Pine trees causing problems?

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vegasgo

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Hi, we moved into our house 18 months ago and over this time we are getting increasing vibrations throughout the house when busses and HGV’s pass by. There are two 50ft pine trees in front of the property in our garden, roughly 6 metres from the house and 5 metres from the road. The driveway is lifting and dropping in places and we believe these trees are the cause of these increased vibrations from traffic as they are so big who knows what the root system is doing underground. All drains are fine and we have eliminated all other possible causes. Could two pine trees this size really cause changes in the way earth absorbs traffic vibrations? We are in Essex with clay soil. Any advice appreciated, thanks.

 
Those trees have not changed at all in the timeframe you're talking. So if the vibration is increasing and the trees haven't changed, then it would be unlikely that the trees are contributing to the vibration. Just lookiing for an excuse to cut them down?

Does your area have a history of sinkholes? That could lead to a change in vibration waves through the soil.
 
I too would look at the structure of soil and parent material as well as the hardscape.

In this case, an engineer needs to be consulted if it's problematic
 
We had a structural engineer take a visual look around and could find nothing wrong, I guess it needs something more in-depth.

No ideas about sinkholes, did think of that but how can you tell?!
 
Try wearing an aluminum foil hat and see if that helps. Consult with the voices in your head. Check for gopher activity. Attach a GoPro camera to one of the ceramic yard gnomes, and see what they're doing after the sun goes down. Have you noticed any of the squirrels playing with plastic explosives? Oh, the endless possibilities. I don't blame you for being suspicious of those pine trees. I stopped and asked one for directions, one time, and it steered me right into a really bad neighborhood.
 
Ditto on the sinkholes. Was there ever any underground mining in the area? You might speak with your neighbors and see if they're experiencing things similar. You should contact a local authority responsible for civil engineering in roads and building safety.
 
Try wearing an aluminum foil hat and see if that helps. Consult with the voices in your head. Check for gopher activity. Attach a GoPro camera to one of the ceramic yard gnomes, and see what they're doing after the sun goes down. Have you noticed any of the squirrels playing with plastic explosives? Oh, the endless possibilities. I don't blame you for being suspicious of those pine trees. I stopped and asked one for directions, one time, and it steered me right into a really bad neighborhood.
Thank you for the smile on my face this morning. You've spent too much time with jackbenimble.
 
From a structural engineering viewpoint, first I'd ask: Have you moved your furniture around, or added a piano or aquarium or gotten rid of similar.

If so, it may simply be that you have simply changed the vibration nodes of your floor.

Any 'speed bumps' been added to the road or big potholes?

Also, any americans move into the neighborhood who occasionally drive down the wrong side of the street with their big trucks (aka HGV) ?

To tell the truth, I know about lorries, but had not run across HGV acronym before, thought it meant garbage truck, had to look it up to be sure to se it just meant bi truck.
 
To follow on ArtB ideas, What about changes in insulation or windows or doors?
Carpeting removed or any flooring changes?
How about a privacy fence in your yard or a nearby location?
I had a neighbor who installed a wooden privacy fence and it took me a few months to get used to the change in reflected noises.
Based on personal observations from walking in town or driving, I could see a hard wall (cement blocks or earth retaining timbers)
reflecting a rumble.

Have there been any nearby road or railway changes?
Large amounts of tree removal for housing?

In my area, high speed development added a second parallel train track and thus necessitated a removal of a just strip of vegetation (trees & undergrowth) that dampened a surprising amount of sound.

In a near by city:
I also noticed that grading the same rail right of ways to a modern slope angle on the sidewalls seems to have produced a pretty good effect for allowing more projection of the freight train rumble into a friends home.
 
Thanks for all your replies. There's been major changes inside or outside the house, expect for a couple of months ago when roadworks resulted in some 'patch work' to the tarmac though only minor and the problem was here before.

A couple of trees were felled to the left by my neighbours though probably not close enough if have an impact.

The house opposite has been underpinned in the past but they get vibrations too - though they haven't changed over time.

I only thing I have done differently is parking my large MPV in a different part of the driveway. I will start to park it where it used to be as this could have altered the change in vibration patterns.
 
Hmm. Time to get obsessive here!

Have you trimmed any lower limbs?
removed any shrubbery?

Is that a flower box under the large window(s)?
Has it been emptied of dirt?
Hundred pounds or 45 kilos of damp dirt hanging on that front wall would change the wall resonance/damping.

What's upstairs? attic space or another room?
Have you taken out or shifted any things up there?
Heck, just changing from heavily upholstered furniture to a light sort could change something.

Any heavy potted plants gone or moved?
I played around with a dedicated stereo listening room once.
You'd be surprised at what just a some pillows stacked in the corners and a couple of places along the walls (frequency nodes) would do to room resonances!

