Remote Construction Vibration Monitoring Systems

RDL//Vibe features and benefits

The RDL//Vibe was designed for use on construction sites to provide contractors, managers and engineers with the information they need in real time, allowing them to manage the vibration impacts on neighbouring properties.

Vibration monitoring during construction

Construction activities can generate ground vibration at varying levels, which spread through the ground and can affect neighbouring properties, buildings and their residents. It is common for construction work to generate vibration complaints from neighbouring residents and building owners, and this places an emphasis on construction companies to identify, assess and monitor problem areas.

The main concerns include:

It is common for construction projects to stipulate remote monitoring in the project requirements and guidelines, to avoid damage and annoyance, and to prove due diligence on-site.

The construction activities most commonly known to generate severe vibration levels are blasting and impact pile driving. Other sources of ground vibration on construction sites include pile-driving, vibratory compaction, demolition, drilling and excavation.

Most susceptible to damage

Most susceptible to damage from ground vibrations are fragile buildings and structures, such as historic buildings, gas pipes, oil pipelines and cast iron water mains.

Construction vibration monitoring

When carrying out construction works which may produce vibration, all potential receptors must be considered, with particular attention paid to occupiers and users of buildings, hospitals or laboratories, as well as cosmetic or structural damage to buildings or heritage sites.

Ground vibration monitoring

Companies are already requested to take care planning the sequence of works in order to minimise the transfer of vibration to neighbouring properties, and in some cases project managers are instructed to monitor ground borne vibrations, react and adjust work methods to ensure vibration levels are kept below specific levels.

As available space becomes tighter it will be imperative to protect surrounding properties from the effects of excessive vibration during such works, particularly in cities across the UK.

Piling vibration monitoring

Piles are the permanent foundation support to so many different structures throughout the UK, so it is of great importance to know the likelihood of disruption that could be caused through installing piles in order to minimise or alleviate it altogether. An increasingly important aspect of project management during construction work, is to understand the impact of ground-borne vibration, on the surrounding community.

Building vibration monitoring

Most susceptible to damage from ground vibrations are fragile and historic buildings. A building’s response to ground-borne vibration is affected by various different factors and while a concern doesn’t always mean that there’s potential for damage, without an auditable trail of vibration data it can be difficult to link damage with a particular cause.

Demolition vibration monitoring

As available space becomes tighter it will be imperative to protect surrounding properties from the effects of excessive vibration levels arising from demolition works, particularly in cities, as well as on sites near historic building and sensitive structures such as railway viaducts, railway lines, hospitals, server rooms, electrical sub stations and gas mains.