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Dave Davis

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CHONGQING UNIVERSITY

Apostolos Tsouvalas

Universidade de Coimbra

Didier Clouteau

Ecole CentraleSupelec

Dorte Hammershøi

Aalborg University

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Papers by Dave Davis

A Review of Prediction Methods for Ground-Borne Noise due to Construction Activities

The generation of ground-borne noise inside receiver buildings due to nearby construction works c... more The generation of ground-borne noise inside receiver buildings due to nearby construction works can cause significant community impact and impose difficult constraints on construction activities. Several methods exist to predict ground vibration from permanent operational sources; however the suitability of some of these methods to predict ground-borne noise from construction activities are not well known and have not yet been thoroughly tested. This paper presents an overview of some of the various methods available to estimate ground-borne noise levels from construction activities and discusses the advantages and limitations of each.

Optimisation of Noise Control Design for Environmental Noise Impact, Occupational Health & Safety Noise Exposure, Sustainability Impact and Construction Cost by Multi-Objective Combinatorial Optimisation

Acoustic design for new industrial plant must often consider a combination of design goals, achie... more Acoustic design for new industrial plant must often consider a combination of design goals, achieving not only environmental and safety noise level targets, but must also contribute to the project’s value management efforts and aim for the best possible sustainability outcome. These requirements are often contradictory and sometimes mutually exclusive, yet the acoustic designer must attempt to balance the overall design with the best possible compromise. A method is proposed which provides acoustic designers with a systematic procedure for adopting the most appropriate noise control strategy solution within the design parameters.

Calculation of overall community noise impact due to a change in noise source emissions

When the acoustic amenity of a region changes, either by the addition or modification of a transp... more When the acoustic amenity of a region changes, either by the addition or modification of a transportation noise source, the overall community noise impact depends on the number of affected receivers as well as the change in noise level at each receiver. This overall impact could be quantified as an arithmetic average of the change in noise level at the affected receiver. However, a simple arithmetic average does not adequately consider the relative significance of the change at the receivers which experience substantial increase or decrease of noise level. For instance, a change of 2 dB(A) is usually regarded as being a barely perceptible change for environmental noise and a change of 10 dB(A) is usually regarded as approximately doubling or halving the subjective sound loudness. A method is proposed whereby a change in noise amenity is quantified in terms of the significance of the change in noise level as a function of the number of affected receivers and the severity to which the...

Maximising rates of productivity at mine, quarry and construction sites using engineering optimisation and Monte-Carlo simulation

Industrial activities comprised of fixed and mobile noise sources such as mines, quarries and con... more Industrial activities comprised of fixed and mobile noise sources such as mines, quarries and construction sites often operate under environmental noise limitations that can restrict site activity at certain times. The noise immission levels at receptors vary continuously due to unsteady noise emissions of plant and/or because of changes in mobile equipment location and/or orientation and also because of the continually changing attenuation properties of the atmosphere affecting the sound propagation. These sites often want to maximise their production rates utilising as much of their fleet and equipment inventory as possible while still complying with their environmental noise limits. This paper presents a method to maximise the size of the operating fleet within the site’s environmental noise constraints, taking into account the inherent variability of noise sources using engineering optimisation and Monte-Carlo simulation.

How to maximise the operating fleet and still comply with the noise limits

Construction sites and mine sites often have strict noise limits during certain time periods, eg.... more Construction sites and mine sites often have strict noise limits during certain time periods, eg. during the night, weekends and public holidays. Site managers would often like to know what is the most activity that can occur on site simultaneously during periods of restricted noise emissions. Using engineering optimisation techniques it is possible to accurately determine the maximum number of fixed plant and mobile equipment that can be operating together at any time while still complying with the noise emission limits. This paper presents the results of determining the recommended fleet quota using Genetic Algorithms as a post-processing technique based on the noise propagation information from proprietary environmental noise modelling software.

