What is construction vibration?
Construction vibration is the rapid oscillation of the ground or a building element caused by building work. It travels through the soil from the source to nearby buildings, where it can cause damage, disturb occupants or upset sensitive equipment. Its size is usually expressed as peak particle velocity (PPV) in millimetres per second (mm/s). Frequency (Hz) and duration also matter: a single impact behaves differently from continuous or repeated vibration.
Sources
- Driven piling with precast concrete or steel tube piles.
- Vibrating in sheet piles with a vibratory hammer.
- Compaction of fill and sub-base with plate compactors and vibrating rollers.
- Demolition, crushing and heavy site traffic.
- Road and rail traffic, especially on soft ground.
Effects
- Building damage: from hairline cracks in plaster to cracks in masonry. Old buildings and buildings with existing defects are the most sensitive. Vibration can also densify loose sand and cause settlement.
- Disturbance to people: perceptible shaking, rattling windows, disturbed sleep.
- Sensitive equipment: microscopes, laboratory instruments and precision machinery.
Standards
In the UK, BS 7385-2 gives guidance on damage levels from groundborne vibration, and BS 5228-2 is the code of practice for vibration control on construction and open sites. Guide values depend on building type, frequency and type of vibration, so leave the assessment to a vibration consultant rather than applying one number.
Practical tips
- Condition survey of neighbours: before work starts, have a schedule of condition made with dated photos of existing cracks. Without a baseline, damage is hard to prove afterwards.
- Monitor during the work: install vibration monitors on the most vulnerable buildings and agree trigger and stop levels.
- Low-vibration methods: choose screw or bored piles instead of driven piles, and press-in sheet piling instead of vibrating.
- Watch the cracks: date-mark existing cracks or fit crack gauges so you can see whether they grow.
Related terms
- Driven pile
- Screw displacement pile
- Sheet pile wall
- Soil compaction
- Crack
- Foundation survey
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