Vibration in dwellings from road and rail traffic — Part I: a new Norwegian measurement standard and classification system

Protection against vibration nuisance in order to maintain satisfactory conditions during work, sleep, rest and recreation in buildings was specified in the European Directive on Construction Products and introduced in the Norwegian Building Regulations in 1997. As a qualified vibration measurement method was lacking, work with a new standard, NS 8176, was initiated. An empirical method for determination of statistical maximum velocity, vw,95 or alternatively acceleration, vw,95, was introduced. The vibration measure is obtained as the 95-percentile of maximum weighted vibration velocities (or acceleration) from a minimum number of representative road and rail traffic events. The measurement procedure was evaluated by means of a Round Robin test. A classification system for dwellings was defined on the basis of the 1998 Norwegian Socio-vibrational Study. This study provided relationships between different values of the new vibration exposure measure, vw95, and the strength of peopleʹs reactions.