As part of the construction phase of the Western Grandstand Redevelopment at Adelaide Oval, AECOM installed and managed a vibration monitoring system for the heritage-listed elements of the existing stands that were retained. This included the heritage-listed Colonnades and the George Giffen Stand walls.
The Redevelopment involved the replacement of the existing members’ area stands with a new Western Grandstand to increase the capacity of the Adelaide Oval to 36,000. In order to retain the heritage elements of the stands, the iconic Colonnades and George Giffen Stand walls were incorporated into the new design. A continuous vibration monitoring system and instantaneous warning system was required during demolition and key construction phases to protect the heritage-listed walls from excessive vibration levels.
AECOM installed and managed a vibration monitoring system that included:
- 14 vibration sensors controlled by seven monitors at locations across the heritage-listed walls
- Audible and visual warning alarms to signal to the construction team that pre-determined vibration trigger levels were exceeded
- Automatic SMS and email notification of exceedances for key personnel.
We also provided a vibration management plan, monthly monitoring reports and ongoing advice to the construction team throughout the demolition and construction phases. The vibration monitoring system was installed prior to the commencement of demolition in March 2009 and removed 11 months later, following the completion of key construction phases.
The monitoring system we implemented allowed work to proceed on the Western Grandstand Redevelopment whilst providing ongoing information to the project team on the vibration generated by the work. The system enabled construction processes that caused excessive vibration to be quickly identified and modified as necessary.