Demonstrated at the ASCE Structures Congress 2017
Oasys application engineer Prof. Peter Debney will be demonstrating how finite element analysis can be used to analyse pedestrian-induced footfall vibration when he hosts a 40 minute software demonstration at the ASCE Structures Congress in Denver, Colorado in April 2017.
Assessing Vibration
Modern buildings use lighter materials which typically have a lighter carbon footprint and that also unlock new possibilities for architectural design. However, such buildings can be what engineers describe as “lively”.
Unusual and irregular floor frames or layouts call for detailed finite element analysis if engineers are to be able to eliminate excessive vibration. Prof. Debney will exemplify how this is achieved using the new AISC Design Guide 11, Vibrations of Steel-Framed Structural Systems Due to Human Activity, and examples where projects teams have used Oasys GSA software. These include the Frick Chemistry Laboratory at Princeton University, which was honoured in the 2012 Laboratory of the Year competition [by R&D Magazine] in recognition of the design, sustainability and functionality of the five-story building. The structure required vibration levels many orders of magnitude below the threshold of human perception, this challenged the project engineers and their software of choice – Oasys GSA. Read more about that particular project here. While the Frick’s requirements may seem stringent, they are not too far removed from, say, the needs of any hospital operating theatre. Other footfall challenges arise on bridges, mezzanines and increasingly-popular floating and cantilevered stairways.
The Structures Congress is hosted by the Structural Engineering Institute (SEI) of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). Key event partners include the Institution of Structural Engineers and IABSE, the International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering. Find out more about the event and register.
You can find Peter and the rest of Oasys exhibition team at Stand 206 at the Structures Congress from 6th until the 8th April.