Webinar Autodesk Robot Structural Analysis Professional

20/04/2016

Vibration of floors and footfall analysis

Artur Kosakowski
Rafa Gawda

Webinar summary
In this webinar we will focus on the theoretical
background and present floor vibrations and footfall
analysis in Robot.

2016 | Global Customer Support & Operations

Topics covered in this Webinar and what we

plan for the next one:
This webinar: Vibration of floors and footfall analysis

Dynamic analysis of structures

Modal analysis definition

Dynamic mass definition

Forced harmonic analysis in the frequency domain (FRF)

Footfall analysis

Frequent mistakes

Tips & tricks

Next webinar: Time History Analysis

2016 | Global Customer Support & Operations

Basis of dynamic analysis

M * a(t) + C * v(t) + K * d(t) = F(t)
where:
M - mass matrix
K - stiffness matrix
C - damping matrix
d - displacement vector
v - velocity vector
a - acceleration vector
F - load vector
t - time

2016 | Global Customer Support & Operations

Dynamic modal analysis

For this type of analysis the previous general equation simplifies to the following form:

M * a(t) + K * d(t) = 0
This equation defines the eigenvalue problem and by solving it we can obtain natural
frequencies (eigenfrequencies) and determine associated shapes (modes, eigenvectors) of
free vibrations of a structure.
Mind that the mass matrix M Robot can be influenced by defined added masses or load to mass
conversion.

2016 | Global Customer Support & Operations

Harmonic analysis in the frequency domain

(FRF)
This analysis is intended for specific type of forced vibrations. It treats all loads defined in
the associated load case as amplitudes of harmonic force from some range of
frequencies.
The obtained results (displacements, accelerations, forces, moments, etc.) are also
amplitudes corresponding to steady-state sinusoidal harmonic vibrations.

2016 | Global Customer Support & Operations

Harmonic analysis in the frequency domain

(FRF)
In case of a model with many dynamic degrees of freedom and with non-zero damping the
typical diagram of response in the function of frequency may look as on the picture below:

Peaks on this diagram correspond

to resonance observed for natural
frequencies of the structure. In case
of no damping these peaks would
go to the infinity.

2016 | Global Customer Support & Operations

Harmonic analysis in the frequency domain

(FRF)

The same type of diagram from

FRF analysis in Robot obtained
for the slab with using 1%
damping declared.

2016 | Global Customer Support & Operations

Harmonic analysis in the frequency domain

(FRF)
Inflence of damping value on the reduction of the resonace peaks
1% damping

2016 | Global Customer Support & Operations

3% damping

Footfall analysis
The implementation of the footfall analysis in Robot is based on:

The Steel Construction Institute

SCI P354, Design of Floors for Vibration, 2007 rev. 2009

SCI AD 253

SCI AD 254

SCI AD 254

The Concrete Centre, A design Guide for Footfall Induced Vibration of

Structures, 2006
AISC DG11, Floor Vibrations Due to Human Activities, 2003

SCI and Concrete Center publications additionally refer to BS 6399-1, BS 6472,

BS 6841, EN 1990:2002, ISO 2631, ISO 10137
2016 | Global Customer Support & Operations

10

Footfall analysis
Footfall analysis is to some extent similar to harmonic FRF analysis it is also based on harmonic
sinusoidal force input but instead of single harmonic a complex continuous founction is used instead.
This function can be broken down into a series of sine waves, each of which has a frequency at
an integer multiple (or harmonic) of the forcing frequency. Each harmonic will have an
associated amplitude and phase shift, and the set of harmonics are known as a Fourier series.
The first harmonic, with the lowest frequency, corresponds to the frequency of footsteps. This
frequency for floors in various methods is in the following range:

1.8 to 2.2 Hz for SCI P354

1.0 to 2.8 Hz for Concrete Centre
1.6 to 2.2 Hz for AISC DG11

In all these methods 4 harmonics are used.

In case of footfall analysis for stairs (SCI P354) the range of footstep frequency is higher (1.2 to 4.5 Hz)
and only 2 harmonics are used
2016 | Global Customer Support & Operations

11

Footfall analysis
The example of representing low
impact aerobics as Fourier series

Walking activity on floors is

approximated in SCI P354 by 4
harmonics with amplitudes Fh and
frequencies and phase angles
given in this formula and table
2016 | Global Customer Support & Operations

12

Footfall analysis
Response of a structure to footfall depends both on the
frequency of force function (footfall) and eigenfrequencies
of the floor.
Types of responses:

resonant when the response for the consecutive

footsteps builds up (cumulates), especially for these
harmonics of footsteps which have the same
frequencies as the natural frequencies of the floor.
impulsive (transient) significant mainly for high
frequency floors (having the fundamental frequency
higher than the 4th harmonic of walking). In such
situation the response from one footstep will fade away
before the next one starts.
2016 | Global Customer Support & Operations

13

Footfall analysis
The resonant response is calculated in the way similar to harmonic FRF analysis by
composing the response from different harmonics
The impulsive (transient) response is calculated as for the time history analysis for single
footfall impulse
It is observed that:

the resonant response is dominating for low frequency floors

the impulsive (transient) response is dominating for high frequency floors.
The code defined limit can be different e.g.: the 4th harmonic of walking frequency; 8 Hz;
4.2 times the maximum walking frequency; 10 Hz
Mind that Robot for Concrete Centre and for SCI provisions provides results for both responses as
especially that for irregular floors resonant response may dominate in some parts of the floor while
impulsive (transient) response may dominate in other parts.
2016 | Global Customer Support & Operations

14

Footfall analysis
Presentation of variable acceleration (response):
Peek value
root-mean-square (rms) value

In case of sinusoidal signal the rms value is 2 times less than the peak value.

root-mean-quad (rmq) value:

It gives more emphasis to higher values

2016 | Global Customer Support & Operations

15

Footfall analysis

Acceptance criteria for human comfort

Human perception of vibrations depends on their frequency.

