Assessment of environmental impacts resulting from ground vibrations due to piling activities and railway transport

Abstract

With the development of the country's economy, industrial activities close to urbanized areas have inceased tremendously. These activities are sources of ground vibrations impacting on human life. Resulting annoyance conditions near residential areas and possible human response to ground vibrations have been investigated in this study. Ground vibration have been monitored at precast pile driving sites and at a location close to Panadura-Moratuwa railway line using an A4-channel seismograph. Human perception and disturbance conditions associated with each location is discussed with the criteria given in British Standards. According to the ground vibrations levels measured at the piling site, up to 55 m distance from pile driving locations perceptible level of ground vibrations have been occurred thus caving annoyance to occupants. Zone with adverse comments, extends up to 37 m from the pile and adverse comment possible zone extend up to 50 m from the pile when using pile diver and piles with given specifications. According to ground vibration levels near the railway track, occupants in residential areas will experience annoyance as residential area contains ground vibrations in perceptible amount. Up to 27 m distance from the railway track, ground vibrations levels were measured up to a level of making complaints regarding annoyance made by train.The trench already existed near the railway track (parallel to the rail way track) is capable of reducing ground vibration levels up to 40%.