4.

4 Ground vibration limits

Frequency-dependent limits have the capacity to precisely deal with the hazards presented by ground
vibration and are seen as the basis for best practice blasting. The particular frequency-dependent
criteria should be reported with the measurements. All the limits given in this section are peak
component particle velocities, as used in overseas standards and guidelines. The classification of type
of structure may be difficult; when in doubt, a more conservative limit from the nearest description in
the structural damage table should be applied.

4.4.1 Human comfort limits

Because the human response to vibration depends on a range of factors, such as vibration levels,
location and time of day, different statutory requirements for human comfort limits for ground
vibration may apply in different jurisdictions.

General guidance on human response to building vibrations is given in AS 2670.2–1990 Evaluation of

human exposure to whole-body vibration—continuous and shock-induced vibration in buildings (1 to
80 Hz), ISO 2631–2:2003 Mechanical vibration and shock— evaluation of human exposure to whole
body vibration—Part 2: Vibration in buildings (1 Hz to 80 Hz), BS 6472 –1:2008 Guide to evaluation of
human exposure to vibration in buildings. Vibration sources other than blasting, and BS 6472–2:
2008 Blast-induced vibration. A typical set of limit criteria for human comfort is shown in Table 4.1.
Table 4.1 Ground vibration limits for human comfort (blasting)
Blasting
Category Type of operations Peak component particle velocity (mm/s)
Operations lasting 5 mm/s for 95 per cent blasts per year
longer than 12
Sensitive site* 10 mm/s maximum unless agreement is reached with
months or more than
20 blasts occupier that a higher limit may apply

Operations lasting
for less than 12 10 mm/s maximum unless agreement is reached with the
Sensitive site*
months or less than occupier that a higher limit may apply
20 blasts

25 mm/s maximum unless agreement is reached with the

Occupied non-
occupier that a higher limit may apply for sites containin
sensitive sites, such as
All blasting equipment sensitive to vibration, the vibration should be
factories and
below manufacturer's specifications or levels that can be
commercial planes
to adversely affect the equipment operation
 Table 4.1 (cont.) Ground vibration limits for human comfort (other)
Other
Peak component particle v
Category Period
(mm/s)
Residential Night-time 0.2 mm/s

Daytime 0.3 mm/s mm/s

Offices When occupied 0.6 mm/s

Occupied non-sensitive sites, such as factories

When occupied 2.5 mm/s
and commercial premises

mm/s = millimetres per second

a A ‘sensitive site’ includes houses and low-rise residential buildings,
theatres, schools, and other similar buildings occupied by people.

4.4.2 Building damage limits

Currently there exists no Australian Standard for assessment of building damage caused by
vibrational energy. This section summarises the most relevant available standards from the United
Kingdom, the United States and Germany.

Frequency-independent and frequency-dependent guide levels are described in both British Standard
BS 7385–2: 1993 Evaluation and measurement for vibration in buildings.
Guide to damage levels from groundborne vibration and the United States Bureau of Mines (USBM) RI
8507 Impacts to structures. The levels specified are peak component particle velocities, and the
methods used for assessing the frequencies are similar in both documents.

Frequency-dependent criteria are important for assessing the blast-induced vibration effects on
buildings and other structures and are the recommended approach. Frequency-dependent criteria
may not be readily implemented for all applications.

For blasting operators who do not have the facilities to use frequency-dependent assessment
methods, the levels specified in Table 4.3, which are more conservative for most blasting applications,
will reduce the potential for damage. The table should be used in conjunction with the notes.