This diagram shows the base curve for human perception of
continuous vertical vibration according to BS 6472. It uses rms
acceleration and logarithmic scale.

In the most sensitive frequency range, between 4 and 8 Hz, the

criterion is constant acceleration. Above 8 Hz it is linearly
increasing acceleration which corresponds to constant velocity.
Such base curve is directly used by Concrete Centre and
refered to in SCI P354 and AISC DG11.

2016 | Global Customer Support & Operations

16

Footfall analysis

Acceptance criteria for human comfort

The basic value, calculated by footfall analysis for SCI P354 and for Concrete Centre
provisions, is the response factor (R). It is a multiplier for the level of vibration compared
to the average threshold of human perception.
Mind that the response factor of 1 corresponds to the magnitude of vibration just perceptible by
typical human while R=2 corresponds to vibration twice stronger, R=4 corresponds to vibration 4
times stronger than perceptible and so on.

In case of the resonant response R is calculated for each harmonic and then combined
as SRSS (square root of the sum of squares) combination.
In case of impulsive (transient) response R is based on RMS values calculated from
time histories using 1-second averaging period.

2016 | Global Customer Support & Operations

17

Footfall analysis

Acceptance criteria for human comfort code defined limits:

AISC DG 11 :

SCI P354, based on BS 6472:

2016 | Global Customer Support & Operations

18

Footfall analysis
Recommendations from references:
Using the dynamic value of the modulus of elasticity for the concrete, 38 GPa for normal
weight concrete, 22 GPa for lightweight concrete
Recommended values of relative damping:

Load to mass conversion:

unfactored self weight and other dead loads
live loads: it is recommended to convert to masses only 10% of nominal imposed load
(EN 1990 mentions 30% but it is considered as conservative)

2016 | Global Customer Support & Operations

19

Footfall analysis
Footfall analysis parameters:

2016 | Global Customer Support & Operations

20

Frequent mistakes
Not all required loads are converted to masses
Doubled self weight due to unchecked Ignore/Disregard density switch
while converting to mass the load case containing the self weight load
Comparing eigenfrequencies obtained for Footfall analysis with only
mass in the Z direction active with modal analysis case where all
directions are active.

2016 | Global Customer Support & Operations

21

Tips & tricks

The default maximum frequency limit of 15 Hz in Footfall analysis may
result in having no results for a structure with vibration frequencies higher
than this limit.
Depending on the method some results of footfall analysis such as e.g.:
velocities for SCI P354, RMS acceleration for Concrete Centre provisions,
transient/impulsive results, velocities and RMS acceleration for AISC
DG11) may be not available.
In case of large number of modes below
15 Hz limit running Footfall analysis may
take long time. Starting from RSA 2016
SP3 it is possible to speed up analysis
several times by setting the Lanczos
Method in Job Preferences.
2016 | Global Customer Support & Operations

22

Tips & tricks

The Self excitation method in Footfall analysis calculates and stores the
response only for the same nodes where excitation forces were applied.
For the Full excitation method in Footfall analysis the solver can
calculate results for selected nodes which are not the ones where
excitation forces are applied. These results are available in Footfall
analysis tables and Footfall analysis maps....
Footfall analysis diagrams... are calculated on line and can be used
to access results for all nodes for both above methods regardless of
their original node selection.

2016 | Global Customer Support & Operations

23

Tips & tricks

The footstep excitation forces are applied independently for each of the
nodes and there is no interaction between them.
In Harmonic FRF analysis excitation forces can be aplied simultaneously
in different locations but they are limited to the same frequency in all
these locations with no phase angles among them.
Footfall analysis is limited to standard walking activities. In this type of
analysis it is not possible to calculate e.g. the influence of crowd
movement or aerobics activities or interaction between footstep
excitation forces.
In case you need more use Time History Analysis
2016 | Global Customer Support & Operations

24

Useful links
Robot webinars
Robot discussion forum
Robot troubleshooting articles on AKN

2016 | Global Customer Support & Operations

25

Questions ?

Please feel free to ask questions using GoToMeeting Questions tab now
We may not be able to answer all questions during the webinar. Please post them on the Robot
forum after the presentation.
2016 | Global Customer Support & Operations

26

Next webinar session on 25/05/2015 on the following topic :

Time history analysis

Autodesk is a registered trademark of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their
respective holders. Autodesk reserves the right to alter product and services offerings, and specifications and pricing at any time without notice, and is not responsible for typographical or graphical
errors that may appear in this document.
2016 Autodesk. All rights reserved | Global Customer Support & Operations