Compendium of Pile Driving
Sound Data
James Reyff
Illingworth & Rodkin, Inc
2006 Summer Meeting TRB
ACD40
Williamsburg, VA
Purpose for the Compendium
• Document Available Underwater Pile
Driving Sound Levels
• Provide data for biological assessments
• Provide data for Construction/Design
Decisions
What is the Compendium?
Provides Underwater Sound Data for
– Different Types of Piles
– Different Types of Installations
– Different Conditions (unattenuated, attenuated, etc…)
Different Types of Piles
Different Types of Hammers
3,000 lb Drop
Vibratory
Different Types of Hammers
Diesel Impact
Hydraulic
Impact
Different Types of Hammers
Large
Hydraulic
Different Types of Conditions
Unattenuated
Air Bubble Curtain
Different Types of Conditions
Air Bubble Curtain
Different Types of Conditions
Dewatered Casing
Different Types of Conditions
Dewatered Casing
Different Types of Conditions
Dewatered Cofferdam
Different Types of Conditions
Dewatered Cofferdam
Different Types of Conditions
On Land Near Water
Tabular Summary of Measured
Sound Levels
Compendium Chapter
Contents
Divided by Pile Type & Project
– Pile Size
– Hammer Type
Includes
-Project Type/Location
-Measured sound pressures at different distances
-Measured drop-off rate
-Effectiveness of attenuation systems
-Signal analysis
Example Chapter – Benicia Bridge
Summary of Unattenuated
Sound Pressure Over Distance
Table 3.2-1 Summary of Unattenuated Sound Pressures
Measured for the Benicia-Martinez Bridge
Approximate
Distance1
1
Sound Pressure
Peak
RMS
SEL
5m
227
215
201
10 m
220
205
194
20 m
214
203
190
50 m
210
196
184
100 m
204
192
180
500 m
188
174
164
1,000 m
180
165
155
Measured from the pile at about mid depth (10-15-m deep
water)
Graphical Representation of
Sound Pressure with Distance
230
Peak
Peak = 218-15Log(R/10)
RMS
RMS = 206-16Log(R/10)
SEL
SEL = 195-17Log(R/10)
Sound Pressure (dB re 1 µPa)
220
210
Peak = 218 – 15 log (R/10)
200
190
RMS = 206 – 16 log (R/10)
180
170
SEL
= 195 – 17 log (R/10)
160
-
100
200
300
Range (meters)
400
500
Attenuation Systems
95m West - Pile 4, Deep Depth
Acoustic Energy - 95m West - Pile 4, Deep
95m West, Pile 4, Deep
4.00E+10
1.00E+19
0.00E+00
-1.00E+10
-2.00E+10
-3.00E+10
ON 1st
OFF
ON 2nd
180
ON 1st
OFF
ON 2nd
170
160
150
140
130
120
110
1.00E+18
2
Underwater Sound Pressure Level (dB)
1.00E+10
1.00E+17
1.00E+16
1.00E+15
1.00E+14
1.00E+13
1.00E+12
ON 1st
1.00E+11
OFF
ON 2nd
-4.00E+10
0
0.01
0.02
0.03
0.04
0.05
0.06
0.07
0.08
1.00E+10
100
0
Time (sec)
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
8000
9000
10000
0
0.01
0.02
0.03
0.04
Time (sec)
Frequency (Hz)
Sound Pressure (dB re 1 µPa)
Sound Pressure Amplitude (µPa)
2.00E+10
Cumulative Pressure Energy (dB re 1uPa sec)
190
3.00E+10
230
220
210
200
190
180
170
160
150
Unattenuated Peak Drop Off
Unattenuated RMS Drop Off
Peak
RMS
-
100
200
Range (meters)
300
400
0.05
0.06
0.07
0.08
Example Chapter – 24in dia. Steel
Table 3.x-4 Summary of Sound Pressures Measured for the Driving of 24-inch
Steel Pipe Piles –Rodeo Dock
Sound Pressure Levels
Pile
1
2
1
2
Conditions
Unattenuated
10 meters
Unattenuated
10 meters
Unattenuated
50 meters
Unattenuated
50 meters
Peak
RMS
SEL
– Impact Hammer at
202
188
177
– Impact Hammer at
203
189
178
– Impact Hammer at
191
178
167
– Impact Hammer at
189
178
166
Representative Signal Analysis
Compendium - I&R Projects
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
8 Large dia. CISS Piles (Big Projects)
10+ small to medium dia. Steel Pipe
7-8 concrete piles
~5 Steel “H” piles
1 Steel sheet (vibratory and impact)
1 Timber pile (small drop hammer)
~5 Projects w/Vibratory hammers
Compendium - Other Projects
• NOAA Southwestern Division
• Washington DOT
• Other misc. projects
Sound Pressure Drop Off with Distance
SFOBB - Bubble Curtain
210
Sound Pressure (dB re 1µPa)
200
190
Peak = 230 - 19.0 Log R
R 2 = 0.80
180
170
160
RMS = 217 - 18.2 Log R
R 2 = 0.77
150
140
0
200
400
600
800
Distance (m)
1000
1200
1400
Sound Pressure Drop Off with Distance
SFOBB - Dewatered Cofferdam
Sound Pressure (dB re 1µPa)
210
200
190
180
170
160
150
0
200
400
600
800
Distance (m)
1000
1200
1400
That’s it….