Human Response to Vibration

Scenic Acoustic and Vibration Engineering Ltd (SAVE) provide Human Response to Vibration assessments for the evaluation of human exposure to vibration in buildings (1 Hz to 80 Hz) in accordance with BS6472.

Structural vibration in buildings can be detected by the occupants and can affect them in many ways, including their quality of life and their working efficiency. Structural vibration can prompt comment from occupants of a residential or commercial building, even when vibration amplitudes are low and only just perceivable.

Comments regarding building vibrations in residential situations are likely to arise from occupants of buildings when the vibration levels are only slightly in excess of thresholds of perception. In general, satisfactory magnitudes are related to adverse comments of the occupants and are not determined by any other factors such as short term health hazard or working efficiency.

Situations exist where motion magnitudes above those generally corresponding to minimal adverse comment level can be tolerated, particularly for temporary disturbances and infrequent events of short term duration. An example is a construction or excavation project. Any startle factor can be reduced by warning signals, announcements and/or regularity of occurrence, and a proper programme of public relations. In cases of long term vibration, adverse comments may be modified by familiarization.