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Construction Noise Reduction

Construction worker in neon vest and white hard hat drilling into wall

Construction Noise...a thing of the Past?

One of the largest complaints when upgrading an occupied healthcare facility is the noise and vibration associated with the new construction. To some extent this noise and vibration is a necessary evil, but maybe not all of it.

Mortenson has an extensive planning and disruption avoidance process in place to minimize any impacts, but when working in an extra sensitive area or an area that cannot be vacated you need to think outside the box. One of the innovative ways Mortenson project teams use to minimize vibration and noise impacts is by using specialized tooling. An example of one of the specialized tools is below.

Hilti DD-W Coring tool with Integrated Water Management System

Typically, one of the more intrusive operations for the tenants above a construction area is the hammer drilling done by contractors in the space below. Hammer drilling is a well-known and cost-effective way to anchor into the structure where needed. One downfall of this method is the large noise and vibration impact it creates. By switching from a hammer drill operation that is literally hammering as its drilling into the structure to an operation that is strictly cutting with a precise diamond blade you are able to cut the noise and vibration impact in half.

Another benefit of this system is the integrated water management system. This allows you to do the work without creating a mess. Typically, when a core drill operation takes place there needs to be water introduced to help with the cutting process and contain the silica dust and this water mixed with silica dust creates a mess. With the integrated water management system, you don’t have that issue.