The prediction of groundborne vibration from percussive piling

Abstract

Environmental assessments of proposed infrastructure projects include an appraisal of the vibration that would be generated by potential construction methods. This paper considers one part of that process: prediction of groundborne vibration from percussive piling. Various methods for predicting the magnitude of the groundborne vibration generated by percussive piling have been described in the literature. In general, the accuracy of the predictors is limited. The paper investigates the reasons for this, through the development of theoretical models and analysis of field data from an extensive programme of on-site vibration monitoring. It is found that some widespread assumptions about the relationship between the energy rating of a percussive piling hammer and the vibrational energy developed in the ground are invalid. Ground conditions are shown to have a dominant influence on the magnitude of the groundborne vibration generated by percussive piling, and piling vibration predictors which take no account of soil type yield considerably less accurate estimates than site-specific predictions.Key words: piling, vibration, monitoring, prediction, environmental assessment.