Nonstructural partitions and floor vibration serviceability
Devin, A; Fanning, P.J.; Pavic, Aleksandar
Date: 24 July 2015
Journal
Journal of architectural engineering
Publisher
American Society of Civil Engineers
Publisher DOI
Abstract
Non-structural vertical partitions and cladding can have a significant effect on the vibration
serviceability of floor systems. A typical modern office building, consisting of steel-concrete
composite floor systems, was created to investigate the potential beneficial effects of integrating
non-structural partitions into structural ...
Non-structural vertical partitions and cladding can have a significant effect on the vibration
serviceability of floor systems. A typical modern office building, consisting of steel-concrete
composite floor systems, was created to investigate the potential beneficial effects of integrating
non-structural partitions into structural floor systems to reduce floor vibrations due to walking
excitation. Two models of this building were presented, one to represent the completed building
with an open-plan layout and another with partitions added in a beneficial pattern to enhance the
floor's vibration performance. The addition of non-structural partitions successfully reduced floor
accelerations due to walking excitation and helped the floor to satisfy the vibration serviceability
criterion for office floors.
The potential of vertical full-height non-structural partitions and cladding to transmit vibrations
between floors was also investigated. A vibration transmission simulation was conducted on the
2
2
Finite Element (FE) model to quantify vibration transmission between floors through the
structural frame and non-structural vertical partitions and cladding. The results were then
compared with experimental results previously recorded on the floors of a real-life Charles
Institute building in Dublin featuring the same type of partitions but different structural frame. It
was concluded that both the FE model and real-life building featuring structural elements and
full-height partitions have the potential to transmit significant level of vibrations between two
adjacent floors.
The results presented in this study will be of interest to design engineers and researchers in the
area of vibration serviceability of floor systems, as it highlights the potential of non-structural
elements to reduce the floor vibration response to acceptable levels to transmit vibrations
between floors.
Engineering
Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy
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