GeoSonics/Vibra-Tech is your vibration monitoring expert from start to finish. We have the expertise to develop vibration project specifications, project vibration criteria and monitoring plans and perform vibration monitoring to meet your project needs.
Major renovations were planned at Founder’s Hall at Girard College in Philadelphia, PA. Founders Hall was built in 1833 to 1847 and is a National Historic Landmark. Stephen Girard, founder of Girard College, specified the dimensions and the plan of the building in his will. The building is often referred to as the finest example of Greek revival architecture in the United States.
To protect this structure and the artifacts located within its own museum on the second floor, GeoSonics/Vibra-Tech was contracted by the owner’s representative as the project vibration consultant and was responsible for developing the project specifications related to vibration, providing the project vibration criteria and monitoring plan, and to perform vibration monitoring throughout the renovations.
A vibration transmissibility study was conducted using a low-amplitude force hammer with a known energy input to act as the source of vibration for the study. Ultra-sensitive seismic accelerometers paired with real-time spectrum analyzers were used during the data collection. Vibration attenuation/transmissibility of the floors, in the areas where construction would be taking place, were determined based on the input energy from the force hammer and the vibration energy recorded by the accelerometers. A vibration monitoring and control plan was developed by GeoSonics/Vibra-Tech which determined the appropriate vibration criteria as well as the appropriate vibration monitoring locations.
In addition, the proposed demolition/construction equipment to be used at the site was qualified based on the results of the vibration attenuation/transmissibility study and the energy rating/operating frequency of the proposed equipment. If a piece of equipment was qualified for use, field verification was conducted to ensure the qualified construction equipment met the vibration limits that were determined in the vibration monitoring plan and standoff distances were determined for proposed demolition/construction equipment to ensure vibration limits would not be exceeded. Remote vibration monitoring and reporting was conducted throughout Founder’s Hall during demolition and construction activities. The project was completed with no vibration impact to the structure or its contents.
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