Concrete upgrade to improve the vibration response of timber floors

Abstract

Timber floors suffering from poor serviceability performance can be upgraded with a concrete topping to form a timber-concrete composite. The upgrade stiffens the floor, reducing the perception of a vibration response to dynamic excitation. Despite timber-concrete composites becoming an established research area in recent years, relatively little is known about the vibration response of these floor types. This paper explores how the vibration response of a timber floor changes when upgraded with a concrete topping, with particular attention given to the fundamental frequency of vibration. An analytical model, utilising the gamma method of Eurocode 5 (EN 1995-1-1), is used to predict how the fundamental frequency of vibration changes with the addition of a topping.The model is compared with experimental testing of timber-concrete panels before it is used to conduct a parametric study to establish the effect of common factors. It is found that high interaction between the topping and timber floor, identifying a suitable topping thickness and considering the change in transverse stiffness are key to a successful upgrade. It is suggested that topping upgrades which are thin (20 mm or less) are suitable for this application.

Novel Digitally-manufactured Wooden Beams for Vibration Reduction

“…Advances in building construction technology and design have enabled the use of lighter, more structurally-and environmentally-efficient materials such as laminated timber [1,2,3]. However, the increase in popularity of lightweight wooden buildings has been accompanied by raising concerns regarding their vibration behaviour when subjected to dynamic forcing such as footfall actions [4,5,6]. Given their notable structural efficiency, wooden floors are usually associated with smaller masses than their more conventional counterparts in steel or concrete.…”

“…Given their notable structural efficiency, wooden floors are usually associated with smaller masses than their more conventional counterparts in steel or concrete. This feature, which allows for savings in material, manufacture, transportation, and construction; and leads to further reductions in carbon footprint [1], can also cause undesirable levels of vibration discomfort that compromise the functionality of the building [4,7,8].…”

“…The unintended dynamic under-performance of timber floors has often led to the use of concrete topping as a means of reducing the perception of vibrations due to dynamic excitations [4,9,10]. These upgrading measures contravene the lightness and sustainability advantages of timber and can diminish the potential benefits underpinning the use of wood in construction [11].…”

Editorial

“…Finally, Skinner et al (2014) present a study looking at the enhancement of potential vibration performance of timber floors by the addition of thin layers of concrete. The addition of only a thin layer was shown to effect fundamental frequency.…”

Hybrid timber-concrete floor panel systems with a novel hollow core construction

“…The lower density of timber compared to concrete and steel allows HTC panels to typically be lighter compared to RC floor panels. Compared with pure timber floor, HTC panels were found to have a higher load carrying capacity and out-of-plane rigidity (Ceccotti, 1995), and with improved acoustic isolation, thermal insulation and dynamic response (Frangi & Fontana, 2003;Santos Pedro Gil Girão et al, 2015;Skinner et al, 2014). Figure 2.1 shows the self-weight and acoustic insulation levels of different types of floor systems with a given service load.…”