The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of bottom chord extensions on deflections and vibration characteristics of joist supported floor systems when joist bottom chord extensions are installed. To understand the effect of bottom chord extensions on deflections, natural frequency, damping, mode shape and effective mass, extensive analytical and experimental studies were conducted on single span and three span joist supported laboratory footbridges with different bottom chord extension configurations. Finite element computer models were created to simulate and compare the results of stiffness and vibration tests. Testing was done with a) the bottom chord extensions in-place before the concrete was placed, b) with all or part of the bottom chord extensions removed, and c) after the bottom chord extensions had been reinstalled with jacking for the single span footbridge and without jacking for the three-span footbridge. Results from the stiffness tests indicate that re-installing the bottom chord extensions to the joists of the single span footbridge with cured concrete with the center of the span raised helps to reduce the uniform load deflections to some extent, but not as much as placing the bottom chord extensions before the concrete placement. Likewise, for the three span footbridge, placing the bottom chord extensions before the concrete placement is observed to be a better solution. Results from the dynamic tests indicate that the effect of bottom chord extensions on the single span footbridge is consistent for natural frequency, 20 psf live load deflections, sinusoidal excitations with high amplitudes, quarter point heel drop excitations, walking excitations, and effective mass values. The effect of bottom chord extensions on the three span footbridge is consistent for the natural frequency and 20 psf deflections. However, the FRF (Frequency Response Function) peaks of chirp, heel drop, sinusoidal excitations, accelerations from walking data, and the MEScope and Finite Element model effective mass results do not follow a common trend. It can be concluded that even though the footbridge was stiffened by the bottom chord extensions, that does not necessarily mean that the acceleration levels, and hence the frequency response function peaks, decrease. However, bottom chord extensions do increase the natural frequencies for all the three governing bending modes. / Ph. D.

This doctoral thesis concerns flanking transmission in light weight, wooden multi-storey buildings within the low frequency, primarily 20-120 Hz. The overall aim is to investigate how the finite element method can contribute in the design phase to evaluate different junctions regarding flanking transmission. Two field measurements of accelerations in light weight wooden buildings have been evaluated. In these, two sources; a stepping machine, and an electrodynamic shaker, were used. The shaker was shown to give more detailed information. However, since a light weight structure in field exhibit energy losses to surrounding building parts, reliable damping estimates were difficult to obtain. In addition, two laboratory measurements were made. These were evaluated using experimental modal analysis, giving the eigenmodes and the damping of the structures. The damping for these particular structures varies significantly with frequency, especially when an elastomer is used in the floor-wall junction. The overall damping is also higher when elastomers are used in the floor-wall junction in comparison to a screwed junction. By analysing the eigenmodes, using the modal assurance criterion, of the same structure with two types of junctions it was concluded that the modes become significantly different. Thereby the overall behavior differs. Several finite element models representing both the field and laboratory test setups have been made. The junctions between the building blocks in the models have been modeled using tie or springs and dashpots. Visual observation and the modal assurance criterion show that there is more rotational stiffness in the test structures than in the models. The findings in this doctoral thesis add understanding to how modern joints in wooden constructions can be represented by FE modelling. They will contribute in developing FE models that can be used to see the acoustic effects prior to building an entire house. However, further research is still needed. / Denna doktorsavhandling behandlar flanktransmission i flervåningshus med trästomme, inom det lågfrekventa området, främst 20-120 Hz. Det övergripande målet är att undersöka hur finita elementmetoden kan bidra i konstruktionsfasen för att utvärdera olika knutpunkters inverkan på flanktransmissionen. Två fältmätningar av accelerationer i trähus har utvärderats. I dessa har två olika lastkällor använts, i den första en stegljudsapparat och i den andra en elektrodynamisk vibrator (shaker). Det visades att shakern kan ge mer detaljerad information, men eftersom vibrationerna även sprider sig till omgivande byggnadsdelar vid fältmätningarna var det svårt att estimera tillförlitliga dämpningsdata även då shaker användes. Fältmätningarna följdes av två mätningar i laborationsmiljö. Dessa två experiment utvärderades med experimentell modalanalys, vilket ger egenmoder och dämpning hos strukturerna. Dämpningen för dessa trähuskonstruktioner varierar kraftigt med frekvens. Extra stora variationer registreras då en elastomer användes i knutpunkten mellan golv och vägg. Den totala dämpningen är generellt högre när elastomerer används i knutpunkten mellan golv och vägg i jämförelse med då knutpunkten är skruvad. Genom att analysera egenmoder och deras korrelationer (MAC), för samma trästruktur men med olika typer av knutpunkter, drogs slutsatsen att knutpunkten drastiskt förändrar strukturens dynamiska beteende. Flera finita elementmodeller av både fält- och laboratorieuppställningar har gjorts. I dessa har knutpunkterna mellan byggnadsdelar modellerats helt styvt eller med hjälp av fjädrar och dämpare. Visuella observationer av egenmoder och korrelationen dem emellan visar att det finns mer rotationsstyvhet i försöken än i finita elementmodellerna. Resultaten i denna doktorsavhandling har gett förståelse för hur knutpunkter i träkonstruktioner beter sig och kan simuleras med finit elementmodellering. Vidare kan resultaten bidra till utvecklingen av FE-modeller som kan användas för att kunna se de akustiska effekterna redan under konstruktionsstadiet. Dock behövs ytterligare forskning inom området.