The risk of vibrations in buildings becoming a serious concern has increased in recent years with the greater use of lightweight materials and more economic design, and large forces acting on tall structures. The problems can be divided into two main categories; those in which the occupants or users of the building are inconvenienced, and those in which the integrity of the structure may be prejudiced. Humans are far more sensitive to vibration than is commonly realised; they can detect and be annoyed by vibration long before there is any risk of damage to the building.

Vibration can interfere with laboratory work and trade processes, but cases are extremely rare where damage to the building has been attributable to the effects of vibration alone, even where the vibration has been considered intolerable by the occupants.

This digest is concerned with physical vibrations of buildings and the probable response of occupants to these vibrations. The question of audible vibration, or noise, is not discussed.

Digest 278 replaced Digest 117, but is now withdrawn. 

Definitions of terms used in vibration engineering are given on page 7. N.B. this page will need to be enlarged when printed, as it has some very small subscripts and Greek characters