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HomeMy WebLinkAboutRailroad Induced Vibrations-1983• I i RAILROAD INDUCED VIBnnxz�x. NEW BERN, NORTH CAROLINA August 10 & 11, 1983 f N i� DCM COPY DCM COPY lease do not remove!!!!! Division of Coastal Management by Stoll, Evans, Woods & Associates Ann Arbor, Michigan The preparation of this report was financed through a Coastal Energy Impact Program grant provided by the North Carolina Coastal Management Program, through funds pro- vided by the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, as amended, which is administered by the Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, National Oceanic and Atmos- pheric Administration. This CEIP.grant was part of NOAA grant NA-81-AA-D-CZ124. March 1983 CEIP Report No. 24 Abstract coal trains using the rail line along Hancock Street in New Bern pass within one block of 17 buildings on the National Register of Historic Sites. Local concerns about the effect of train -caused vibrations led in 1982 to the measurement and analysis of such vibrations and their effects on historic structures. 158 measurements were made at three sites. No anomalous behavior due to soil types or unusual geology was found. No signficant difference between empty and full coal hopper cars was found. Maximum vibration amlitudes at: all three sites were less than those required to be the proximate cause of.damage to buildings. Vibrations were near the range that is troublesome to people. There is potential for long-term secondary fatigue damage to.structures if trains continue to use the route along Hancock Street 0 Table of Contents Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 References . . . . . . . . . . 13' List of Figures Fig. 1 Site Locations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Fig. 2 - Site Locations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Fig. 3 - Site B, Architect's office, Hancock and Pollock Streets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Fig. 4 - Miller Residence, 213 Hancock Street. . . . . . . . . . 6 Fig. 5 - Instruments at Site C, Miller Residence . . . . . . . . 7 Fig. 6 - Allowable Vertical Vibration Amplitude for a Particular Frequency of Vibration . . . . 9 Fig-7 - Allowable Resultant Motion versus Frequency . . . . . . . 10 Fig. 8 - Vibration Attenuation . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Introduction On August 10 & 11, 1982 ground motion measurements were made .-. by Professor R.D. Woods at three locations in new Bern, North Carolina, while railroad trains traveled along Hancock Street. .A general plan- of New Bern showing the railroad line along Hancock Street and the three measurement sites isshown in Fig. 1, while a :more .detailed plan identifying the three measurement sites . ,r A, B, and C is presented in Figure 2. Location A was on private property in the southwest corner of the, intersection of Hancock and Johnson Streets. At this location two trains were observed, one northbound and one southbound. At this site vibration measurements were made simultaneously by Woods and personnel of the North Carolina Department of Transportation for the Northbound train. However, the southbound train came earlier than -' expected and only Woods was on site to record vibrations. For the northbound train Woods' transducers were located 200 feet east of the railroad and were oriented in the north -south (transverse) and east -west (longitudinal) directions. For the southbound train one vertical transducer was located 20 feet from the center of the track �- and. a second at 200 feet east and as before oriented in the longitudinal direction. The northbound train consisted of 34 cars and traveled at about 5.4 miles per hour. The train. took three minutes and 27 seconds to pass site A. No count on cars or timing were made on the southbound train at location A. BAPT. 1403 CH. RO W00DROW,, /N P 9 � t •P�, so.