 f
b
= 3.76 hz f
n
= 3.08 Hz
W24x55 f
g
= 5.37 hz a
p
/g=0.74%g
Improved Designs
Increase Beam Size
W21x50 f
b
= 4.84 hz f
n
= 3.57 Hz
W24x55 f
g
= 5.29 hz a
p
/g=0.58%g
W24x55 f
b
= 5.22 hz f
n
= 3.71 Hz
W24x55 f
g
= 5.28 hz a
p
/g=0.50%g
Original Design
60 60 60 60
Rule: In design, increase stiffness
of element with lower
frequency to improve
performance.
If beam frequency is less than the girder
frequency, increase the beam frequency to
the girder frequency first, then increase both
until a satisfactory design is obtained.
61 61 61
Final Thought
Strength is essential but otherwise
unimportant.
Hardy Cross
62
Thank You!!