Vibration Monitoring

[dpredi2]

My firm is bidding on a geotechnical/construction testing service contract for a demolition of structures in an urban area. I'm an EIT, and was wondering if/how one can determine if an area needs to be monitored for vibrations during demolition. I'm assuming there are different variables dependent on soil type, types of adjacent structures, means of demolition, etc. Also any leads to reference material or literature for determining this would greatly appreciated as well.

 

[oldestguy]

There is a lot of material out there as reference.

I'd suggest looking up US Bureau of Mines. They may have a WEB site.

My files are old, but I see that the Springnether Instrument Company of St. Louis published some good material.

A professor from U of ILL, A.J. Hendron published a paper "Engineering of Rock Blasting on civil Projects"

No doubt ASCE has numerous papers on this subject.

Generally it seems to boil down to peak particle velocity not exceeding 2 inches per second, as I recall, for an acceptable threshold level as to building damage. There is also a need to know frequency of the vibrations in the monitoring. In my work, years back, I limited acceptable peak particle velocity to one tenth inch/sec. and it kept the complaints down.

The main aim of the controls were mainly to cut complaints, since building damage at that lower level never was noticed to an important degree. Cracking of windows, shelve contents dumping, etc. were main issues then.

Soil type didn't seem to be an issue, but rock at shallow depth under buildings seemed to be important in vibration propagation.

Location of vibration monitors usually was established at the closer structures.

But, don't be surprised at complaints coming from miles away.