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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: EP/P020690/1
Title: VSimulators: Human factors simulation for motion and serviceability in the built environment
Principal Investigator: Brownjohn, Professor JMW
Other Investigators:
Goodwin, Professor V Pavic, Professor A Reynolds, Professor P
Bocian, Dr M Talbot, Professor NJ
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
AKT II Arup Group Ltd Atkins
Buro Happold Emirates DNEC Engineering Consultants Flint and Neill
Foster and Partners Swallow Acoustic Consultants Ltd Waterman Structures Ltd
WSP Group plc UK
Department: Engineering
Organisation: University of Exeter
Scheme: Standard Research
Starts: 01 May 2017 Ends: 30 April 2021 Value (£): 3,246,099
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Building Ops & Management Structural Engineering
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Healthcare No relevance to Underpinning Sectors
Related Grants:
EP/P020704/1
Panel History:
Panel DatePanel NameOutcome
05 Dec 2016 EPSRC Strategic Equipment Interviews Dec 2016 Announced
Summary on Grant Application Form
VSimulators is a worldwide unique facility for exploring how people experience motion and vibrations in the build environment, such as sway in tall buildings, vibration of lively floors, or movement of footbridges. The facility consists of a pair of simulators located at the Universities of Bath and Exeter providing complementary capability in mimicking motion and environmental factors in the built environment. Using hydraulic actuators driving a climate controlled room, the Bath machine can simulate biaxial movement at ultra-low frequencies with large amplitudes primarily to study comfort and health of occupants in tall and super tall buildings which are proliferating in cities across the world. The Exeter machine uses a 6-axis electric 'hexapod' actuation system supporting a rigid 4 meter square platform. This will simulate multi-axis motion primarily to study comfort of humans using footbridges, floors and grandstands vibrating in response to occupant dynamic forces. The Bath machine will incorporate peripheral video displays of internal and external environment, systems for sophisticated environmental control and measurement of occupant physiological and psychological reactions, while the Exeter machine will use sophisticated virtual reality and full capability for force identification and motion capture of occupants. Using shared equipment (e.g. treadmills, inertial sensors, optical motion capture) and technical support the complementary capabilities will be applied to research human-structure interaction (based upon human comfort, well-being and productivity), assisted mobility and rehabilitation and populate a spectrum of vibration serviceability guidance.

The facility will provide a worldwide unique capability available to researchers and practitioners from a range of industries and backgrounds. Together with this multi-disciplinary network of people, VSimulators' unique capability will transform what research we are able to do and how we carry out that research.
Key Findings
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Potential use in non-academic contexts
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Impacts
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Summary
Date Materialised
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Further Information:  
Organisation Website: http://www.ex.ac.uk