�, Lp�� 'EVERGREEN FIBER H.S. BEAUFOgT 9t' 4 r _ L ST. CAN !� PPALL —ISSON REST coos UNT SST ��GO`'Og 4APEL HOUSE r UNIO P )f ❑ BAP2 H Pr Gt GOD T' WASHING- TON ST. O rn "140T ) Sheet 2 t S � - 2 \ t NATIONAL';- 4 4' NAT L / �. P AVE MISSION '� \ P s \� F >r ,N ., �• �,,t s i C a R N0 DUFFV' s �\ FIELD �. RrV ER' s/ S ! CP�pi - ` ELEM.IF t M •PO ! 9�. 9 .� _ M EET RrvEiS' �J \ 4 c . M� Si N GOO .' �� C HSS.Pr `P C \ 9fS - \ �1_-��.•37EEN�. i• cENr 1 ('N CO. ^ ` ~ 5r \ SPITAL COLONI41L 14Y i a MgtN HOl " " z a'I`b 9 �, i SALvA' \ SOAK- n INE. SS TIO ARM• Y v WOOD AVE. y w v i CH Si _ ^ ° = EOAR L. ST. -MARK MEM. a 7TI, 'GROVE N v + DISCIPLES BAPT �' a r DAY �CEM J� W 44 -V OF CHRIST CH CH ^ "' m z ... AD' Z "0 ;BEkN' � z o T i � VEN ^ �f-EM.1 j `l� CHESTER t - 9 p 'oL 9 o MEN, M.B i i 7 t-T CH 4• '� 3 CH. ST. CYPRIA B NAI +�~ i a LONE F EBEN- EPISP SHOLEN CEDAR ST STEV z WEST ST ST � o ^ F w ElCN r; : ELEM EZER I CH. '. SrN. O Y c RUE CHAPEL -6 - SAXHZ PRES ' :,.d '� rORNSQti Sr c r ARrp A M E CM. IEN R 1 CH ST.FIRST uR W (� Sr. PETERS PRESB. ST. v AVE o STAR ' I d "JOHN �+ CENT- + �+ CRAVEN "' r F A,M.E. CM. CATK C o NEUSf ` ' OF TERRACE a I SON ^ ZION CH. ROL .� &aPAUL 0 u NDREWS elyp v ¢ i z t ZION ELEM. MEM. LUTH r, x o h i +® MISS CE N. ST' ELEM LEM LUCERNE - - C �' W ¢ u BAPT CHSCM. z t NEW TAB• 'SCM. CH. w4Y o ^ i 5 BROAD\ BAPT- IFCEN- TE WEST 17 a ST ST JOS.o + a —%Ew BERN* z W TO MT ❑� CHRIS CHAPEL Q S " EIRO4D• FIRST nARY I PQ S CH W 11 1308 cAly. ^ ST St tRYON o ROAD 0 12 00 BAPT. Zo j m �EE� W F m RY S� � SITON 2 y CH. DELIVERANCE �4YF z^ % �CATH- OF C R. �` r I TICALS FREE H. S. CHRIST SCIEH TIST EVPNGELS °a � � WILL - EPIS-C TRENT BLVD. TEMPLE ^ n POLLOCK ST. BAPT. AVE• © ELEM• F �F ` Ce MIDDLE J RHEM ELEANOR o MAR- SCH ^ `� `� W ^ O cT• F•RST I mSHALL 1 ~ CHURCH o_ 9} '` m 7 AP CH z Q ^ 2 O ST. JOHNS CLIN' - N w rr" i S Ch v o N O a CHTH. a CHAPEL �^Z s1 „oI 1 2 7 T ' P4L4CE t OF Z ^ r O METH.CK t F `AN u AVE � ~ '�. � m yQUT„ �K y NEw ® Instrument Sites (i C17Y 1202/�;j O1 q12C FIGURE 1 - Site Locations �! rs�ST. PAl CHRIST ! - . F— ST L FEDERAL. I 1 CHURCH V ALLEY W UO U- --� J CL 176 Q Q �_ V Ld TRYON FIGURE 2 - Site Locations -4- Location B . was in a window well of a building at the _ northwest corner of the intersection of Hancock and Pollock Streets. The building houses the offices of Stephens and Cardelli, Architects. Figure 3 is.'a photo of that building identifying the location of the instruments which were 30 feet from the center of the railroad tracks. At this location the vibrations of a northbound train were recorded. That train consisted of 40 cars and was traveling at about 4.9 miles per hour. The train took four minutes and 34 seconds to pass site B. NCDOT did not make measurements at this site. Location C was inside the residence of Charles. Miller, 213 Hancock Street, on the ground floor. A general view of this ` house is shown in Fig. 4 and -a view of the instruments during measurements is shown in Fig. 5. The instruments were 37 feet from the center of the railroad tracks. At this location the vibrations of a southbound train were recorded. That train was 65 cars long, traveled at about 5.3 miles per hour and took seven minutes and two seconds to pass site C. Personnel of the NCDOT did not make measurements