The dynamic response of a prototype steel floor using velocity-source type of excitation

Abstract

Vibration isolators and anti-vibration mounts are ideal, for example, in creating floating floors for gymnasiums, or performance spaces. However, it is well-known that there are great difficulties on isolating vibration transmission in structural steel components, especially steel floors. Besides, the selection of inertia blocks, which are usually used by engineers as an effective vibration control measure, is usually based on crude methods or the experience of the engineers. Thus, no simple method or indices have been available for assessing the effect of inertia blocks on vibration isolation or stability of vibratory systems. Thus, the aims of this research are to provide further background description using a FE model and present and implement a modal approach, that was validated experimentally, the latter assisting in providing improved understanding of the vibration transmission phenomenon in steel buildings excited by a velocity-source type of excitation. A better visualization of the mean-square velocity distribution in the frequency domain is presented using the concept of modal expansion. Finally, the variation of the mean-square velocity with frequency, whilst varying mass and/or stiffness of the coupled system, is presented.