Pile driving control apparatus and pile driving system

A pile driving system comprising:

• a pile driving hammer comprising a throttle;
• a pile driving control apparatus, operatively coupled to the throttle, comprising a hydraulic control system operable to control the throttle to thereby control an impact velocity of the hammer with a pile and a controller operatively coupled to the hydraulic control system and operable to determine sound pressure at a control location during a hammer stroke, and to provide to the hydraulic control system a control signal based on the detennined sound pressure, the hydraulic control system controlling an impact velocity of the hammer during a subsequent hammer stroke based on the control signal;
• and
• a sound pressure sensor, operatively coupled to the controller, and operable to measure the sound pressure at the control location and to provide to the controller an indication of the measured sound pressure.