Cost optimisation of noise control for industrial buildings

The acoustic design of noise control treatments for industrial buildings should consider the cost... more The acoustic design of noise control treatments for industrial buildings should consider the costs of materials and construction as key design parameters. However, reducing the cost of the acoustic design is often given a lower priority than is given to the primary design requirement of achieving the noise level goals. An effective method to reduce the overall costs of the noise control treatments for an industrial building is to use engineering optimisation techniques. The selection of noise treatments can be undertaken by a computer based on the constraint that the noise control goals must be met, but with the deliberate intention to minimise the overall noise control cost. An engineering optimisation technique suitable for this application is the Genetic Algorithm. This paper demonstrates a method of using Genetic Algorithms to minimise the cost of noise control treatments for an industrial building with a variety of available wall and roof cladding materials.

Optimisation of noise control treatments for staged noise management programs using genetic algorithms

Maximising the cost-effectiveness of noise mitigation treatments for industrial facilities is usu... more Maximising the cost-effectiveness of noise mitigation treatments for industrial facilities is usually a prime consideration. Accordingly, the selection of noise control treatments for individual noise sources can be optimised to maximise the total value-for-money of the overall noise mitigation treatment program. Additionally, it may also be desirable to stage the implementation of the plant's noise reduction program into several phases, for instance if the noise mitigation funding is only available as an annual budget allowance. A method is proposed to achieve these goals using Genetic Algorithms. An example case study is provided to illustrate the procedure. A hypothetical industrial plant with 100 noise sources is investigated, and the procedure is demonstrated with an example scenario of a target total noise level reduction, and a fixed annual budget allowance for noise mitigation treatments.

Prediction of the variability of noise emissions from construction sites using Monte-Carlo simulation

INTER-NOISE and NOISE-CON Congress and Conference Proceedings, 2021

Noise emissions from construction sites are inherently unsteady. Noise emissions vary due to many... more Noise emissions from construction sites are inherently unsteady. Noise emissions vary due to many causes, including the noise sources frequently changing in location, orientation, the types of activities they perform, and the acoustic shielding due to structures and/or terrain. The noise that arrives at receivers from construction site equipment can fluctuate over all time scales, from seconds to hours, days, months or years. Prediction of noise levels typically assumes either a "worst-case" approach in which all noise sources are assumed to be operating simultaneously, or by predicting an "energy-average" (Leq) level over a long time period. In the latter case, an energy-average (Leq) noise level is predicted at receivers, based on the anticipated percentage utilisation of the various noise sources on the construction site - that is, the fraction of time that each item of equipment is operating or not during the averaging time period. This paper presents a metho...

A Review of Prediction Methods for Ground-Borne Noise due to Construction Activities

The generation of ground-borne noise inside receiver buildings due to nearby construction works c... more The generation of ground-borne noise inside receiver buildings due to nearby construction works can cause significant community impact and impose difficult constraints on construction activities. Several methods exist to predict ground vibration from permanent operational sources; however the suitability of some of these methods to predict ground-borne noise from construction activities are not well known and have not yet been thoroughly tested. This paper presents an overview of some of the various methods available to estimate ground-borne noise levels from construction activities and discusses the advantages and limitations of each.

Optimisation of noise control treatments for staged noise management programs using genetic algorithms

Maximising the cost-effectiveness of noise mitigation treatments for industrial facilities is usu... more Maximising the cost-effectiveness of noise mitigation treatments for industrial facilities is usually a prime consideration. Accordingly, the selection of noise control treatments for individual noise sources can be optimised to maximise the total value-for-money of the overall noise mitigation treatment program. Additionally, it may also be desirable to stage the implementation of the plant’s noise reduction program into several phases, for instance if the noise mitigation funding is only available as an annual budget allowance. A method is proposed to achieve these goals using Genetic Algorithms. An example case study is provided to illustrate the procedure. A hypothetical industrial plant with 100 noise sources is investigated, and the procedure is demonstrated with an example scenario of a target total noise level reduction, and a fixed annual budget allowance for noise mitigation treatments.

