TRADA guidance on vibration in timber floors

TRADA Technology's revised Guidance Document 6 (GD6) Vibration in floors (Eurocode 5) is now available to download from the TRADA website at http://www.trada.co.uk/. It complements Guidance Document 5 (GD5) How to calculate deformations in timber structures using Eurocodes.

The method of design for domestic timber floors presented in Eurocode 5: BS EN 1995-1-1:2004 (EC5) calls for consideration of the dynamic performance of floors. GD6 details the fundamental background of vibration and identifies vibration sources, structural responses and human perception levels. It also includes a design example illustrating how the EC5 method might be applied to UK timber floors, along with a glossary of vibration terms found in EC1 and EC5.

Vibrations occurring in structures can be seen to come from three main sources:

*Occupant-induced vibration, eg walking, running.
*Mechanically induced vibration, eg machinery, passing traffic.
*Naturally induced vibration, eg wind, earthquakes.

The design of timber floors will largely focus on occupant-induced vibrations, although where either mechanical or natural vibration is considered important (eg in industrial buildings or tall buildings), special investigation and consideration may be required.

GD6 Vibration in floors (Eurocode 5) is available to download from the TRADA Bookshop in PDF format only at a cost of £15.00 (TRADA members) or £25.00 (non-members)