Monitoring and Assessment of Vibration Impact on Ultraprecision Equipment in a Hospital throughout a Whole Construction Period

The propagation of construction vibration to nearby buildings is a highly complex process. Real-time vibration monitoring is a straightforward means to minimize vibration impact on nearby buildings. Although traditional monitoring systems are typically designed for structural safety, safeguarding the normal operation of vibration-sensitive ultraprecision equipment represents an emerging but increasing need. By developing a tailor-made vibration monitoring system for a hospital, this paper presents the monitoring and assessment of vibration impact on ultraprecision equipment throughout the whole construction period of a hospital expansion project, which, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, has not been reported in the literature. The developed system could monitor construction-induced vibration levels, assess the impact on ultraprecision equipment, and issue alarm signals, if necessary, in a continuous and real-time manner. The application of the developed system in a hospital expansion project together with vibration mitigation measures guaranteed the normal operation of ultraprecision equipment throughout the whole construction period. Recorded vibration data were processed and analyzed to evaluate the vibration impact in different construction stages. The empirical prediction formulas for rotary minipiling and demolition work based on statistical analysis results can provide valuable guidance on corresponding construction operations to mitigate excessive environmental impact.