at this . site. While measurements were made by Woods at locations B and C, NCDOT personnel measured vibrations of. the same trains at a location in a vacant lot on the west side of Hancock Street directly across the street from Miller's garage. This site being described in NCDOT (1983) as the west side of an empty lot on }lancock Street, 100 feet north of the Hancock and Tryon Palace Drive intersection. v w ' aw ^EMI I t� t'4L i s Nw �w�^Y �. -kr• '��„� ,� '-fie �� ��ii ��_. � - eye L � �z ���� � -� ♦ �+ , � 'f � !,. „'tip 'f�i- 4k,h f��'� ♦ w�;i�,'ytui�lt'�<'.'th. ik�rt^�r` ,h ^°t .: s+x-. s y, C't 'aitw tt a OL i lin%..' ".. �1mm'ul 4 di;rrn F"IGURE 5 - Instruments at Site C, Miller Residence i i -8- -- The vibration transducers used by Woods were velocity sensi- tive geophones manufactured by Electro-Tech Division, Mandrel Industries. The specific units were Model EV-17 for vertical measure- ments and Model EV-17H for horizontal measurements. These instru- ments have a natural frequency of about .1 14z and a calibration factor of about 13 volts/(in/sec). Representative calibration sheets are presented in the Appendix. The electrical output of the geo- phones were recorded on a Hewlett-Packard Model 320, Hot Pen Writing, Amplifier - Recorder (strip chart recorder). Results Seventy-nine segments of strip chart representing 158 vibration transducer records were analyzed in detail. An appendix reproducing all these data strips is available from the New Bern City Planner. A table in the Appendix shows the data reduction calculations. The maximum vibrations determined for several types of events from the records are plotted on Figures 6 and 7. These figures show the measured vibrations relative to generally accepted norms and standards. The NCDOT present a similar figure in their report of January, 1983. Combining data from NCDOT and Woods at site A, an attenua- tion curve has been developed as shown in Pia. 8. The data indicates decay or attenuation which is in agreement with observa- tions under similar conditions at other places. In other words, there appears to be no anomolous behavior c''ue to soil types or unusual geology. +From Reiner and *,M"cm Rauscn (1943) ° From Crandell (1949) 0.1 0.05 .-. 0.021 . 0.01 o > 0.002 0.001 CL 0.0005 -- 0.v002 0.0001 100 200. FIG. 6 - ALLG:-.?ABL VERTICAL FRFQUB\7CY OF Meister ster (1931) - (Steady State Vibrations) - (Steady Statc Vibrations) - (Due to Blasting) 1970) .... �°^Gc s ss s°` i -• i p°^ 0 his I s �s. s k s° tc` ^so o� o" 0 °^ s0�s6�s x \ I ' 500 1000 2000. 5000 101000 Frequency (cycles / minute ) VIBRATION? AMPLITL'D FOR A PARTICULAR VIBRATIONI.' (from Richart, Hall and Woods, -10- 0NKY 10 C) 0. 0 x 0 a) D_ 0.01 o• /09 a� �9 E a) U O a 0 a� a. o� 9 O L 0 0' c, � U 1 Q x O (1) 0.1 1 10 100 Q Frequency, cps Richort et of (1970) FIG. 7- Allowable resultant motion versus frequency. (from Richart., Hall and Woods, 1970) I Destruction to Walls Damage to Walls Rousch OG Troublesome to Persons Barely Noticeable (Reiher and Meister) to Persons C) 0. 0 x 0 a) D_ 0.01 o• /09 a� �9 E a) U O a 0 a� a. o� 9 O L 0 0' c, � U 1 Q x O (1) 0.1 1 10 100 Q Frequency, cps Richort et of (1970) FIG. 7- Allowable resultant motion versus frequency. (from Richart., Hall and Woods, 1970) I Destruction to Walls Damage to Walls Rousch OG Troublesome to Persons Barely Noticeable (Reiher and Meister) to Persons STOLL, EVANS, WOODS & ASSOCIATES soil mechanics and foundation consultants JOB NAME: VIbv&+10Kr BY: , D• OA1E: -28-83 SHEET: 11 JOB LOCATION: Nf•w) 341K ) 1V.G. , SUBJECT_: CLIENT: CJ o j /Jew Btvn -12- Both.. NCDOT and