Thornton Tomasetti Here’s How

S2. Ep. 08: Vibration and Acoustics in Mass Timber

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In this episode, Senior Principal Paul Becker and Vice President Kristina Rogers talk with Associate Sami Rahman about vibration and acoustic performance in mass timber buildings. They discuss why mass timber floors behave differently from steel or concrete systems, suggest effective design strategies, and explain how modeling and field testing are helping us fine-tune performance so mass timber can be used in spaces with strict vibration criteria.

Episode Overview: Vibration and acoustic performance are among the most technically challenging aspects of mass timber design. In this episode, Paul Becker and Kristina Rogers speak with Associate Sami Rahman about the relationship between vibration and acoustics in mass timber versus steel and concrete systems and what that means for design teams.

The conversation examines how mass timber’s lighter weight makes floor vibration performance more complex. Strategies that improve vibration performance, such as creating composite action between CLT and concrete topping, can negatively affect acoustic separation. Using the Bowers College of Computing and Information Science at Cornell University as an example, Sami explains how to strike the correct balance for optimal performance. They also look at why involving acoustics and vibration experts early in the design process can provide better, more efficient outcomes.

The discussion also explores options for successfully using mass timber in laboratories, research centers, and other spaces with sensitive equipment, such as manufacturing facilities. Sami discusses how advances in structural dynamics, finite element analysis (FEA), and validation of design models through field testing help us better understand and predict the behavior of mass timber structures. This will allow us to improve vibration-control design to allow mass timber to be used in more applications.

 

Key Insights

  • Mass timber floors behave differently from steel or concrete. Because mass timber is relatively lightweight, vibration response is often governed by high-frequency impulse behavior rather than the low-frequency resonance commonly seen in heavier systems.
  • Vibration and acoustics must be coordinated together. A design move that improves vibration performance can negatively affect acoustic performance, so both criteria need to be evaluated as part of the same design strategy.
  • Modeling is stronger when calibrated with field data. Validating finite element analysis with heel-drop testing and impulse-response testing can help teams refine assumptions and better predict real-world mass timber performance.
  • Vibration-sensitive buildings need early performance planning. Laboratories, research facilities, and other sensitive spaces require carefully considered framing strategies or localized enhancements to meet owner and equipment criteria.
  • Early collaboration reduces late-stage redesign. For mass timber buildings, structural, acoustic, vibration, and architectural considerations should be integrated from the beginning rather than evaluated after the framing system is already set.

    • Topics Covered

    • Mass timber vibration design
    • Acoustic performance in mass timber buildings
    • High-frequency floor response
    • CLT floor systems and concrete topping
    • Composite action and acoustic separation
    • Finite element modeling for vibration analysis
    • Field testing and model calibration
    • Laboratory vibration criteria
    • Tuned mass dampers and active mass dampers
    • Early coordination among structural, acoustic, and vibration teams
      • ...more
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      Thornton Tomasetti Here’s HowBy Thornton Tomasetti