Construction & Machine Vibrations

Understand effects of adjacent construction on nearby buildings

Construction activities like pile driving, blasting, breaking pavement, and vibratory fill compaction produce strong vibration levels that can cause damage to nearby structures. Exponent measures and evaluates vibration sources and magnitudes to better assess damage from adjacent construction and make repair recommendations.

Publications

Review of the Codes and Standards for Noise and Vibration Investigations in Buildings

Civil and Structural Engineering

How does Exponent accurately determine damage to neighboring buildings?

Groundbreakings, machinery operation, and large blasts can all shake adjacent buildings and damage them. Gauging the total effect of construction-related vibrations requires a full assessment of site characteristics and construction activities, vibration magnitude, and damage mechanisms. Exponent's investigative process includes establishing baseline conditions, assessing vibration sources, analyzing the scale of vibrations on structures and soils, conducting a damage assessment, and, finally, consulting on recommended repairs.

We use a modular data acquisition system to record and monitor construction vibrations that can be adapted to the client's specific needs, collecting and processing data from signals sent via wired or wireless connections. Exponent can also integrate video cameras, microphones, and sensors, including accelerometers, geophones, tiltmeters, hygrometers, and thermometers into the data acquisition system.

Our Capabilities Are Unparalleled

With expertise in over 90 disciplines and hundreds of capabilities, tools, and methodologies — we get to the root of even the most complex challenges and give you the objective answers you need.

Consultants analyze data on laptop screen. Exponent engineers perform quantitative risk assessment for buildings and structures.

Experts

Our global and comprehensive expertise across industries gives us a deep understanding of current challenges, best industry practices, and the implications of emerging technologies.