Woods' data show no significant difference between empty and full coal hoppers. Discussion The . maximum vibration amplitudes measured at the three sites were less than those required to be the proximate cause of damage. The vibrations were, however, near the range that is troublesome to people, particularly when they occur often and at times when the environment would otherwise be still. If the speed of the trains were increased within the speed range feasible in the city, the vibration amplitude would also increase in an approximately linear way, i.e., doubling the speed would double the vibration amplitude. This would make the vibra- tions', feel more acute. to people but still. would not make the vibrations a proximate cause of damage. Long-term fatigue damage may occur to structures subject to ^' millions of cycles of vibrations. If the frequency and length of the trains along Hancock Street were to increase, the cumulative effect may cause structural damage. Inspection of some of the. buildings situated along Hancock Street revealed no obvious damage from vibrations up to the date of — the measurements. Conclusions Based on measurements . of vibrations at three locations along Hancock Street in New Bern on August 10, & 11, 19,22, and an -13- inspection of .four buildings . in the same region, it is evident that structural damage is not occurring . with a proximate cause being vibration. And no clearly observed structural damage can related to the railroad vibration. Disturbance to people is clearly evident and there is potential for long-term secondary fatigue damage . to structures .if trains continue to use the route along Hancock Street. References NCDOT (1983) , "Train Induced Ground . Motion at New Bern, North Carolina", Report 'Prepared- . by the State of North Carolina, Department. of Transportation, Raleigh N.C., January 14;..1983. Richart, F.E. jr., Hall, . J. R. jr., , and Woods, R.D. (1970) Vibra- tions of Soils and Foundations, Prentice -Hall, EngeTwood Cliffs, N.J., 412 pp. CEIP Publication's`." 1 Hauser, E. W ,'P.-_D.::Cribbins, P. D.;;Tschetter,.and R. D. Latta. Coastal Energy Transportation Needs to Support Major Energy Projects in North Carolina. .Is`Coastal Zone: CEIP :Report #1. September-1981. $10. _ 2. P. D. Cribbins. A Study of OCS;Onshore Support Bases and Coal Export Terminals. CEIP_Report-#2. September 1981. $10. 3. Tschetter, P D.J.-M. Fisch, and R.-D. Latta, An Assessment of Potential Impacts of Energy -Related Transportation Developments on North Carolina's Coastal Zone. CEIP Report #3. July 1981 $10 4. Cribbins, P. S. An Analysis of.State and Federal Policies Affecting " Major Energy Projects in North Carolina's•Coastal Zone. CEIP Report #4. September 1981. $10. 5. Brower, David, W. D. McElyea,.D. R. Godschalk, and N. D. Lofaro. Outer Continental Shelf Development and the North Carolina Coast: A Guide for Local Planners. CEIP Report #5. August 1981. $10. 6. Rogers, Golden and Halpern,.Inc., and Engineers for Energy and the Environment, Inc. Mitigating the Impacts of Energy Facilities:" A " Local Air Quality Program for the Wilmington, N. C. Area. CEIP Report #6. September 1981. $10. 7. . Richardson, C. J. (editor). Pocosin Wetlands: an Integrated Analysis of Coastal Plain Freshwater Bogs in North Carolina. Stroudsburg (Pa): Hutchinson Ross. ''364 pp. $25. 'Available from School of Forestry, Duke University, Durham, N. C. 27709. (This proceedings volume is for a conference partially funded by N. C. CEIP. It replaces the N. C. Peat Sourcebook in this publication list.) 8. McDonald, C. B. and A. M. Ash. Natural Areas Inventory of Tyrrell County, N. C. CEIP Report #8. October 1981. $10. 