On-Site Experiment and Characteristics Analysis of Ground Vibrations Induced by Vehicle Loads Moving on an Urban Trunk Road

In urban areas, the ground vibrations induced by vehicle loads are becoming an increasingly serious environmental issue, especially in the planning and design of high-tech workshops. In this paper, traffic flow and ground vibrations are simultaneously measured from the vehicles moving on a trunk road in Beijing from 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. The correlation between traffic volume and ground vibration is calculated to analyze the contribution of different vehicle types and density. The characteristics of ground vibration are revealed by analyzing the experimental data from the testing points of time history and frequency variety. Moreover, the attenuation law of ground vibration is summarized and well fitted by the Bornitz model. Finally, according to existing assessment standards, the vibration levels are effectively assessed. The results indicate that the concentration of multi-peak ground vibrations in a short time period can be attributed to the combination of vibration waves induced by vehicles close to each other. Two vibration peaks were observed in the frequency range of 10 Hz to 12.5 Hz and 2.5 to 4 Hz, close to the resonant frequencies of vehicle parts. The environmental vibrations induced by road traffic may exceed the allowable values stipulated in the relevant standards, and undoubtedly influence the normal operation of precise instruments, even at a distance beyond 100 m from the source.