MEASUREMENT AND PREDICTION OF GROUND-BORNE VIBRATION DUE TO CONSTRUCTION OPERATIONS

The increasing size and power of construction plant and its potential to dissipate intrusive or possibly damaging levels of vibration into the environment, coupled with increasing attention being given to environmental aspects of road construction, have led to a need for improved methods of ground vibration prediction. While there is an increasing need to minimise the intrusive effects of construction works, over-conservative restrictions on vibration levels may lead to significant and unnecessary cost increases. Previous research at TRL into the effects of ground vibration has concentrated largely on blasting works (New, 1986). The research currently in progress is providing field data that will improve the prediction of ground vibrations from other construction activities. This will ease the control and mitigation of vibration to prevent damage or intrusion without the imposition of over-conservative limits. (A) For the covering abstract see IRRD 493147.