NOISE FROM SHEET-PILING OPERATIONS - M67 DENTON RELIEF ROAD.

Abstract

For most of its length of M67 Denton relief road is in cutting. To enable retaining walls and bridge abutments to be constructed extensive use was made of temporary sheet pile walls to retain the surrounding ground. Denton is a densely populated area and much of the piling had to be undertaken close to occupied buildings. Initially a noise-reduced drop hammer was used to install the sheets but because of the magnitude of the vibrations induced in nearby properties, and the difficulty of achieving the required pile penetration, driving was also undertaken using a diesel hammer. The latter method generated much higher at-source sound levels than the drop hammer and attempts were made to prevent noise nuisance by screening the diesel hammer. Throughout this work sound levels and ground vibration levels were continuously monitored and these measurements form the basis of this paper. (Author/TRRL)