Dynamic Comfort Criteria for Structures : A Review

Vibration effects are becoming more important in design of buildings and building elements. This BRE Trust report reviews acceleration comfort criteria in Eurocodes, UK and ISO Standards, and other sources, and clarifies this complex subject.

The effects of vibration are increasingly important in the design of buildings and building elements. Modern, lighter buildings respond more to imposed vibration, so people are more likely to experience vibration. This BRE Trust Report distils the themes and disparate (often conflicting) acceleration comfort criteria associated with building vibration. It considers the Eurocodes, British and ISO Standards, and other sources of information. The status of dynamic testing is discussed, as well as the underlying principles of common test methods. Practical advice is included, and full-scale measurements presented that illustrate the issues. This technical review is aimed at building designers, consultants, architects and structural engineers. By presenting all the relevant acceleration criteria in one document in a logical and concise way, it is hoped that the complex and interlinking nature of this subject will be better understood.