Research into the human response to vibration in residential environments.

Abstract

This paper describes work being carried out at the Univ. of Salford to develop a method by which human annoyance to vibration in residential environments can be assessed. The objective of this study is to yield a robust relationship between vibration exposure and human response; therefore, providing a reliable basis for the development of standards and guidance for the assessment of vibration in residential buildings. The vibration sources to be considered are those affecting residents that are outside their control, such as construction, road, and rail activities. The protocol involves the measurement of vibration outside and inside residences and a social study questionnaire based on face‐to‐face interviews with adults. The project is expected to capture a wide‐scale study of 2000 case studies, and examples of early field measurements and results are presented. This work is likely to be of interest to planners and practitioners involved in the design of buildings and environmental health officers involved in the assessment of vibration complaints. [Work funded by the Dept. for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (Defra) UK.]