Cost optimisation of noise control for industrial buildings

The acoustic design of noise control treatments for industrial buildings should consider the cost... more The acoustic design of noise control treatments for industrial buildings should consider the costs of materials and construction as key design parameters. However, reducing the cost of the acoustic design is often given a lower priority than is given to the primary design requirement of achieving the noise level goals. An effective method to reduce the overall costs of the noise control treatments for an industrial building is to use engineering optimisation techniques. The selection of noise treatments can be undertaken by a computer based on the constraint that the noise control goals must be met, but with the deliberate intention to minimise the overall noise control cost. An engineering optimisation technique suitable for this application is the Genetic Algorithm. This paper demonstrates a method of using Genetic Algorithms to minimise the cost of noise control treatments for an industrial building with a variety of available wall and roof cladding materials.

How to maximise the operating fleet and still comply with the noise limits

Construction sites and mine sites often have strict noise limits during certain time periods, eg.... more Construction sites and mine sites often have strict noise limits during certain time periods, eg. during the night, weekends and public holidays. Site managers would often like to know what is the most activity that can occur on site simultaneously during periods of restricted noise emissions. Using engineering optimisation techniques it is possible to accurately determine the maximum number of fixed plant and mobile equipment that can be operating together at any time while still complying with the noise emission limits. This paper presents the results of determining the recommended fleet quota using Genetic Algorithms as a post-processing technique based on the noise propagation information from proprietary environmental noise modelling software.

Cost reduction of noise treatments in the oil & gas industry -design of noise mitigation for gas compressor stations using engineering optimisation

The capital cost of noise control treatments for land-based gas compressor stations can be signif... more The capital cost of noise control treatments for land-based gas compressor stations can be significant. Field gas compression facilities can have many noise sources including compressors, fan coolers, power generators or transformers, pipes and valves, flares and so on. Some coal seam gas field facilities can also have co-located water treatment plant or water transfer pumps. Environmental noise computer modelling predictions can estimate the component contribution noise emissions from each individual noise source at each affected receiver. Using these data, an experienced practitioner can estimate a scheme of noise level reductions for each source so that the noise emissions of the entire site comply with the overall environmental noise targets at the receptors. However it is not straightforward to select and design the noise control treatments for all of the individual noise sources with the explicit goal of minimising the total capital cost for the overall noise mitigation program. This paper provides an example of minimising the cost of noise control treatments required for a coal seam methane gas field compression station using two different engineering optimisation techniques.

A Review of Prediction Methods for Ground-Borne Noise Due to Tunnel Construction Activities

The prediction of ground-borne noise levels from tunnel construction activities requires knowledg... more The prediction of ground-borne noise levels from tunnel construction activities requires knowledge of the input vibration forces from the vibration source(s) into the cutting face, knowledge of the vibration transmissibility through the surrounding medium, and knowledge of the receiver building’s vibro-acoustic response. The conversion of this vibration energy into sound pressure within the receiver building depends upon the vibration coupling of the soil and the building’s foundations, the structure’s response including floor-to-floor attenuation and amplification due to resonance, the radiation effi ciencies of the internal structural elements, and the room’s acoustical properties. Beginning with a known input vibration spectrum at the cutting face, it is possible to predict the resultant ground-borne noise levels within a receiver building using either analytical and/or empirical techniques, or by numerical modelling. This paper presents an overview of the various methods available to estimate ground-borne noise levels from tunnel construction activities and discusses the advantages and limitations of each.

Minimising the cost of noise control in the coal seam gas industry by selection of noise treatments for gas wells using engineering optimisation

Reducing costs is an important consideration when designing gas field facilities. The cost of noi... more Reducing costs is an important consideration when designing gas field facilities. The cost of noise mitigation treatments to the power units and pumps at well-heads can be a significant proportion of capital expenditure, and opportunities to reduce these costs are usually welcomed. The assessment and management of environmental noise impact from land-based gas fields is somewhat unique because of the large number of noise sources distributed over a very large area, often with many noise receptors interspersed between the wells and with most receptors receiving noise simultaneously from many wells from different directions. With such complexity, it can be difficult to select and design noise control treatment for the noise sources located at the wells in a cost-effective manner. It would be advantageous to have a calculation tool that could select appropriate noise treatments for each noise source at each well so that the environmental noise targets are achieved at each receptor while simultaneously ensuring that the cost-effectiveness of the noise mitigation program is maximised. This paper demonstrates an example of using three different optimisation techniques to minimise the cost of the overall noise control treatment scheme for the major noise sources located at coal seam gas wells.

