Effects of human-structure interaction in slabs

Abstract

During the last several decades, stronger and lighter materials have been developed with the aim of optimizing performance and building costs. These technological advances have given rise to thin flexible flooring systems with natural frequencies that lie within the frequency range of vibrations produced by human activity. Human occupants can cause changes in the dynamic properties of the structure and structural vibrations can cause discomfort to the occupants, who not only perceive the vibrations but also interact dynamically with the structure. This paper presents the results of the characterization of the effect of human-structure interaction (HSI) in three flooring systems commonly used in the Colombian building industry. The methodology consisted in the characterization of the dynamic response of the flooring systems due to different coordinated human activities. Based on the results, the authors recommend that future building codes account for human-structure interaction effects in flooring systems.