The University of Sheffield
Department of Civil and Structural Engineering

Vibration Engineering
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• Research Achievements
• Research Infrastructure

Research Achievements

Vibration Engineering Section (VES) is the international leader in research on vibration serviceability and application to real world problems. This leadership is proven by annual output of about 10 quality journal papers in prestigious international journals, sustained over several years now.

In particular, VES leads research on human-structure interaction, including stochastic modelling of human-induced dynamic forces and finite element model updating of pedestrian structures. A unique and elaborate hardware facility has been developed and is used with the most sophisticated software developed internally and commercially for highly successful structural identification of prototype civil infrastructure. VES capability for troubleshooting a wide range of vibration problems on grandstands, floors and bridges is well known and heavily used in industry, with involvement in high profile structures in the UK and overseas, resulting in a significant two-way knowledge transfer, confirmed by more than 20 consultancy and applied research projects and £250k applied research and consultancy turnover in the 2006 calendar year alone.

VES have developed a unique capability for ground-borne vibration propagation assessment and have assisted in the assessment and design of major UK laser/synchrotron research facilities and overseas electronics manufacture plants.

VES experience in full-scale structure assessment has led to our contribution to key design guides and national and international standards on dynamic loading and assessment of grandstands, floors and buildings.

In structural health monitoring, VES researchers have developed internationally leading technology for on-line, real-time 'level 1' performance anomaly detection by combining tools of operational modal analysis and pattern recognition. VES members have developed and operated several remote structural performance monitoring systems (in the UK and overseas) in which structural identification tools have been embedded. Our experience is recognised through contributions to international focus groups including ASCE and ISHMII.

VES are rapidly developing research niches in two new areas: active control of structures dynamically excited by humans and development of ground reaction force (GRF) models for pedestrians. A unique facility for recording all three GRF components in a range of circumstances has been developed and will be used in the serviceability assessment and code development activities.

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Research Infrastructure

The VES field dynamic testing facility is a worldwide unique resource comprising four independently controlled electro-dynamic shakers, a range of highly sensitive accelerometers, data acquisition hardware and modal analysis software. With and without shakers the facility is capable of testing and assessing structures any size, anywhere. Coupled with finite element analysis and updating software this is a powerful tool for structural assessment.

The VES treadmill facility comprising a 3-component instrumented treadmill and video motion capture equipment has the unique capability for direct and indirect pedestrian loads on structures.

MATLAB-based software tools MODAL, NDOF have been developed in-house for modal analysis, signal processing, simulation and assessment. VSATS is our latest and industry-leading simulation and vibration serviceability assessment research and consultancy software tool.

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This page last updated on 12 October 2009. These pages are maintained by Dr Paul Reynolds. If you have any comments or suggestions please email p.reynolds@sheffield.ac.uk.