Experimental and numerical investigation of the natural frequencies of the composite profiled steel sheet dry board (PSSDB) system

This paper investigates the natural frequencies of the profiled steel sheet dry board (PSSDB) system. Frequency response functions (FRFs), estimated experimentally, were used to determine the natural frequencies of three different PSSDB panels with different screw spacing. Finite element models (FEMs) were developed to predict the natural frequencies of the tested panels. The FEMs were verified by comparing their results with results of the experimental test, and these confirmed the natural frequencies of the system. The effect of screw spacing on the natural frequencies of the system was studied experimentally and numerically. The numerical results uncovered the effect of various parameters, such as the PSS and DB thicknesses and boundary conditions, on the fundamental natural frequency (FNF) of the system. Fifteen finite element models were developed to determine the FNF of the PSSDB system with practical dimensions. When applied as a flooring system these panels are categorised as low-frequency floor (LFF) or high-frequency floor (HFF), to determine occurrence of resonance, design criteria, and whether or not they would be comfortable for humans.