Standards


BS6472- Evaluation of exposure to vibration in buildings

Building Damage Vibration causing either cosmetic or structural damage to buildings; likely causes are probably blasting, piling or explosive demolition. The standard being employed is BS.7385 to determine the likelihood of building damage.

Disturbance to Occupants causing disturbance residents; likely causes are again blasting, piling or explosive demolition plus trains. Measurements being made either within a housing or on housing sites using BS.6472.

Most often, it is used to assess railway vibration.  The number of instances where an industrial operation causes vibration disturbance is deficient; possible examples would be drop forges, weaving operations or printing presses if sited close to residential properties.

BS.6472 requires that the estimated vibration dose value be determined separately for the 16-hour daytime and 8 hour nighttime periods. The vibration dose value (VDV) or estimated vibration dose value (eVDV) is a form of energy averaged vibration level, similar to (but not the same as) Leq.  The vibration dose value has a time-dependency which means that a two-fold decrease in vibration magnitude is equivalent to a 16-fold decrease in the duration of the vibration, i.e. the measured VDV, or estimated eVDV, is much more sensitive to changes in vibration level than changes in vibration duration, whereas for Leq, is either the sound energy or the duration is doubled, then the Leq increases by 3 dB.

Building Damage Vibration 

British Standard 6472 Evaluation of exposure to vibration in buildings provides a methodology for assessing vibration impact on people in buildings.  The standard exists as two separate parts:

Part 1 addresses vibration from sources other than blasting and provides a methodology for predicting human response to vibration in buildings over the frequency range of 0.5 to 80 Hz. The standard sets out means of measuring vibration and assessing the vibration dose value from the measured results. It also provides guidance on the likelihood of adverse comment on vibration levels during day and night time periods.

Part 2 of the standard concerns blast-induced vibration. Guidance is given on vibration measurement procedures and acceptable vibration levels for residential, office, and workshop uses.