C OLUMBIA R IVER C ROSSING T EST P ILE P ROJECT H YDROACOUSTIC M ONITORING F INAL R EPORT David Evans and Associates, Inc. Agreement Number Y-9246, Task AH, Amendment No. 7 Final Report July 2011 Title VI The Columbia River Crossing project team ensures full compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by prohibiting discrimination against any person on the basis of race, color, national origin or sex in the provision of benefits and services resulting from its federally assisted programs and activities. For questions regarding WSDOT’s Title VI Program, you may contact the Department’s Title VI Coordinator at (360) 705-7098. For questions regarding ODOT’s Title VI Program, you may contact the Department’s Civil Rights Office at (503) 986-4350. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Information If you would like copies of this document in an alternative format, please call the Columbia River Crossing (CRC) project office at (360) 737-2726 or (503) 256-2726. Persons who are deaf or hard of hearing may contact the CRC project through the Telecommunications Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1. ¿Habla usted español? La informacion en esta publicación se puede traducir para usted. Para solicitar los servicios de traducción favor de llamar al (503) 731-4128. Cover Sheet ReportTitle Final Report: Columbia River Crossing Test Pile Project Hydroacoustic Monitoring Submitted By: James Coleman. David Evans and Associates. Inc. Cooperating Agencies: None Abstract; This report presents the results of hydroacoustic and turbidity monitoring during the driving of test piles near two proposed pier locations for the new Interstate 5 Bridge between Vancouver, Washington, and Portland, Oregon. Hydroaeoustie monitoring included analysis of bnekground sound levels, noise levels associated with vibratory installation, noise levels associated with impact driving under different attenuation conditions. and the detennination of tr.l11smission loss associotL>d with both vibratory ond impact driving. Six test piles were driven between J J and 21 February, 201 1 at two sites in the Columbia River. These sites were monitored by five separate hydrophones at different locations within the river. Allenuation methods during impaet driving included both an open and confined bubble cumin. ~/I/II Si&n>,ur. ' ,~ -""I i Columbia Crossing Test Pile Hydroacoustic Monitoring Final Draft TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................... 1-1 1.1 Test Pile Operations ................................................................................................................................. 1-1 1.2 Hydroacoustic Monitoring Operations ....................................................................................................... 1-2 2. EQUIPMENT ......................................................................................................................................... 2-1 2.1 Vessels ..................................................................................................................................................... 2-1 2.2 Sound Monitoring Equipment ................................................................................................................... 2-1 2.1.1 Ten-meter Sound Monitoring Station ............................................................................................... 2-1 2.1.2 Remote Sound Monitoring Stations ........................................................................................................ 2-1 2.3 CTD/Turbidity Equipment ......................................................................................................................... 2-3 2.4 Current Meter Equipment ......................................................................................................................... 2-3 3. METHODS AND SYSTEMS CHECKS ........................................................................................................ 3-1 3.1 Systems Checks ....................................................................................................................................... 3-1 3.1.1 In-water “Open Field” Method .............................................................................................................. 3-3 3.1.2 CTD and Turbidity System Checks ...................................................................................................... 3-5 3.2 Background Monitoring Methods .............................................................................................................. 3-5 3.2.1 Sound Monitoring Data ......................................................................................................................... 3-5 3.2.2 Current Meter Data ............................................................................................................................... 3-5 3.3 Monitoring Methods during Pile Driving .................................................................................................... 3-6 3.3.1 Positioning of Piles and Sound Monitoring Remote Stations ................................................................ 3-7 3.3.2 Sound Data .......................................................................................................................................... 3-7 3.3.3 Baseline CTD and Turbidity Data ......................................................................................................... 3-8 3.3.4 Bathymetric Data .................................................................................................................................. 3-8 3.3.5 Marine Mammal Monitoring .................................................................................................................. 3-8 3.3.6 Weather Data Collection during Operations ......................................................................................... 3-8 3.4 Acoustic Data Processing Methodology ................................................................................................... 3-8 3.4.1. Definitions of Derived Quantities ...................................................................................................... 3-9 3.4.2. Processing of Background Data..................................................................................................... 3-11 3.4.3. Processing of Vibratory Driving Data ............................................................................................. 3-11 3.4.4. Processing of Impact Driving Data ................................................................................................. 3-12 3.4.5. Determining Total Strike Energy .................................................................................................... 3-12 3.4.6. Analysis Methodology for Impact Driving Data .............................................................................. 3-13 4. RESULTS ............................................................................................................................................. 4-1 4.1 Positioning ................................................................................................................................................ 4-1 4.2 Background Monitoring ............................................................................................................................. 4-3 4.3 Vibratio n Monitoring ................................................................................................................................. 4-7 4.4 Impact Driving ........................................................................................................................................... 4-9 4.4.1. Sound Levels for Unattenuated Strikes ............................................................................................ 4-9 4.4.2. Summary of Activity by Pile ........................................................................................................... 4-10 4.4.3. Impact Driving Sound Levels ......................................................................................................... 4-13 Columbia Crossing Test Pile Hydroacoustic Monitoring ii Final Draft 4.4.4. Effectiveness of the Bubble Curtain ............................................................................................... 4-14 4.4.5. Transmission Loss ......................................................................................................................... 4-18 4.5 Potential Factors Affecting Impact Driving Sound Levels ....................................................................... 4-21 4.5.1. Comparison of Sound Levels at Site A and B ................................................................................ 4-21 4.5.2. Comparison of 24-inch and 48-inch Piles ...................................................................................... 4-23 4.5.3. Upstream and Downstream Propagation ....................................................................................... 4-25 4.6 Turbidity Monitoring ................................................................................................................................ 4-26 4.7 Marine Mammal Monitoring .................................................................................................................... 4-27 5. CONCLUSIONS ....................................................................................................................................