The Benefits

Our piles can reduce noise by more than 20 dB

Less pile driving noise = faster permitting, smaller zones of harassment/harm, and fewer project delays.

We have developed an innovative new pile design that reduces noise from impact pile driving by > 20 dB. Depending on the specifics of your project, this may be below injury and harassment thresholds for sensitive fish and wildlife. Our new pile design promises significant environmental and economic benefits for marine construction projects across the globe.

Handling and drivability

Bubble Curtains are no longer necessary

Reinhall Piles™ were designed to be handled and driven using industry standard techniques and equipment. The outer pile dimensions of Reinhall Piles™ do not differ from standard piles. Though somewhat heavier than standard piles, Reinhall Piles™ are lighter than concrete piles and are not challenging to handle or deploy. In fact, the inner pipe properties can be designed to optimize drivability.

Most importantly, use of Reinhall Piles™ eliminates the need to use burdensome, time-consuming, and marginally effective bubble curtains, reducing prep and drive time by 30-45 minutes per pile.

Noise and the environment

Permitting and Monitoring Burden Greatly Eased

Reinhall Piles™ provide significant reductions in PEAK, RMS, and SEL noise measurements. Depending on project characteristics, noise levels may be below injury and/or harassment thresholds for sensitive fish and wildlife. A host of benefits result from noise mitigation at these levels:

Reduced take and faster permitting, potentially qualifying for informal vs. formal consultations under the Endangered Species Act
Far smaller zones of harassment and harm, reducing scope of environmental monitoring and risk of work stoppages
Potential to broaden work windows by weeks or even months

Faster Project Completion

More strikes per day

circle-project-completion The elimination of burdensome and time-consuming bubble curtains means contractors can drive more piles each day. Smaller zones of harassment and harm also mean fewer potential work interruptions. These benefits along with streamlined permitting already provide the potential for faster project completion.

But there is one more benefit: Regulators often cap the number of strikes in order to reduce cumulative impact to sensitive wildlife. With less pile driving noise, contractors can produce more strikes before reaching that cap. More strikes per day means more piles driven, leading to greater efficiency within the in-water work window and faster overall project completion.

"This new research shows we can minimize underwater pile driving noise to avoid harm to mammals and other protected marine species. The new sound attenuation method may also save project construction time and money."

Rhonda Brooks, Research Director, Washington State Department of Transportation