Coupled Vibrational Response of Floor Systems with Occupants

Abstract

A numerical model is presented for analyzing the combined transient dynamic response of floor systems with occupants. Structural analysis of a floor is based on a finite‐strip formulation that takes account of the various complexities common to its construction: orthotropic plate cover, variability in individual stiffener properties, and semirigid plate‐to‐stiffener connections. Occupants on the floor are idealized as lumped parameter assemblages comprised of discrete masses, springs, and viscous dashpots. Two vibratory human models are compared: one having just 2 degrees of freedom (DOF) and the other more detailed, with 11 DOF. The applicability of the numerical model is demonstrated with two example floors: a lightweight residential wooden floor and a longer spanning, heavier composite steelbeam concrete slab floor. With each example the floor is excited dynamically by, and interacts with, an occupant or occupants situated on the floor. The motivation for this work is towards providing a realistic means for evaluating floor systems under occupancy‐induced loading, which is required for the establishment of vibrational‐based serviceability design criteria.