An effective time domain numerical model for the prediction of ground-borne vibrations induced by pile driving

Construction operations produce significant environmental disturbance, such as noise, air pollution and vibrations. Among these operations, pile driving is a widely used method for deep foundations and a considerable source of ground-borne vibrations. This negative aspect may be critical in urban areas, due to the close proximity of the construction sites and existing structures. In the present work, an effective numerical model for the prediction of induced vibrations due to impact pile driving is presented. The finite element method in a time domain axisymmetric formulation is employed, considering an efficient explicit/semi-explicit time marching procedure. The propagation pattern and different types of waves generated in the pile driving operation are investigated for several penetration depths with a linear constitutive model. A parametric study is presented and the computed results are compared to the numerical studies and field measurements available in the literature.