Vibration reduction methods for building foundation
Vibration reduction methods for building foundation
(OP)
Hello,
I have a client that is proposing to build a hotel (7 stories, concrete construction, basement level at 2.5m). The hotel will be adjacent to a railway mainline, with the tracks approximately at the same level as the finished ground level of our building. The edge of the building will be approximately 5 m from the edge of the tracks. The water table is at approximately 3m. The soils consist of a dense to very dense glacial till (silty clay matrix).
The client is worried about vibration of his building when the trains are passing, which is at regular intervals. I know that we can isolate the columns etc with various structural products, however the expense is prohibitive. He has asked me if there is a backfill or something that we can use to lower the transmission of the vibrations.
I know that in the past we have recommended well drained material where street vibration may pose a problem, but this situation is a little more touchy. If any of you out there have had this problem, I would be interested in what kind of solutions did and did not work.
Obviously no method will be 100% effective, at this point I am just trying to get some ideas.
Thanks in advance, geo in mtl.
ck
I have a client that is proposing to build a hotel (7 stories, concrete construction, basement level at 2.5m). The hotel will be adjacent to a railway mainline, with the tracks approximately at the same level as the finished ground level of our building. The edge of the building will be approximately 5 m from the edge of the tracks. The water table is at approximately 3m. The soils consist of a dense to very dense glacial till (silty clay matrix).
The client is worried about vibration of his building when the trains are passing, which is at regular intervals. I know that we can isolate the columns etc with various structural products, however the expense is prohibitive. He has asked me if there is a backfill or something that we can use to lower the transmission of the vibrations.
I know that in the past we have recommended well drained material where street vibration may pose a problem, but this situation is a little more touchy. If any of you out there have had this problem, I would be interested in what kind of solutions did and did not work.
Obviously no method will be 100% effective, at this point I am just trying to get some ideas.
Thanks in advance, geo in mtl.
ck





RE: Vibration reduction methods for building foundation
RE: Vibration reduction methods for building foundation
Get some vibration monitoring done so you can quantify the vibrations with depth. Probably don't need more than 4 or 5 feet down.
Trench would be built like a french drain, wrapped in filter fabric and backfilled with No. 57 or larger stone, preferably with a 3 to 6 inch thick extruded polystyrene layer in the middle between gravel. Cover with filter fabric and backfill the last 8 to 12 inches with clean sand.
RE: Vibration reduction methods for building foundation
cheers,