Project Overview
This project involved the structural assessment and strengthening of a steel structure floor system within a central production kitchen in Dubai Production City. During trial operation, noticeable vibrations were observed in the decking slab area due to the operation of industrial washing machines. Moduline Engineering Consultancy carried out a detailed engineering review to identify the source of vibration and develop a practical strengthening strategy aimed at improving floor stiffness, reducing operational vibration, and maintaining the facility’s performance without interrupting production activities.
This project reflects Moduline’s expertise in special structural services, including vibration diagnostics and floor strengthening for industrial and F&B facilities across the UAE. Explore our Special Structural Services for similar structural assessment and retrofitting solutions.
Engineering Challenge
During the trial operation of the project, noticeable vibrations were observed in the decking slab system caused by the operation of industrial washing machines. Operational tests showed that the vibration intensity increased with the number of operating machines, with vibrations primarily concentrated in the slab itself, while the joists exhibited minimal to no noticeable vibration.
Engineering Solution
After the dynamic analysis of the structural model data using the actual properties, the condition was diagnosed as resonance caused by the coincidence between the washing machines’ operating frequency and the slab’s natural frequency. Accordingly, two solutions were proposed
01
Strengthening the existing slab using steel channel sections to increase the floor stiffness and reduce the vibrations caused by the washing machines.
02
Removing the existing slab and constructing a new slab with increased thickness.
Implementation Phases
Solution 1 is implemented by strengthening the slab using steel channel sections
After implementation, a practical test will be conducted by restarting the washing machines and monitoring vibration levels to evaluate the Efficiency of the solution
If vibrations persist or are not sufficiently reduced, Solution 2 will be adopted: constructing a new slab while incorporating the steel channel sections installed in Solution 1 as additional reinforcement within the structural system
Operational Constraints
strengthening works were carried out while the facility remained fully operational, with no production downtime or site evacuation.
Moduline Engineering Solution
