Research at the University of Bath is focused on the upgrade and refurbishment of existing timber floors by applying a thin cementitious topping. Serviceability rather than strength has been identified as the key performance upgrade and in particular the vibration performance of the floor. The human perception of vibrations is strongly influenced by the frequency of the vibration and the rate at which energy is dissipated from the system. This paper first describes the rationale for the thickness of the topping (20mm or less) before presenting experimental results which characterise connectors suitable for upgrading timber floors to reduce vibrations. Connectors are characterised by considering both their stiffness and damping properties.
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