Edinburgh Napier University

  Installing between-joist bracing can be an economical and effective means of mitigating excessive vibration levels in wood floors associated to human discomfort. Effectiveness of between-joist bracing depends upon its own rigidity that accounts for the location of bracing, geometric arrangement and connection stiffness of installed bracing elements to joist. This paper presents a method to quantify the flexural rigidities of between-joist bracing and their influence on vibrational serviceability parameters such as static deflection under a concentrated load and fundamental natural frequency of timber floor. A designer-usable analytical model, based on ribbed-plate theory, was used to predict static deflection and fundamental natural frequency by taking account of measured bracing rigidities. Results show that predictions the static deflection and natural frequencies. The proposed method and ribbed- plate model could be integrated into current design approaches to predict vibrational performance of timber floors.