Wherever possible, the ground vibration levels from all blasting operations must be limited to the
damage limit criteria shown below at all sites not in the ownership or control of the organisation
commissioning the blasting.
 Table 4.2 BS 7385-2 Transient vibration guide values for cosmetic damage
Line Type of building Peak component particle velocity in
frequency range of predominant pulse

4 Hz to 15 Hz 15 Hz and above

Reinforced or framed
50 mm/s at 4 Hz
1 structures. Industrial and heavy
and above
commercial buildings

Unreinforced or light framed 15 mm/s at 4 Hz 20 mm/s at 15 Hz

2 structure. Residential or light increasing to 20 increasing to 50 mm/s
commercial type buildings mm/s at 15 Hz at 40 Hz and above

Notes:
1 Values referred to are at the base of the building.
2 For line 2, at frequencies below 4 Hz, a maximum displacement of 0.6 mm (zero to peak) should
not be exceeded.

Table 4.3 BS 7385-1:1990-Damage Classification

 Damage Description
classification

The formation of hairline cracks on drywall surfaces or the growth

of existing cracks in plaster or drywall surfaces; in addition, the
Cosmetic
formation of hairline cracks in the mortar joints of brick/concrete
block construction

The formation of cracks or loosening and falling of plaster or

Minor
drywall surfaces, or cracks through bricks/concrete blocks

Damage to structural elements of the building, cracks in support

Major
columns, loosening of joints, splaying of masonry cracks etc.
Table 4.3 (cont.) SBM Damage Classification
USBM Damage Classification
Uniform
Description
classification
Loosening of paint; small plaster crack at joints between construction
Threshold
elements; lengthening of old cracks

Loosening and falling of plaster; cracks in masonry around openings

Minor near partitions; hairline to 3 mm cracks (0 to 1/8 in); fall of loose
mortar

Cracks of several mm in walls; rupture of opening vaults; structural

Major weakening; fall of masonry, e.g., chimneys; load support ability
effected
 USBM 'Safe' blasting vibration level criteria.

Research suggests that the guide values and assessment methods given in BS 7385–2 and (USBM) RI
8507 are applicable to Australian conditions, and are recommended for explosives users with the
facilities to make use of them. The estimation of the frequency of each vibration component to be
used in structural damage assessment is complex. Simple approaches suggested within the BS 7385–
2 and (USBM) RI 8507 include:

 frequency of the maximum peak particle velocity amplitude peak

 dominant frequency of the component vibration time history

 zero crossing frequency of the peak particle velocity amplitude peak.

The (USBM) RI 8507 and BS 7385–2 methods for assessing frequencies have been widely used for
many years, and were suitable for use with desktop and laptop computers with the power that was
commonly available in the 1980s and early 1990s. It appears that the motion frequencies determined
by simple methods, such as zero crossing, are conservative for assessing damage potential.

German Standard DIN 4150–3:1999–02 Vibration in buildings—Part 3: effects on structures provides

recommended maximum levels of vibration that reduce the likelihood of building damage caused by
vibration. These levels are ‘safe limits’, up to which no damage due to vibration effects have been
observed for the particular class of building. ‘Damage’ is defined by DIN 4150 to include even minor
non-structural effects such as superficial cracking in cement render, the enlargement of cracks
already present, and the separation of partitions or intermediate walls from load bearing walls. If
such damage is observed without vibration exceeding the ‘safe limits’ it can be attributed to other
causes. DIN 4150 also states that when vibrations higher than the ‘safe limits’ are present, it does not
necessarily follow that damage will occur.
Table 4.4 Vibration standards for buildings, DIN 4150–3
Group Type of structure Peak vibration velocity,
mm/s

Plane of
At foundation at a
uppermost
frequency of
storey

Less 10 Hz to 100
All
than to 50 Hz to
frequencies
10 Hz Hz 100 Hz

Buildings used for commercial 20 40

1 purposes, industrial buildings and 20 to to 40
buildings of similar design 40 50

15
Dwellings and buildings of similar 5 to
2 5 to 15
design and/or use 15
20

Structures that because of their

particular sensitivity to vibration, do not
correspond to those listed in Lines 1 or 2 to 8 to
3 3 8
2 and have intrinsic value (e.g. 8 10
buildings that are under a preservation
order)

Source: DIN 4150–3:1999–02 Vibration in buildings—Part 3: effects on structures