Models of a standing human body in vertical vibration

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Human–structure interaction is a topical issue in the analysis and design of structures subjected to dynamic human loading. However, it is not clear how the human body should be modelled. This paper provides qualitatively accurate models for a standing human body in vertical vibration. These models are derived from a study of human–structure interaction. The derivation is obtained by placing a continuous model of a standing human body on a vibrating structure; this is in contrast to existing body models, which are obtained with a fixed base. These new human body models possess unique characteristics: the whole-body mass contributes to vibration; there is a support mass in the model; there is a mass device that is analogous to a spring or a damper in the body model; and the three-mass model includes the two-mass model. For verification, a continuous standing body model and the two newly developed discrete human body models were placed on a simple structure and eigenvalue analysis was conducted. The close match between the natural frequencies of the models validates the derivation, pattern and definitions of the two discrete human body models in vertical structural vibration.