A Review of Prediction Methods for Ground-Borne Noise due to Construction Activities

The generation of ground-borne noise inside receiver buildings due to nearby construction works c... more The generation of ground-borne noise inside receiver buildings due to nearby construction works can cause significant community impact and impose difficult constraints on construction activities. Several methods exist to predict ground vibration from permanent operational sources; however the suitability of some of these methods to predict ground-borne noise from construction activities are not well known and have not yet been thoroughly tested. This paper presents an overview of some of the various methods available to estimate ground-borne noise levels from construction activities and discusses the advantages and limitations of each.

Optimisation of noise control treatments for staged noise management programs using Genetic Algorithms

Maximising the cost-effectiveness of noise mitigation treatments for industrial facilities is usu... more Maximising the cost-effectiveness of noise mitigation treatments for industrial facilities is usually a prime consideration. Accordingly, the selection of noise control treatments for individual noise sources can be optimised to maximise the total value-for-money of the overall noise mitigation treatment program. Additionally, it may also be desirable to stage the implementation of the plant's noise reduction program into several phases, for instance if the noise mitiga-tion funding is only available as an annual budget allowance. A method is proposed to achieve these goals using Genetic Algorithms. An example case study is provided to illustrate the procedure. A hypothetical industrial plant with 100 noise sources is investigated, and the procedure is demonstrated with an example scenario of a target total noise level reduction, and a fixed annual budget allowance for noise mitigation treatments.

Optimisation of Noise Control Design for Environmental Noise Impact, Occupational Health & Safety Noise Exposure, Sustainability Impact and Construction Cost by Multi-Objective Combinatorial Optimisation

Acoustic design for new industrial plant must often consider a combination of design goals, achie... more Acoustic design for new industrial plant must often consider a combination of design goals, achieving not only environmental and safety noise level targets, but must also contribute to the project's value management efforts and aim for the best possible sustainability outcome. These requirements are often contradictory and sometimes mutually exclusive , yet the acoustic designer must attempt to balance the overall design with the best possible compromise. A method is proposed which provides acoustic designers with a systematic method for adopting the most appropriate noise control strategy solution within the design parameters.

Prediction of Structure-borne Noise and Vibration in Buildings from Basement Vibration Sources using the Finite Element Method

It is a well-known phenomenon to experience vibration and noise in a building built over the top ... more It is a well-known phenomenon to experience vibration and noise in a building built over the top of or near a rail subway tunnel, road tunnel or construction or heavy work site. Because of the complexities introduced by the soil, prediction of the likely problems to be experienced in nearby buildings is based on empirical methods, often relying on site testing. However, in instances where the construction does not yet exist, site empirical testing is not possible. An alternative approach is outlined which involves the simulation of the structure and soil using the finite element method. A transfer function dependent on frequency (Green's Function) was analytically determined as the ratio of the velocity measured near the vibration source to the velocity of the structure at the base of the future buildings. The approach is novel in its method of applying the impact force to the model and its development of the transfer function from the finite element method results. This paper addresses the finite element model, simplifications made, sensitivity analysis undertaken to validate the approach and the methodology of obtaining the frequency dependent transfer function. It illustrates the approach using an underground rail tunnel that is integral with the building, effectively located in the building's basement. It concludes that the approach is worthy of further development.

Maximising the cost-effectiveness of noise control treatments for overland conveyors by engineering optimisation

Environmental noise limits for overland conveyors can be difficult to achieve even with costly no... more Environmental noise limits for overland conveyors can be difficult to achieve even with costly noise reduction treatments , particularly in retro-fit situations. Different conveyor systems require different strategies to achieve noise reduction , and often require a combination of methods to achieve the overall environmental targets. In cases where the overall noise targets can be achieved by alternative combinations of different treatments, the overall cost-effectiveness of the noise control program can be maximised using engineering optimisation methods. This paper presents a general method for selection of the type and extents of noise mitigation required to achieve the environmental goals for the maximum value for money.

