NOISE ALERT: Next Terminal 5 piling test set for Friday

ORIGINAL WEDNESDAY REPORT: Just in from the Port of Seattle:

Rapid load testing of piles as part of the design and permitting process for the Terminal 5 Improvements Project is expected to occur around mid-day on Friday, Jan. 29. The test will sound like a half-second cannon shot. The sound can be as loud as 145 decibels. A total of nine rapid load tests will occur between January and the end of March, with no more than one test occurring per day. The first test occurred on Friday, Jan. 22. The test results may help reduce the number of piles required and the depth of pile installation, which in-turn would reduce noise associated with pile-driving during construction. All tests will take place Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in compliance with the City of Seattle Noise Ordinance. Federal, state and city agencies have issued permits for the test pile program.

Anyone hear the test last Friday?

FRIDAY AFTERNOON UPDATE: The port says this will be closer to 3 pm.

JIm January 28, 2016 (10:49 pm)

Oh yeah, it’s loud alright. Just like a cannon shot. Deeper sounding than gunfire. Catches you by surprise when they fire it off.

Jim January 29, 2016 (4:04 pm)

Just caught the effects of the “cannon shot” on my sleeping greyhounds on my web cam (video attached). Pretty loud. Location: Luna Park neighborhood, just above Harbor Ave.

Jim January 29, 2016 (6:42 pm)

Here the link to the greyhound video…
Jim January 29, 2016 (6:43 pm)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUFD8IqEBIs

Paula W January 29, 2016 (4:33 pm)

Last night at about 3:30, I heard four evenly spaced, loud thumps – sounded like a pile driver. I figured it must relate to these tests. I live at 35th & Alaska and have occasionally heard sounds at night from Nucor but this was different. Oddly, so far, I haven’t heard any of the Friday afternoon tests. Maybe it was, instead, from the road work for the Whitaker?

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