Colombo Matara Expressway
Noise & Vibration Measurement in Southern Expressway Project
The Southern Expressway is the second major construction project started by the Sri Lankan Government after the accelerated Mahaweli project. This expressway, runs from Kottawa to Matara and the construction, has been broken down into 3 segments, Kottawa to Dodangoda, Dodangoda to Kurudugaha-hathamme and Kurudugaha-hathamme to Matara. The last phase, which is the longest (62km), is now in progress. Usually, such large-scale construction projects are delayed, or stalled due to various environmental related problems. In order to minimize these delays and obstacles, representatives from the Central Environmental Authority, safety and environmental groups of construction companies, and a technical consultative institution on environment related activities are now working as groups.
Noise and vibration in road construction projects could occur due to several activities. Rock excavation, mining, road compacting using vibrators and piling operations result in unbearable and unsafe levels of noise and vibrations causing a severe disturbance to those living in surrounding areas, and also damages to property. At the preliminary stage of the road construction projects while the road trace is being identified the properties, which come under the project site are identified and acquired by the government. While the actual construction work is going on, the resultant effects have to be pre-identified to minimize the potential problems. The pre-identification has to be done on a scientific basis in order to minimize the adverse effect and also to be cost effective.
In the third segment of the Southern Expressway project, which has already begun, the construction work is being carried out in different places of the road trace, following a strict work schedule to ensure the timely completion of the task, and for cost effectiveness. In order to carry out the work according to the schedule, timely advice and recommendations on environmental related problems should be provided at the site. To fulfill this need, and to provide for greater efficiently of the project, the Electro Technology Laboratory (ETL) as the technical consultative institution on the environmental effects of noise and vibration, thereby took a step forward and put up its first ever site office in their 50 years history in Baddegama, with two mining engineers and other experts in related fields. ITI has been involved in the pre-identification and monitoring of hazards due to noise and vibration during the last year. It is noteworthy to point out that this is the first time ever in Sri Lankan history that environmental factors in a road construction project were being monitored.
Rock mining activity has many adverse effects on dwellers in the surrounding area. To excavate a huge rock, small-scale mining is not practical in large-scale projects. Thus controlled blasting of the rock has to be resorted to. Although much care is exercised during this activity to minimize its adverse effects, the houses in the surrounding area could develop cracks and problems could occur due to vibration and noise. As the technical and consultative institution ITI pre-identified the potential areas that could be affected and reported to the CEA, which is the institution with the legal power to take necessary remedial action. This consultation work also includes the recommendation on the type of machinery to be used to minimize the negative effects related to noise and vibration. ITI as a national institution with qualified and experienced professionals is capable of giving technical solutions to all environmental related issues, including those involving large construction projects. Their expertise is not limited to noise and vibration control but also extends to other areas such as water monitoring and testing and dust control. The ETL works as consultants to industrialists on the reduction of the noise and vibration levels in their work places. This work includes the measuring of the noise levels of various industries, which is a prerequisite to obtain Environmental Protection License from the Central Environmental Authority.