Vibration Research

Services Provided

Temple was appointed jointly with Arup Acoustics to provide research on vibration effects on people within property. The research was undertaken to develop a method by which human exposure to vibration in residential environments can be assessed. The work was carried out on behalf of Defra. Support to the project was also provided by ISVR and TRL.

The principal aims of the project were to:

• Develop a questionnaire that would solicit residents’ reaction to vibration within their homes caused by sources outside their property;
• Develop a measurement protocol that would enable the exposure to vibration to be quantified;
• Conduct a pilot study to test and in so far as is possible, validate the questionnaire and measurement protocol;

Ultimately this project would provide advice on how best to progress towards conducting a more detailed vibration exposure-response study. The vibration sources considered are those affecting residents which are outside their control, e.g. transportation, construction and industrial sources of vibration.

Benefits

The project has provided Defra with a methodology for undertaking a subsequent much wider study of response to vibration, which would yield a robust relationship between exposure and response. This should provide a reliable basis for developing standards and guidance for the assessment of vibration in residential buildings and will inform planning policy both in relation to new residential development and the impacts of new roads, railways etc.