Rail noise and vibration in Australia - A case study

Abstract

This paper reviews the various stages of a major rail project undertaken in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, between 2010 and 2012. This case study involves 40 kilometres of new track adjacent to existing railway lines in the Hunter Valley, NSW. The project is located within a mixture of rural and urban settings and had the potential to impact on a large number of sensitive receivers during both the construction and operational phases. The project approvals required compliance with a number of relatively new noise and vibration guidelines and policies, which provides an opportunity for the author to reflect on the recent evolutions in noise and vibration control practices and policing in Australia. This paper reviews the project from the approvals process to its commissioning phase from a noise and vibration point of view. It explores the construction and operational noise modelling methodologies, reviews the design process and adopted mitigation measures and, in doing so, it discusses the practical challenges met through the course of the works. © 2013 Acoustical Society of America.