A Review of Prediction Methods for Ground-Borne Noise due to Construction Activities

The generation of ground-borne noise inside receiver buildings due to nearby construction works c... more The generation of ground-borne noise inside receiver buildings due to nearby construction works can cause significant community impact and impose difficult constraints on construction activities. Several methods exist to predict ground vibration from permanent operational sources; however the suitability of some of these methods to predict ground-borne noise from construction activities are not well known and have not yet been thoroughly tested. This paper presents an overview of some of the various methods available to estimate ground-borne noise levels from construction activities and discusses the advantages and limitations of each.

Optimisation of Noise Control Design for Environmental Noise Impact, Occupational Health & Safety Noise Exposure, Sustainability Impact and Construction Cost by Multi-Objective Combinatorial Optimisation

Acoustic design for new industrial plant must often consider a combination of design goals, achie... more Acoustic design for new industrial plant must often consider a combination of design goals, achieving not only environmental and safety noise level targets, but must also contribute to the project’s value management efforts and aim for the best possible sustainability outcome. These requirements are often contradictory and sometimes mutually exclusive, yet the acoustic designer must attempt to balance the overall design with the best possible compromise. A method is proposed which provides acoustic designers with a systematic procedure for adopting the most appropriate noise control strategy solution within the design parameters.

Calculation of overall community noise impact due to a change in noise source emissions

When the acoustic amenity of a region changes, either by the addition or modification of a transp... more When the acoustic amenity of a region changes, either by the addition or modification of a transportation noise source, the overall community noise impact depends on the number of affected receivers as well as the change in noise level at each receiver. This overall impact could be quantified as an arithmetic average of the change in noise level at the affected receiver. However, a simple arithmetic average does not adequately consider the relative significance of the change at the receivers which experience substantial increase or decrease of noise level. For instance, a change of 2 dB(A) is usually regarded as being a barely perceptible change for environmental noise and a change of 10 dB(A) is usually regarded as approximately doubling or halving the subjective sound loudness. A method is proposed whereby a change in noise amenity is quantified in terms of the significance of the change in noise level as a function of the number of affected receivers and the severity to which the...

Maximising rates of productivity at mine, quarry and construction sites using engineering optimisation and Monte-Carlo simulation

Industrial activities comprised of fixed and mobile noise sources such as mines, quarries and con... more Industrial activities comprised of fixed and mobile noise sources such as mines, quarries and construction sites often operate under environmental noise limitations that can restrict site activity at certain times. The noise immission levels at receptors vary continuously due to unsteady noise emissions of plant and/or because of changes in mobile equipment location and/or orientation and also because of the continually changing attenuation properties of the atmosphere affecting the sound propagation. These sites often want to maximise their production rates utilising as much of their fleet and equipment inventory as possible while still complying with their environmental noise limits. This paper presents a method to maximise the size of the operating fleet within the site’s environmental noise constraints, taking into account the inherent variability of noise sources using engineering optimisation and Monte-Carlo simulation.

How to maximise the operating fleet and still comply with the noise limits

Construction sites and mine sites often have strict noise limits during certain time periods, eg.... more Construction sites and mine sites often have strict noise limits during certain time periods, eg. during the night, weekends and public holidays. Site managers would often like to know what is the most activity that can occur on site simultaneously during periods of restricted noise emissions. Using engineering optimisation techniques it is possible to accurately determine the maximum number of fixed plant and mobile equipment that can be operating together at any time while still complying with the noise emission limits. This paper presents the results of determining the recommended fleet quota using Genetic Algorithms as a post-processing technique based on the noise propagation information from proprietary environmental noise modelling software.