Even heavy window draperies can soak up some sound.
Have you changed to blinds, slats or roll up ?

Is the house on a slab or have a crawlspace?

Can you notice any particular location of roadway where the vehicles affect the house the most?
Does it matter which direction the vehicle is traveling?
IF so, try looking at things as if you're lining up a billiard shot
and look at bounce/reflection angles.
Don't discount an "away & back" path for sound (or lighting bounce).
 
How sure are you that vibrations have increased...could it just be your perception? Have any of the other neighbors noticed in increase (besides the one you said did not...)? Sounds like vibrations were a problem in the past for the one neighbor? That is part of what makes me wonder if perhaps you just didn't notice them... Are you spending more time at home or in different rooms than before?

Another vote for: those trees will only dampen the vibrations...not increase them.
 
To pull a bit from ATH: "...could it just be your perception? "

Changed his wackyweed dealer maybe ?

Check the medicine cabinet. Have you changed anything?
Dropping a couple or reduced dosages can be surprising what it does for your senses.

Oh and let's not forget cold showers!!!
 
Digressing WAY OFF arbor and tree topics, but for the OP;

If you have any electronic skills, one can purchase a 3 axis accelerometer off ebay for 3 quid. Set that up and one can quantify the vibrations.

Sinkholes:
https://www.dayoutwiththekids.co.uk/things-to-do/east/essex/sightseeing/caves-mines


One more for OP: Are you anywhere near Stansted?
I live 10 miles from an international airport (SeaTac). I have noticed when the airport changes some traffic patterns the acoustic noise can cause resonance of structures. Sitting outside on a still day, one can watch a cloths line start to vibrate before one even hears the aircraft.
 
Hmm. Time to get obsessive here!

Have you trimmed any lower limbs? - Only 2 or 3 by me.
removed any shrubbery? - no

Is that a flower box under the large window(s)? - yes
Has it been emptied of dirt? - no
Hundred pounds or 45 kilos of damp dirt hanging on that front wall would change the wall resonance/damping. - I will empty

What's upstairs? attic space or another room? - 3 bedrroms
Have you taken out or shifted any things up there? - taken out a laminate flooring in, replaced by carpet
Heck, just changing from heavily upholstered furniture to a light sort could change something.

Any heavy potted plants gone or moved? - no
I played around with a dedicated stereo listening room once.
You'd be surprised at what just a some pillows stacked in the corners and a couple of places along the walls (frequency nodes) would do to room resonances!

Even heavy window draperies can soak up some sound.
Have you changed to blinds, slats or roll up ? - replaced curtains with blinds upstairs, added shutter downstairs

Is the house on a slab or have a crawlspace? - slab

Can you notice any particular location of roadway where the vehicles affect the house the most? - as first on the opposite side of the road where the surface isn't so good, but now experience them in both directions
Does it matter which direction the vehicle is traveling? - as above
IF so, try looking at things as if you're lining up a billiard shot
and look at bounce/reflection angles.
Don't discount an "away & back" path for sound (or lighting bounce).

The trees have lost/cut off many lower branches, the lowest ones are probably level with the top of most larger vehicles, so whether they act as a vibration dampener is debatable. I can feel the ground vibrate underfoot in the back garden, some 25 metres away.
 
Digressing WAY OFF arbor and tree topics, but for the OP;

If you have any electronic skills, one can purchase a 3 axis accelerometer off ebay for 3 quid. Set that up and one can quantify the vibrations. - have taken a look, really not sure how it works

Sinkholes:
https://www.dayoutwiththekids.co.uk/things-to-do/east/essex/sightseeing/caves-mines


One more for OP: Are you anywhere near Stansted? - about 30 miles, only 4 miles from Southend airport which has increased its traffic but we're not on the flight path
I live 10 miles from an international airport (SeaTac). I have noticed when the airport changes some traffic patterns the acoustic noise can cause resonance of structures. Sitting outside on a still day, one can watch a cloths line start to vibrate before one even hears the aircraft.
 
Last summer was very dry and I thought the trees had drained the land of moisture which caused the vibrations. This summer has been very wet, the soil is well saturated now. Also, one of the drain pipes at the front which leads to a soak away was completely blocked up and all the rain was going over the top of the drain pipe and down the side of the house into the foundations. I thought this could have caused the vibrations so diverted the drain to a water tub. Problems still exists though. Maybe a dry spell is now needed!
 
Sorry that I missed the comment about emptying the flower box.*
I'm of a gut feeling that keeping the dirt in it would deaden the wall more, by simple mass loading.

*Have had a string of headaches lately, so sometimes my reading and retention has been a bit spotty.
Large storms in the southeastern U.S. have brought some noticeable barometric fluctuations and those alwyas come wihth a few headaches, I've found.
 
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