APPA Library

"No Such Thing as "Good Vibrations" in Science"
Author: Lancaster, Franklin D.,
Published In: Facilities Manager
Date: July-August 2011

A facilities manager must ensure that a building runs as smoothly and successfully as possible. For college, university, and school managers dealing with laboratories and other spaces for scientific study and research, this means making sure that nothing disrupts experiments and other scientific endeavors. Such disruptions can wreak havoc, negatively impacting research or funding. Vibrations caused by mechanical equipment, by people walking across a floor, or by outside traffic can be annoying to the occupants of any type of building. Campus facilities managers must understand the impact of vibrations on science buildings, and work with their architects and engineers to establish what special measures must be taken to ensure that laboratories resist vibration problems. Design considerations include tailoring architectural, structural, and mechanical elements for the needs of laboratory buildings, and simply planning spaces with vibration in mind. The three primary factors involved in assessing a vibration problem are the vibration source, transmission path, and the receiver. The key to mitigating vibration problems begins with understanding these factors, and knowing how to adjust design practices and construction methods for specific science building uses.

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