Noise from Pile‐Driving Equipment

Urban noise ordinances show an increased public awareness of the deleterious effects of excessive noise levels in our environment. The noise generated by heavy construction equipment is often cited as a major offender. Restraints on these noise levels require several levels of compromise between the public, the law‐enforcement agencies, contractors, and the clients of new constructions. As a particular example, the noise of pile‐driving equipment has been investigated to evaluate possible trade‐offs in resolving conflicts which may arise. The parameters and characteristics of noise from pile‐driving equipment, factors controlling choice of equipment such as soil conditions and geography, and the economic consequences of various alternatives for noise reduction have been studied with an attempt made to outline a balanced approach toward evaluating this problem.