vibrations generated by vehicular traffic: Uruguayan experiences

There are no specific regulations in Uruguay regarding vibrations generated by mobile sources. This creates the need to develop information and experiences related to environmental vibrations, with a particular focus on heavy vehicles such as buses. For this purpose, previous studies conducted in other countries (Al-Hunaidi et al., 1996; Czech, 2016) were taken as references, as they have developed empirical methodologies for characterizing these vibrations. This study conducted measurements on various streets in Montevideo to analyze vibrations generated by vehicle traffic, evaluating dominant frequencies, vibration levels, and their variation according to the distance from the source and the type of pavement. Additionally, vibrations in both electric and combustion buses were measured to compare their impacts. The results obtained provide key information to contribute to the potential development of national regulations, representing one of the first investigations in this field in Uruguay. However, challenges were identified, such as the need to expand the database to improve the representativeness of the results and validate observed trends. As a next step, the study aims to deepen these aspects, conduct more measurements under different urban conditions, and consider variables related to human perception of vibrations.