03 zeddies

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Acoustic impacts of marine construction and the requirements of environmental permitting on a pile‐driving demonstration project

JASCO Applied Sciences, AECOM, NYSDOT & NYSTA

DFI Marine Foundations Specialty Seminar

Vibratory Pile Driving

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Impact Pile Driving


Pile driving can be loud

Picture of Jasco people monitoring pile driving wearing ear protection

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NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT, 1970

ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT, 1973

Environmental planning and permitting is part of the

construction project

Image from Cornell University


Many Potential Environmental Impacts

Possible by-products of construction Effluent / Waste

Chemical pollutants

Run-off that could affect turbidity

Habitat destruction Terrestrial and aquatic flora and fauna

Sound

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Marine Mammal Protection Act, 1972

Magnuson–Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, 1996

Underwater Sound can be Regulated


Monitoring Sound

Hydrophones respond to sound pressure

GeoSpectrum Technologies, Inc.

Pre

ssu

re (

Pa)

Time

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Acoustic Metrics

Sound Exposure Level (SEL)

SELss cSEL

Peak

Peak to Peak

Pre

ssu

re (

Pa)

Time

10 log∑

1

dBSPL 20log

rms

Sound Pressure Level (SPL)

SPLpeak SPLp-p SPLrms


Pressure(Pa)

Pressure(dB re 1µPa)

Underwater sounds

1,000,000 240

Maximum linear source level. Cavitation begins at the face of transmitters. Seismic air gun (1m from source)

100,000 220Typical active sonar transmission levelBeluga whale call (1m)

10,000 200 Large ship broadband (source level, 1m)1,000 180100 160 Large ship broadband (100m)

10 140Fin whale call (100m)Killer whale (1m)

1 1200.1 100 Ambient noise, sea state 4

0.01 800.001 60 Ambient noise, sea state 0 (flat calm)

0.0001 400.00001 20

0.000001 0 (acoustic reference)

20,000 206 Fish exposure threshold

316,000 230 Cetacean exposure threshold

Cetacean behavior

Fish behavior

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Fish:206 dB SPLrms

187 dB cSEL150 dB SPLrms (behavior)

Cetaceans:230 dB SPLpeak

198 dB cSEL120 dB SPLpeak (behavior)

Pinnipeds: 218 dB SPLpeak

186 dB cSEL120 dB SPLpeak (behavior)

Typical exposure thresholds


Acoustic Assessment: Project Life Cycle

o Determine potential for acoustic impacto Pre-construction modeling, species survey, baseline

o Measure sources and propagation at siteo validate modeling / exclusion zones / mitigation effectiveness

o Monitoring during constructiono Pre-start monitoring

o Exclusion zone clearance o Acoustic deterrents

o Ramp up

o Monitoring of exclusion zone

o Temporary shut-downs

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Example project: Tappan Zee Bridge Replacement

Image from TheEpochTimes


Example project: Tappan Zee Bridge Replacement

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Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)

Draft EIS Pile driving acoustic modeling (May-Sept. 2010)

Acoustic criteria discussion (Sept. 2010)

Survey data (2010-2011) 1 yr of monthly sampling (fish and benthic organisms)

Detailed bathymetry

1 yr of baseline measurement of ambient & anthropogenic sounds

Submit Draft EIS (Jan 2012)

Final EIS PIDP performance and monitoring (May 2012)

Submit Final EIS (Aug. 2012)

Record of Decision (Sept. 2012)


Acoustic Modeling Locations

(2010)

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Acoustic modeling (2010)


Acoustic Modeling Results (2010)

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Acoustic Monitoring PIDP (2012)



Pile Installation Demonstration Project Team

Project Management – NYSDOT

Construction – Trevcon

Environmental Monitoring – AECOM Fish Monitoring – AECOM / University of Maryland

Falcon Monitoring – AKRF

Acoustic Monitoring – JASCO

Noise Attenuation Systems – Trevcon / Gunderboom

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Measurement: Demonstration pile locations


Acoustic measurement methods

JASCO Recorders

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Real-time Recording System


Autonomous recording system

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Remote Recording Locations


Acoustic Impact Zones

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Modeled and Measured SPL at 10 m

Pile Diameter (ft)

Location Modeled Peak SPL (dB re 1 μPa)

Max. Measured Peak SPL (dB re 1 μPa)

