Vibration Dose Value (VDV)
VDV measures human exposure to vibration in buildings and the effects of vibration on human annoyance. VDV is a way to quantify vibrations as an exposure dose based on frequency (up to 80 Hz), amplitude and regularity.
Why Monitor Your Operations For VDV?
With expanding urban development, human sensitivity to vibration has become an increasingly critical consideration during construction, demolition, blasting, pile driving, and dynamic compaction activities. Even when structural damage thresholds are not exceeded, vibration levels that affect human comfort can quickly result in complaints and project delays. To properly assess human response, measurements extend beyond Peak Particle Velocity (PPV) to include parameters such as Vibration Dose Value (VDV), which captures the cumulative effect of vibration over time.
International standards such as DIN 4150-2, BS 6472-1, and ISO 2631 provide guidance on acceptable vibration levels for human comfort in residential, commercial, and industrial environments. To ensure compliance with these standards and proactively manage community relations, contractors rely on advanced monitoring solutions such as Instantel vibration monitoring equipment, which enables accurate real-time measurement, reporting, and documentation of vibration impacts on people and surrounding structures.
How Instantel Can Help
Our Minimate Pro system, combined with a VDV geophone, was designed with human vibration exposure in mind. The advanced software tools in THOR Advanced provide detailed reporting to ensure your operations are within the defined standards.
Common Standards
BS 6472-1:2008 provides guidance on predicting human response to vibration in buildings over the frequency range 0.5 Hz to 80 Hz. Frequency weighting curves for humans exposed to whole-body vibration are included with methods of assessing continuous, intermittent, and impulsive vibration.
DIN 4150-2:1999-06 describes structural vibration and ways of measuring human exposure to vibration in buildings.
ISO 2631-2:2003 Defines methods of quantifying whole-body vibration in relation to human health and comfort, the probability of vibration perception, and the incidence of motion sickness.
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Minimate Pro4 | VDV Triaxial Geophone | Linear Microphone | Sound Level Microphone |
Monitoring unit with either four or six channels and sample rates up to 65 Hz. | Calibrated to DIN 45669-1 standard and measures 1 to 80 Hz. Cable length 2m or 8m. | Records air overpressure data on a linear scale from 2 to 250 Hz with a range of 100 to 148 dB (L) (2 to 500 Pa). | Class 1 Sound Level Microphone records noise (or sound) levels. The Sound Microphones meet the IEC 61672-1 standard. |
| Learn more about the Minimate Pro Series | |||
Connecting with Instantel Software Systems
The THOR Advanced software system features an integrated Vibration Dose Value (VDV) monitoring function for the assessment of whole-body vibration exposure. VDV calculations are performed using a user-selected frequency weighting file, downloaded from the THOR software, based on the geographic region and the specific type of vibration being monitored during the measurement session. The system records vibration data across a frequency range of 1 to 80 Hz, and up to two frequency weighting files can be stored on the monitor simultaneously. During monitoring, the unit converts velocity data into acceleration, applies the selected frequency weighting, and calculates both the VDV and Root Mean Square (RMS) values. While recording, the VDV and RMS values are updated and displayed every ten seconds. Final calculated values are stored in the data file and included in the Event Report.
