Vibration Study on Coastal structures due to Pile driving and blasting at vicinity
Date24th Aug 2023
Time04:00 PM
Venue Seminar Hall, Department of Ocean Engineering
PAST EVENT
Details
The vibration generated from blasting and pile driving is always a concern during construction. Its effect can range from causing disturbance to occupants in nearby buildings to causing significant damage to adjacent structures. The propagation of vibration depends on the source properties and the transmitting medium. The empirical approach that the engineers use widely gives an unreliable vibration value as the soil and hammer properties vary with the site. Hence, it is necessary to carry out field experiments. Unlike onshore structures, vibration on coastal structures has been less explored and studied. In this study, pile driving adjacent to an existing berth is carried out. A three-dimensional finite element model is utilised to analyse the vibration in terms of peak particle velocity during the penetration of the pile. The peak particle velocities computed from the numerical model are validated with the field experiment results. Sensitivity analyses have been performed to study the effect of pile hammer weights, hammer drop heights, levels of pile driving, and Young's modulus of soil medium. Further, a numerical study was conducted to estimate the vibration on existing breakwaters caused by the installation of monopiles at two potential wind sites. In the proposed study, a 6-metre-diametre monopile was used to support a 5-MW wind turbine. The study focuses on estimating the safe distance of monopile installation, hammer drop height, and hammering frequency for two sites with varying water depths and geotechnical conditions. The breakwater, monopile, and adjacent structures were modelled in the three-dimensional finite-element framework PLAXIS-3D to capture the soil-structure interaction effects. The study brings out the nature of the wave propagating from monopile toe and breakwater interaction for both sites. The influence of sand and clay soil on vibration transmission is also discussed. Also, a blasting study was conducted at one of the major ports in India. The site has existing concrete berths as close as 30 metres from the source of blasting and a few buildings of the port trust. As a part of the extension of the existing port, the dismantling of aged concrete berths was undertaken. The work involves blasting 22 caissons and a 2.75-metre-deep PCC below them to bring the final depth to -16.1m. An amount of 40,000 m3 of soil has to be excavated to bring the channel depth to -16.1m. The caissons have to be blasted out, and the blasting of the sea bed is carried out further. The blast vibration is captured in terms of peak particle velocity and validated numerically. A parametric study is also carried out for the same.
Speakers
Ms. JEENA MARY JOHN, ROLL NO. OE15D202
Ocean Enginnering Department