9. Fussell, J., and E. J. Wilson. Natural Areas Inventory of Carteret County, N. C. CEIP Report #9. October 1981. $10. 10. Nyfong, T. D. Natural Areas Inventory of Brunswick County, N. C. CEIP_Report #10. October 1981. $10. 11. Leonard, S. W., and R..J. Davis. Natural Areas Inventory for Pender County, N. C. CEIP Report till. October 1981. $10. 12. Cribbins, Paul D., and Latta, R. Daniel. Coastal Energy Transporta- tion Study: Alternative Technologies for Transporting and Handling Export Coal. CEIP Report #12. January 1982. $10. 13. Creveling, Kenneth. Beach Communities and Oil Spills:. Environmental and Economic Consequences for Brunswick County, N. C. CEIP Report #13. May 1982. $10. 14. Rogers, Golden and Halpern, Inc., and Engineers for Energy and the Environment. The Design of a Planning Program to Help Mitigate Energy Facility -Related Air Quality Impacts in the Washington County, North Carolina Area. CEIP Report #14. September 1982. $10. CEIP Publications 15. McDonald, C. B., A. M. Ash, and John Fussell. Natural Areas Inventory of Craven County, North Carolina. CEIP Report #15. December 1981. $10. 16. Frost, Cecil C. Natural Areas Inventory of Gates County, North Carolina. CEIP Report #16. April 1982. $10. 17. Stone, John R., Michael T. Stanley, and Paul T. Tschetter. Coastal Energy Transportation Study, Phase III, Volume 3: Impacts of Increased Rail Traffic on Communities in Eastern North Carolina. CEIP Report #17. August 1982. $10. 19. Pate, Preston P., and Jones, Robert. Effects of Upland Drainage on Estuarine Nursery Areas of Pamlico Sound, North Carolina. CEIP Report #19. December 1981. $1.00. 24. 'Stoll, Evans, Woods & Associates. Railroad Induced Vibrations, New Bern, North Carolina, August 10 & 110 1983. CEIP Report #24. March 1983. $1.00. 25. Wang Engineering Co., Inc. Analysis of the Impact of Coal Trains Moving Through Morehead City, North Carolina. CEIP*Report #25 October 1982. $10. 26. Anderson & Associates, Inc. Coal Train Movements Through the City of Wilmington, North Carolina. CEIP Report #26. October 1982. $10. 27. Peacock, S. Lance and J. Merrill Lynch. Natural Areas Inventory of Mainland Dare County, North Carolina. CEIP Report #27. November 1982. $10. 28. Lynch, J. Merrill and S. Lance Peacock. Natural Areas Inventory of Hyde County, North Carolina. CEIP Report #28. October 1982. $10. 29. Peacock, S. Lance and J. Merrill Lynch. Natural Areas Inventory of Pamlico County, North Carolina. CEIP Report #29. November 1982.. $10. 30. Lynch, J. Merrill and S. Lance Peacock. Natural Areas Inventory of Washington County, North Carolina. CEIP Report #30. October 1982. $10. 31. Muga, Bruce J. Review and Evaluation of Oil Spill Models for Applica- tion to North Carolina Waters. CEIP Report #31. August 1982. $10. 33._ Sorrell, F. Yates and Richard R. Johnson. Oil and Gas Pipelines in Coastal North Carolina: Impacts and Routing Considerations. CEIP Report #33.. December 1982. $10. 34. Roberts and Eichler Associates, Inc. Area Development Plan for"Radio. Island. CEIP Report #34. June 1982. $10. 35. Cribbins, Paul D. Coastal Energy Transportation Study, Phase III, Volume 4: The Potential for Wide -Beam, Shallow -Draft Ships to Serve. Coal and.Other Bulk Commodity Terminals along the Cape Fear River. CEIP Report #35. August 1982. $10. 36. DNRCD Peat Mining Task Force. Peat Mining and Natural Resources. CEIP Report #36. March 1983. $10. 37. Vandenberg, J. J., and K. R. Knoerr. The Deposit of Airborne Materials in the Lake Phelps, N. C., Region. CEIP Report #37.. March 1983. $10.