Vibration consultancy: ground-borne and structure-borne vibration

Some of the most disruptive sound in a building never travels through the air. A train in a tunnel below, piling next door or footsteps on a lightweight floor can reach a space through the ground and the structure. Occupants feel it as movement, or hear it as a low rumble that no glazing will stop.

Our vibration consultancy helps architects and interior designers understand that risk early. We measure or predict ground-borne and structure-borne vibration, assess it against criteria for people and sensitive equipment, and develop isolation strategies that sit within the architecture. For vibration from plant, lifts and other building services, see our building services noise and vibration service.

When you need a vibration assessment

• Sites near rail or road. Railways, underground tunnels and busy roads can carry vibration and ground-borne noise into new buildings, a common question on dense sites in London and other cities.
• Planning. Local authorities may ask for a ground-borne vibration assessment for sensitive development close to transport infrastructure.
• Construction next door. Piling, demolition and ground works can disturb occupants and raise concerns about neighbouring buildings.
• Footfall. Long-span and lightweight floors, stairs and walkways can feel lively underfoot.
• Sensitive spaces and equipment. Studios, auditoria, hotel bedrooms, healthcare spaces and laboratories set tighter limits than everyday use.

What we do

• Vibration surveys. Measurement on site or in an existing building through our measurement and testing service, or prediction where the source is not yet there.
• Assessment against criteria. For human response, for sensitive equipment, and for ground-borne noise in each space.
• Isolation design. Floating floors, box-in-box rooms, resilient bearings, building isolation and equipment mounts, sized to the problem.
• Coordination with structural engineers. Isolation and floor performance depend on the structure, so we work with the structural engineer from the outset.

People, equipment and buildings

Vibration is judged by what it affects. For people, the question is whether it will be felt and found disturbing. For sensitive equipment such as imaging or precision instruments, limits come from the manufacturer or from vibration criterion (VC) curves. During construction, the concern extends to neighbours and to the risk of damage to buildings. We explain which criteria apply and what they mean for the design.

Standards and guidance

• BS 6472-1: human response to vibration in buildings
• ISO 2631 series: human exposure to whole-body vibration
• BS 5228-2: vibration control on construction and open sites
• BS 7385-2: evaluation of building vibration and the risk of damage
• BS ISO 14837-1: ground-borne noise and vibration from rail systems
• ANC guidelines: measurement and assessment of ground-borne noise and vibration
• VC curves and manufacturer limits: for vibration-sensitive equipment

How we work

1. Brief. You send us the site, drawings and planned uses.
2. Risk check. We identify the likely vibration sources and the spaces most at risk.
3. Survey or predict. We measure on site or predict levels, then assess them against the relevant criteria.
4. Design. Where mitigation is needed, we develop an isolation strategy with the structural engineer and design team.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between ground-borne and structure-borne vibration? Ground-borne vibration travels through the ground from railways, roads and construction. Structure-borne vibration travels through the building itself, from footfall or impacts. Both can be felt as movement or heard as low-frequency noise.

Is this the same as building services vibration? No. Vibration from plant, lifts and other MEP systems is covered by our building services noise and vibration service. This page covers vibration from outside the building and from the structure itself.

When should vibration be considered? As early as possible, ideally at concept stage. Building isolation and floor stiffness are decided with the structure and are very difficult to add later.

Can vibration be reduced in an existing building? Often, yes. Measurement shows where the vibration comes from and how it reaches the space, so a targeted solution can be designed rather than guessed.

Related services

• Building services noise and vibration
• Measurement and testing
• Environmental noise assessment
• Acoustic consultancy for architects and interior designers

Tell us about your site

Send us the site address, the drawings and the spaces that concern you most, and we will tell you what assessment is likely to be needed. Get in touch, call 020 3949 1597 or email hello@auris-consultancy.com.