ACOUSTICS & VIBRATION SERVICES | EXPERT NOISE CONSULTANTS 

Regulatory authorities normally require a noise assessment to be undertaken as part of planning or licence applications for new developments which have the potential to generate noise and/or vibration that could affect existing residential or other noise sensitive receptors. Alternatively, a sensitive development may be planned at a location where existing noise and /or vibration from transport or industry could affect amenity. 

The Bureau Veritas Acoustics and Vibration team is able to provide a range of services in this area including:

• Noise and vibration assessments to accompany a planning or permit application in line with British and International Standards

• Computational noise modelling, using CadnaA or SoundPlan

• Liaison and negotiation with regulatory authorities regarding noise limits and planning or permit conditions

• Construction noise and vibration assessments to support CoPA Section 61 applications, and live monitoring to ensure compliance with specified limits

• Provision of engineering design advice to ensure that the noise and vibration emissions from proposed new or modified/existing plant comply with appropriate limits

• Attendance at Public Inquiries or Issue Specific Hearings for planning applications/appeals as an expert witness

• Policy advice to government and other regulatory authorities on noise and vibration issues, including statutory consultation responses

• Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) studies

• Soundscape assessment and design to protect and enrich amenity spaces, and comply with emerging planning policies

Whether an industrial plant, an offshore installation or a shipping or fishing vessel (under the Merchant Shipping and Fishing Vessels Control of Noise at Work Regulations), we can help by assessing employee’s noise and vibration exposure risks, and offering advice on how they can be managed and reduced to achieve compliance. 

Our services include:

• Provision of management plans, policies and procedures to manage risks

• Noise and HAV/WBV management audits

• Thorough noise and vibration measurement surveys

• Colour contour noise mapping to highlighting Hearing Protection Zones 

• Detailed noise design and control studies

• Identification of tools or processes likely to induce symptoms of Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome or Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

• Noise dosimetry studies

• Vibration measurements and compilation of hand-held equipment data sheets

• Awareness and competency training

• Assessments of Public Address & General Alarm (PAGA) systems

We can also offer our bespoke Noise Exposure Management System (NEMS) and Vibration Exposure Management System (VEMS). These macro-based tools enable complex sites to clearly visualise and manage their overall risk rating, allowing targeted improvement measures to be easily identified. 

Our Acoustics and Vibration team can offer services to those involved in building design and project management to ensure that satisfactory acoustic environments are engineered into buildings at an early stage in their design. 

We provide advice to architects, building services engineers, quantity surveyors/project managers, building control bodies and others involved in the design of new buildings in the following areas:

• Sound insulation testing

• Provision of specialist advice to design teams for new buildings in the education, health, leisure, commercial and industrial sectors

• Provision of specialist advice to design teams for new residential buildings to assist in compliance with Approved Document E of the Building Regulations

• Site inspection service at regular stages throughout the build to ensure that the acoustic design of the building is not compromised by factors such as selection of inappropriate materials or poor workmanship

• Provision of consultancy services for remedial measures for buildings which do not meet the required standard

• Accredited pre-completion testing in compliance with Approved Document E of the Building Regulations

Our expert team can provide a tailored measurement survey campaign to understand the source of the problem. Too often in the industry, a generic stiffening of the pipework via additional supports and/or clamps is seen as the way ahead. But this is not always carried out with vibration in mind and may not be the only (or best) solution available.

Our solutions encompass:

• Full scale or area focused Vibration Risk Assessments (VRAs) to evaluate and rank by risk the possible integrity threats within a plant/installation. All pipework is assessed via the use of a mixed technique which typically includes PSI pre-screening, vibration and dynamic stress measurements, and visual assessments

• Comparing vibration data against accepted criteria and ranking it by the likelihood of failure in line with the Energy Institute Guidelines. Where problems are encountered, further investigation is carried out

• Dynamic strain measurements (on both the main line and small bore connections), which is particularly useful to identify Small Bore Connections (SBCs) at risk of fatigue failure

• Multi-channel ODS (Operational Deflection Shape) and modal analysis of the pipework or structure

• Supporting with design and review stages when introducing supports and clamps, to ensure that these measures are effective against vibration threats

• PSI pre-screening technique - a desk-based assessment useful for both existing and FEED stage plants to identify vibration mechanisms not identifiable via the traditional measurement campaigns, such as Acoustic Induced Vibration (AIV), Flow Induced Vibration (FIV) and Flow Induced Pulsation (FLIP)

• Pipework vibration awareness training to site personnel to help them understand the basics of pipework vibration and recognise good/bad configurations of supports

• FEA simulation for structures affected by vibration. Recent projects include the FE analysis of skids supporting gas compressors and gas turbines and the introduction of additional stiffening to the skids