Construction Induced Vibration During Sheet Pile and Pile Driving in Deep Excavation-Paper

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The paper investigates construction-induced ground vibration from vibratory sheet-pile and pile-casing installation near existing buildings in Kolkata. Such vibrations can disturb occupants and, at high levels, threaten the serviceability of nearby structures. The authors use peak particle velocity (PPV) to describe vibration intensity and assess its potential effects.<br /><br />Field measurements were collected at two sites using vibratory hammers operating at up to 1,600 rpm. At the Alipore site, 16 m sheet piles were driven through fill and clayey silt. At the Esplanade site, pile casing was driven through fill and silty clay. PPV was measured at different distances from the source and at different driving depths. The data were analysed using a square-root scaled-distance prediction model, with regression parameters that account for vibration energy and local soil conditions.<br /><br />Measurements generally showed lower PPV at greater distances, although values varied with driving depth and soil layer. The fitted model parameters differed between depths and sites, indicating that vibration attenuation depends on both the energy source and the ground profile. For the Alipore sheet-piling case, reported site constants were approximately 0.23–0.48 and exponents 0.70–0.88. For the Esplanade pile-casing case, the corresponding ranges were approximately 0.31–0.48 and 0.60–1.15.<br /><br />The authors conclude that generic prediction parameters may not adequately represent all ground conditions. Site-specific models based on field measurements can better estimate PPV and support the selection of construction methods and mitigation measures to protect nearby structures.

Keywords

ground vibration

peak particle velocity

sheet-pile installation

pile-casing installation

vibratory hammer

construction-induced vibration

scaled-distance model

soil attenuation

field measurements

Kolkata buildings