Vibrations in residential timber floors : A comparison between the current and the revised Eurocode 5

Abstract: The European standard Eurocode 5, a design method for timber structures,is currently under revision. In this study the draft for a reviseddesign method for vibrations in timber floors was compared to the currentmethod. The hypothesis of the thesis was that the revised designmethod might force some changes to the present construction practiceand that these changes may carry with them increased costs for the industry.Six common floor structures used in Sweden today were identifiedand for these floors design calculations were made according to the currentand the revised design method. It was checked whether the floorspassed the criteria in the two design methods and a comparison was madefor the only criterion which could be compared between the methods, thepoint load deflection. Floor structures could pass or fail the current designmethod based on two criteria, the point load deflection and the unitimpulse velocity response. All floors passed the current design methodexcept one which had a fundamental frequency below 8 Hz, because ofthe low frequency the current design method was not applicable to thefloor structure. In the revised design method the final result is a responsefactor and based on the response factor floors are given floor performancelevels. The seven step scale for the floor performance level go from I toVII where I is excellent and VII is unacceptable. All floor structures excepttwo achieved an acceptable floor performance level according to therevised design method. The two floors which failed were floors commonlyused in single family houses, they failed for a span length commonly usedtoday. A limited parametric study was performed where it was found thatthe modal mass used had a larger impact on the floor performance levelthan the mass per square meter included. For floors with a fundamentalfrequency above 8 Hz, including a higher mass per square meter resultedin a lower, i.e. better, response factor in all cases except one. For floorswith a fundamental frequency between 4.5 and 8 Hz, a higher mass resultedin a higher, i.e. worse, response factor. The study found that notall floor structures used in Sweden today are acceptable according to therevised design method therefore changes may have to be implemented andthese changes could result in an increased cost.