Effects of pile driving vibrations on computer servers.
Effects of pile driving vibrations on computer servers.
(OP)
I've got a project in NW Washington State. There is an existing 100' x 100' prefab steel office building. The customer needs more office space but the only place to go is up. We've decided to straddle the existing building with a completely new free standing building over top of the existing space. Our geotechnical engineer has determined that good bearing is at about 15' – 20'. The best method for the foundation seems to be driven closed end steel piles and the exterior pile would need to be as close to the existing building as possible. A concern has come up over the effects of the pile driving on the company's computers and computer servers. We know that if we bore a hole before inserting and driving the piles that the vibration effects will be greatly reduced. For the interior piles we are planning on coring the slab to accept the piles and possibly utilize the Air/Vacuum Potholing technique. This is a working office and ideally we plan to have no office shutdowns during construction.
We could go completely the Air/Vacuum Potholing route with poured concrete but this seems like a slow and costly route.
Does anyone know what the effects of pile driving vibrations on computer servers are and is this a valid concern with our driving method?
Does anyone have a better way of supporting the new structure without driving piles?
Are "H" piles a better way to go?
We could go completely the Air/Vacuum Potholing route with poured concrete but this seems like a slow and costly route.
Does anyone know what the effects of pile driving vibrations on computer servers are and is this a valid concern with our driving method?
Does anyone have a better way of supporting the new structure without driving piles?
Are "H" piles a better way to go?





RE: Effects of pile driving vibrations on computer servers.
I have done this for a permanent vibration installation (mounted the "show" dvd/audio disk players for a "major theme park" on isolation mounts as the ride itself produced significant building vibrations).
Take precautions during construction as you have noted. You might also consider augered concrete piles (Augercast). These will reduce vibrations over driven piles.
I would also monitor the vibrations (using alarm triggers) during the construction to help prevent damage.
RE: Effects of pile driving vibrations on computer servers.
We have thought about Auger Cast piles and may try to utilize them on the exterior but for the interior supports, I think that they would be way to invasive and disruptive. That's also a good call on the isolation mounts; there's an attached manufacturing plant with heavy machinery, so they may already have isolation mounts.
Thanks again
RE: Effects of pile driving vibrations on computer servers.
www.PeirceEngineering.com
RE: Effects of pile driving vibrations on computer servers.
RE: Effects of pile driving vibrations on computer servers.
http://www.vulcanhammer.net/svinkin/BLST-CRT.pdf
RE: Effects of pile driving vibrations on computer servers.
RE: Effects of pile driving vibrations on computer servers.
For transient vibrations 17 to 150 Hz and 200 kg : 0.06 g , for a few kg and same range of frequency : 0.08 g
but first answer I got was obviously 0 vibrations !