Plans to run a rail line under Sir Paul McCartney’s London studio have outraged the former Beatle, according to a tabloid report, but also brought the often neglected issue of unwanted vibrations to the fore.

Vibrations from trains and tunnelling work could disrupt recording sessions and make the studio unsafe, but appropriate anti-vibration precautions would control the ground-borne forces and save Macca the headache of opposing the rail development.

However, with no legislation to regulate vibration levels in construction, few are aware of the threat they pose, let alone how to tackle them. This will have to change sooner rather than later. A rise in inner-city developments means more buildings than ever are at risk from vibration, which will cause structural noise and can lead to severe structural damage if left untreated.

To protect themselves in the long term, developers need to address the impact of vibration from a project’s outset, or be prepared to pay out when the damages come back to haunt them.

Paul Lafone, director, CMS Vibration Solutions

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