Cost optimisation of noise control for industrial buildings

The acoustic design of noise control treatments for industrial buildings should consider the cost... more The acoustic design of noise control treatments for industrial buildings should consider the costs of materials and construction as key design parameters. However, reducing the cost of the acoustic design is often given a lower priority than is given to the primary design requirement of achieving the noise level goals. An effective method to reduce the overall costs of the noise control treatments for an industrial building is to use engineering optimisation techniques. The selection of noise treatments can be undertaken by a computer based on the constraint that the noise control goals must be met, but with the deliberate intention to minimise the overall noise control cost. An engineering optimisation technique suitable for this application is the Genetic Algorithm. This paper demonstrates a method of using Genetic Algorithms to minimise the cost of noise control treatments for an industrial building with a variety of available wall and roof cladding materials.

Optimisation of noise control treatments for staged noise management programs using genetic algorithms

Maximising the cost-effectiveness of noise mitigation treatments for industrial facilities is usu... more Maximising the cost-effectiveness of noise mitigation treatments for industrial facilities is usually a prime consideration. Accordingly, the selection of noise control treatments for individual noise sources can be optimised to maximise the total value-for-money of the overall noise mitigation treatment program. Additionally, it may also be desirable to stage the implementation of the plant's noise reduction program into several phases, for instance if the noise mitigation funding is only available as an annual budget allowance. A method is proposed to achieve these goals using Genetic Algorithms. An example case study is provided to illustrate the procedure. A hypothetical industrial plant with 100 noise sources is investigated, and the procedure is demonstrated with an example scenario of a target total noise level reduction, and a fixed annual budget allowance for noise mitigation treatments.

Prediction of the variability of noise emissions from construction sites using Monte-Carlo simulation

INTER-NOISE and NOISE-CON Congress and Conference Proceedings, 2021

Noise emissions from construction sites are inherently unsteady. Noise emissions vary due to many... more Noise emissions from construction sites are inherently unsteady. Noise emissions vary due to many causes, including the noise sources frequently changing in location, orientation, the types of activities they perform, and the acoustic shielding due to structures and/or terrain. The noise that arrives at receivers from construction site equipment can fluctuate over all time scales, from seconds to hours, days, months or years. Prediction of noise levels typically assumes either a "worst-case" approach in which all noise sources are assumed to be operating simultaneously, or by predicting an "energy-average" (Leq) level over a long time period. In the latter case, an energy-average (Leq) noise level is predicted at receivers, based on the anticipated percentage utilisation of the various noise sources on the construction site - that is, the fraction of time that each item of equipment is operating or not during the averaging time period. This paper presents a metho...

A Review of Prediction Methods for Ground-Borne Noise due to Construction Activities

The generation of ground-borne noise inside receiver buildings due to nearby construction works c... more The generation of ground-borne noise inside receiver buildings due to nearby construction works can cause significant community impact and impose difficult constraints on construction activities. Several methods exist to predict ground vibration from permanent operational sources; however the suitability of some of these methods to predict ground-borne noise from construction activities are not well known and have not yet been thoroughly tested. This paper presents an overview of some of the various methods available to estimate ground-borne noise levels from construction activities and discusses the advantages and limitations of each.

Optimisation of noise control treatments for staged noise management programs using genetic algorithms

Maximising the cost-effectiveness of noise mitigation treatments for industrial facilities is usu... more Maximising the cost-effectiveness of noise mitigation treatments for industrial facilities is usually a prime consideration. Accordingly, the selection of noise control treatments for individual noise sources can be optimised to maximise the total value-for-money of the overall noise mitigation treatment program. Additionally, it may also be desirable to stage the implementation of the plant’s noise reduction program into several phases, for instance if the noise mitigation funding is only available as an annual budget allowance. A method is proposed to achieve these goals using Genetic Algorithms. An example case study is provided to illustrate the procedure. A hypothetical industrial plant with 100 noise sources is investigated, and the procedure is demonstrated with an example scenario of a target total noise level reduction, and a fixed annual budget allowance for noise mitigation treatments.