4 PLT2 205.1 209.7

8 PLT3 223.3 224.7

10 PLT4 228 219.1


Modeled and Measured SPL at 10 m, 1/3 octave bands

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Range to 206 dB re 1 μPa Peak SPL

Pile Diameter (ft)

Location Modeled range (ft)

Max. Measured range (ft)

4 PLT2 31 42

8 PLT3 146 101

10 PLT4 573 71


Range to 187 dB re 1 μPa2s cSEL

Pile Diameter (ft)



4 PLT2 1263 (N=1540) 192 (N= 1394)

8 PLT3 3238 (N=3400) 351 (N= 2181)

10 PLT4 5013 (N=3000) 282 (N= 1031)

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Range to 150 dB re 1 μPa rms SPL

Pile Diameter (ft)



4 PLT2 2000 452

8 PLT3 6350 809

10 PLT4 9500 822


Noise Attenuating SystemsBubble curtains

Mitigation

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Bubble curtains


Hard Bubble Curtain

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Isolation Casing


Effectiveness of NAS

Rank Pile NAS Peak SPL(dB)

rms SPL(dB)

SEL/cSEL(dB)

1 3B Two-Tier Confined Bubble Curtain 17 16.1 13.7

2 4A Two-Tier Confined Bubble Curtain 16.1 12.2 12.9

3 1B Hard Bubble 16 15.7 12.2

4 1A Unconfined Single-Tier Air Bubble Curtain 15.5 14.5 11.4

5 3A Unconfined Multi-Tier Air Bubble Curtain 13.1 14.9 11.6

6 2A Unconfined Multi-Tier Air Bubble Curtain 13.4 11.1 10

7 2B Isolation Casing and Bubble 12.2 10.8 9.9

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Summary

Sounds produced during construction may require permitting and mitigation methods.

Start early Baseline assessment may be required

Acoustic propagation is specific to the location


Acknowledgements

NYSDOT – Kris Edwards, Stan Drozenski

AECOM – Mark Moese, Jim Mansky, Rob Forstner, John Rollino

JASCO – Alex MacGillivray, Bruce Martin, David Zeddies, Craig

Evans, Eric Lumsden, Jeff MacDonnell, Caitlin O'Neill, Jennifer

Wladichuk, Xavier Mouy, Graham Warner, Jonathan Vallarta,

Trent Johnson, Brad Stevens, Vignesh Badrinarayanan, Terry

Deveau, Jerry Kennedy, Katy Brouillard, Joann Nippard

University of Maryland – Arthur Popper, Brandon Casper

Alpine Ocean – Dan Ciarletta, Chuck Dill, Leonard Gherardi

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Questions?



PIE questions

How can potential sound emissions affect the planning of marine construction projects? Permits may be required to protect marine life; including

cetaceans and fish.

How can pile driving sound emissions be mitigated? Noise attenuation systems (NAS); e.g. bubble curtains

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dB SPL(Air) Band139 Manowar (2008)136 KISS (2009)133 Gallows (2007)129 Manowar (1984)126 The Who (1976)117 Deep Purple (1972)

dB SPL dB SPL(Air) Band (water*) 139 Manowar (2008) 201 136 KISS (2009) 198133 Gallows (2007) 195129 Manowar (1984) 191126 The Who (1976) 188117 Deep Purple (1972) 179

* dB water ≈ dB air + 62 dB

OSHA permissible exposure :90 dB SPL for 8 hours (SEL = 135 dB)

OSHA equivalent in water:152 dB SPL for 8 hours (SEL = 197 dB)

Fish exposure criteria:206 dB SPL; 187 dB SEL

Marine Mammal exposure criteria:Cetaceans: 230 dB SPL; 198 dB SELPinnipeds: 218 dB SPL; 186 dB SEL

Fish exposure criteria:206 dB SPL

Marine Mammal exposure criteria:

Cetaceans: 230 dB SPLPinnipeds: 218 dB SPL


Project Milestones

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Biological Assessment submitted to NMFS (Jan. 2012)

NYSDOT Incidental Take Permit Application (Jan. 2012)

NMFS Biological Opinion (Mar. 2012)

NYSDOT Permit (Mar. 2012)

03 zeddies

Documents

acoustic modeling

acoustic reference20

management act

ambient noise

fish exposure threshold316

endangered species act

acoustic criteria discussion

fin whale