The effect of wind-induced vibrations in tall buildings on occupants’ work performance

This study investigated the effects of wind-induced vibrations in tall buildings on occupants’ work performance. Controlled experiments were conducted using a specialized motion simulator at University of Bath (VSimulator) to simulate wind-induced vibrations. A comprehensive psychological test battery was developed to measure cognitive abilities – attention, memory, and executive function – as well as subjective work performance. Twenty-one participants completed the test battery under various motion conditions, with peak accelerations both above and below the perception threshold. Unlike previous studies, this paper shows a consistent correlation between work performance and both peak acceleration and frequency of motion. Within the tested range (0–0.1 ms−2), a 0.1 ms−2 increase in peak acceleration was associated with an average decrease of 0.2 standard deviations in cognitive performance, 0.5 Likert-unit decrease in self-reported performance, and 0.4 Likert-unit increase in subjective effort. Furthermore, within the tested range (0–0.5 Hz), a 0.5 Hz increase in frequency was associated with an average decrease of 0.2 standard deviations in cognitive performance. This is the first controlled study of realistic tall building vibrations to show that wind-induced vibrations can potentially impair cognitive performance. The research outcome provides a foundation for future vibration serviceability studies where work performance is central to defining serviceability criteria.