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Environmental monitoring is an indispensable part of large infrastructure and urban construction projects. This includes mapping the potential effects of construction activities on the immediate environment, such as noise, vibrations, groundwater levels, and subsidence. That is precisely what BouwRisk is doing in the reconstruction of the De Nieuwe Meer junction. Commissioned by the TriAX construction consortium, the company is working closely with its sister companies within the CRUX Group to jointly design the monitoring system inside and outside the construction fences. BouwRisk consultants are also responsible for coordination within the TriAX monitoring team.
Based on the design data and calculations provided by the construction consortium, we initially drew up the forecasts, begins Marc Möhle, project manager at BouwRisk. “The emphasis was on vibration and noise forecasts, which we used to map out the possible effects of the reconstruction on adjacent properties, including high-rise buildings. Based on these forecasts, we then determined which construction method and monitoring would be required. For example, vibration measurements are carried out on objects outside the construction fences, and noise models are used to provide insight into the extent to which the work complies with the applicable standards.” According to Möhle, differences in legislation and regulations are taken into account. “Homes and healthcare institutions are subject to the strictest requirements when it comes to noise pollution, while commercial buildings are normally subject to less stringent requirements. However, project-specific additional requirements may apply, as is the case here with a number of nearby buildings.”
An important aspect of this process is close coordination with the environmental services. “A project cannot always fully comply with the legal noise and vibration requirements,” Möhle knows from experience. “In that case, we work closely with TriAX and the environmental services to develop a customized solution. This means demonstrating the extent to which the standards are exceeded, how long this will last, and what measures have been taken to minimize the nuisance as much as possible. Practical and economic considerations also play a role here: a quieter method may be technically possible, but could cause significant delays.” In addition to the technical analyses, Möhle says that a lot of attention has also been paid to the soft side of environmental management: informing local residents and stakeholders in a timely manner. “Noise consultants and stakeholder managers work closely together to create support and obtain exemptions where necessary.”
According to Möhle, it is precisely this last point that sets BouwRisk apart. He is referring to the pragmatic way of collaborating with the parties involved in the execution. By closely monitoring the execution and calculating possible scenarios in a timely manner, construction methods and the use of equipment can be optimally coordinated. All activities are brought together in a single integrated noise model, which provides insight into whether work can be carried out simultaneously without unnecessarily impacting the environment. During implementation, continuous monitoring takes place, and all data is compared with the models. ”For noise, this is done through facade measurements and source measurements of machines, using an extensive database of source capacities. Vibration meters are attached to adjacent buildings, and any exceedances are automatically detected and reported via an online portal.“
Environmental monitoring is therefore not only a means of managing risks, but is also crucial to the successful realization of such a complex inner-city project in a sensitive environment.