Cost optimisation of noise control for industrial buildings

The acoustic design of noise control treatments for industrial buildings should consider the cost... more The acoustic design of noise control treatments for industrial buildings should consider the costs of materials and construction as key design parameters. However, reducing the cost of the acoustic design is often given a lower priority than is given to the primary design requirement of achieving the noise level goals. An effective method to reduce the overall costs of the noise control treatments for an industrial building is to use engineering optimisation techniques. The selection of noise treatments can be undertaken by a computer based on the constraint that the noise control goals must be met, but with the deliberate intention to minimise the overall noise control cost. An engineering optimisation technique suitable for this application is the Genetic Algorithm. This paper demonstrates a method of using Genetic Algorithms to minimise the cost of noise control treatments for an industrial building with a variety of available wall and roof cladding materials.

How to maximise the operating fleet and still comply with the noise limits

Construction sites and mine sites often have strict noise limits during certain time periods, eg.... more Construction sites and mine sites often have strict noise limits during certain time periods, eg. during the night, weekends and public holidays. Site managers would often like to know what is the most activity that can occur on site simultaneously during periods of restricted noise emissions. Using engineering optimisation techniques it is possible to accurately determine the maximum number of fixed plant and mobile equipment that can be operating together at any time while still complying with the noise emission limits. This paper presents the results of determining the recommended fleet quota using Genetic Algorithms as a post-processing technique based on the noise propagation information from proprietary environmental noise modelling software.

Cost reduction of noise treatments in the oil & gas industry -design of noise mitigation for gas compressor stations using engineering optimisation

The capital cost of noise control treatments for land-based gas compressor stations can be signif... more The capital cost of noise control treatments for land-based gas compressor stations can be significant. Field gas compression facilities can have many noise sources including compressors, fan coolers, power generators or transformers, pipes and valves, flares and so on. Some coal seam gas field facilities can also have co-located water treatment plant or water transfer pumps. Environmental noise computer modelling predictions can estimate the component contribution noise emissions from each individual noise source at each affected receiver. Using these data, an experienced practitioner can estimate a scheme of noise level reductions for each source so that the noise emissions of the entire site comply with the overall environmental noise targets at the receptors. However it is not straightforward to select and design the noise control treatments for all of the individual noise sources with the explicit goal of minimising the total capital cost for the overall noise mitigation program. This paper provides an example of minimising the cost of noise control treatments required for a coal seam methane gas field compression station using two different engineering optimisation techniques.

A Review of Prediction Methods for Ground-Borne Noise Due to Tunnel Construction Activities

The prediction of ground-borne noise levels from tunnel construction activities requires knowledg... more The prediction of ground-borne noise levels from tunnel construction activities requires knowledge of the input vibration forces from the vibration source(s) into the cutting face, knowledge of the vibration transmissibility through the surrounding medium, and knowledge of the receiver building’s vibro-acoustic response. The conversion of this vibration energy into sound pressure within the receiver building depends upon the vibration coupling of the soil and the building’s foundations, the structure’s response including floor-to-floor attenuation and amplification due to resonance, the radiation effi ciencies of the internal structural elements, and the room’s acoustical properties. Beginning with a known input vibration spectrum at the cutting face, it is possible to predict the resultant ground-borne noise levels within a receiver building using either analytical and/or empirical techniques, or by numerical modelling. This paper presents an overview of the various methods available to estimate ground-borne noise levels from tunnel construction activities and discusses the advantages and limitations of each.

Minimising the cost of noise control in the coal seam gas industry by selection of noise treatments for gas wells using engineering optimisation

Reducing costs is an important consideration when designing gas field facilities. The cost of noi... more Reducing costs is an important consideration when designing gas field facilities. The cost of noise mitigation treatments to the power units and pumps at well-heads can be a significant proportion of capital expenditure, and opportunities to reduce these costs are usually welcomed. The assessment and management of environmental noise impact from land-based gas fields is somewhat unique because of the large number of noise sources distributed over a very large area, often with many noise receptors interspersed between the wells and with most receptors receiving noise simultaneously from many wells from different directions. With such complexity, it can be difficult to select and design noise control treatment for the noise sources located at the wells in a cost-effective manner. It would be advantageous to have a calculation tool that could select appropriate noise treatments for each noise source at each well so that the environmental noise targets are achieved at each receptor while simultaneously ensuring that the cost-effectiveness of the noise mitigation program is maximised. This paper demonstrates an example of using three different optimisation techniques to minimise the cost of the overall noise control treatment scheme for the major noise sources located at coal seam gas wells.

