Piling work causes inner-city vibrations

Press, 12 March 1985, Page 9

Piling work causes inner-city vibrations

Christchurch inner-city workers who have felt strong vibrations in the last few days need not fear that the walls of their buildings will tumble. The vibrations have been caused by piling work being done for the new Anglican Church Property Trustees office building in Hereford Street. It is being built on the site of Canterbury’s first wool auction store. Thirty-four piles are being driven at the rate of three a day. According to the firm of

consulting engineers, Holmes, Wood, Poole and Johnstone, Ltd, the first piles that were driven struck the underground stream that flows under Ballantyne’s along Colombo Street, under the corner of Woolworths in Hereford Street, and turns under the old Refrigerating Company building towards Latimer Square. These piles are nine metres long, although other piles that have not been driven into the stream are only seven metres long.

“Vibrations from the piling are being felt over a wide area,” said the consulting engineers. “This is to be expected in this area of the city, but no damage to property is likely. “The most severe vibrations occur when the piling is being driven at its full depth, and they can spread hundreds of metres from the site. “The amplitude of the vibrations is very small even though the effects can be quite noticeable,” the firm said.