PERMFILE115751

• Permit No: M1997054
• IBM Index Class Name: Permit File
• Doc Date: 1/12/1998
• Doc Name: AGILE STONE SYSTEMS INC SUPPORTING DATA PARKDALE PROJECT REGULAR OPERATION 112 RECLAMATION PERMIT
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

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HUMAN PERCEPTIBILITY TO VIBRATIONS
The majority of the studies done on human tolerance to vibrations have been of steady-state
sources, meaning that the amplitude and frequency content of the energy source remain constant
over the test period. This type of testing usually results in an event of relatively longer duration
than a typical mine or quarry blast
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z
a
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event. Smce the v~braUOn hnuts
in the following studies require a
reasonable level of comfort from
long term vibration sources, they
are certauily more restrictive than
for sources of short duration and
infrequent occurrence such as
blasting.
The enclosed Figure is the
compilation of two different
-studies on human response to
steady-state and transient
vibrations. The first study
denoted on the graph by response
levels, represented by the solid
line, was completed by Reiner
and Meister in 1931. In this
study 15 people were subjected
to 5 minute duration vertical and
~ ~o goo .horizontal vibrations in a varlet
Frcquenry, t1:. y
of body positions. The study
Figure 1 Human Response to Steady-State and Transient established the threshold levels of
Vibrations subjective human response as
defined by three categories. The
threshold levels were described as "Barely Noticeable, Objectionable, and Uncomfortable".
These levels were comparable to subjective responses in a second study completed by Wiss and
Parmelee in 1974. The Wiss and Parmelee threshold levels of subjective human response are
denoted by response levels represented by the dashed line in Figure 1. Four thresholds of
subjective human response to vibration were categorized and are described as "Barely Perceptible,
Distinctly Perceptible, Strongly Perceptible, and Severe". In this study, the responses of 40
people to transient vibrations consisting of damped 5 second sinusoidal pulses between the
frequencies of 2.5 to 25 Hertz (Hz) were observed. All subjects were standing on an open
platform and subjected to vertical vibrations. The study found that responses depended on
vibration levels and damping, but were independent of frequency.
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