A Review of Prediction Methods for Ground-Borne Noise due to Construction Activities

The generation of ground-borne noise inside receiver buildings due to nearby construction works c... more The generation of ground-borne noise inside receiver buildings due to nearby construction works can cause significant community impact and impose difficult constraints on construction activities. Several methods exist to predict ground vibration from permanent operational sources; however the suitability of some of these methods to predict ground-borne noise from construction activities are not well known and have not yet been thoroughly tested. This paper presents an overview of some of the various methods available to estimate ground-borne noise levels from construction activities and discusses the advantages and limitations of each.

Optimisation of noise control treatments for staged noise management programs using Genetic Algorithms

Maximising the cost-effectiveness of noise mitigation treatments for industrial facilities is usu... more Maximising the cost-effectiveness of noise mitigation treatments for industrial facilities is usually a prime consideration. Accordingly, the selection of noise control treatments for individual noise sources can be optimised to maximise the total value-for-money of the overall noise mitigation treatment program. Additionally, it may also be desirable to stage the implementation of the plant's noise reduction program into several phases, for instance if the noise mitiga-tion funding is only available as an annual budget allowance. A method is proposed to achieve these goals using Genetic Algorithms. An example case study is provided to illustrate the procedure. A hypothetical industrial plant with 100 noise sources is investigated, and the procedure is demonstrated with an example scenario of a target total noise level reduction, and a fixed annual budget allowance for noise mitigation treatments.

Optimisation of Noise Control Design for Environmental Noise Impact, Occupational Health & Safety Noise Exposure, Sustainability Impact and Construction Cost by Multi-Objective Combinatorial Optimisation

Acoustic design for new industrial plant must often consider a combination of design goals, achie... more Acoustic design for new industrial plant must often consider a combination of design goals, achieving not only environmental and safety noise level targets, but must also contribute to the project's value management efforts and aim for the best possible sustainability outcome. These requirements are often contradictory and sometimes mutually exclusive , yet the acoustic designer must attempt to balance the overall design with the best possible compromise. A method is proposed which provides acoustic designers with a systematic method for adopting the most appropriate noise control strategy solution within the design parameters.

Prediction of Structure-borne Noise and Vibration in Buildings from Basement Vibration Sources using the Finite Element Method

It is a well-known phenomenon to experience vibration and noise in a building built over the top ... more It is a well-known phenomenon to experience vibration and noise in a building built over the top of or near a rail subway tunnel, road tunnel or construction or heavy work site. Because of the complexities introduced by the soil, prediction of the likely problems to be experienced in nearby buildings is based on empirical methods, often relying on site testing. However, in instances where the construction does not yet exist, site empirical testing is not possible. An alternative approach is outlined which involves the simulation of the structure and soil using the finite element method. A transfer function dependent on frequency (Green's Function) was analytically determined as the ratio of the velocity measured near the vibration source to the velocity of the structure at the base of the future buildings. The approach is novel in its method of applying the impact force to the model and its development of the transfer function from the finite element method results. This paper addresses the finite element model, simplifications made, sensitivity analysis undertaken to validate the approach and the methodology of obtaining the frequency dependent transfer function. It illustrates the approach using an underground rail tunnel that is integral with the building, effectively located in the building's basement. It concludes that the approach is worthy of further development.

Maximising the cost-effectiveness of noise control treatments for overland conveyors by engineering optimisation

Environmental noise limits for overland conveyors can be difficult to achieve even with costly no... more Environmental noise limits for overland conveyors can be difficult to achieve even with costly noise reduction treatments , particularly in retro-fit situations. Different conveyor systems require different strategies to achieve noise reduction , and often require a combination of methods to achieve the overall environmental targets. In cases where the overall noise targets can be achieved by alternative combinations of different treatments, the overall cost-effectiveness of the noise control program can be maximised using engineering optimisation methods. This paper presents a general method for selection of the type and extents of noise mitigation required to achieve the environmental goals for the maximum value for money.