Vibration control of ultra-sensitive facilities

Feature sizes continue to decrease in computer processors, display units and media, while experimental facilities demand ever increasing measurement resolution. As a result, the requirements for controlling vibration levels in the structures of factories and laboratories become more severe and govern structural design more frequently. Design guidance in the UK and elsewhere is so far limited and vibration control exercises are presently case specific. Vibration control is a process by which simulated or measured vibration response of a vibration-sensitive facility can be managed and mitigated, before it is too late and the experiment or industrial process has failed (at great cost). Vibration control, as defined here, involves establishment of acceptance standards (vibration norms), measurement or estimation of inputs, simulation of structures and foundations with design iterations, study of vibration propagation mechanisms and finally comparison with vibration norms. The present paper distils experiences in vibration control of vibration-sensitive facilities, drawing attention to the major difficulties in the process and to some of the acceptable procedures for analysis, design and measurement.