Floor System Vibration Control

Experience in the design of steel and concrete floor systems to control vibrations suggests that a floor system’s vibration characteristics are often fundamental to its acceptable performance. In such cases, serviceability drives the design instead of strength. This is particularly true for laboratory floors that support sensitive equipment and floor girders that fall within certain spans. This paper discusses the initiation of a long-term collaborative research program between Tufts University and LeMessurier Consultants to investigate the vibration characteristics of a variety of floor systems. Examples include new concrete-steel composite floor systems, concrete floor systems, and irregular floor systems, and floor systems that have required remediation. The paper introduces well-known basic floor vibration equations and parameters, and discusses the possibility for developing further the concepts inherent in these equations for the purposes of improved conceptual design of floor systems to control vibrations.