NEW PRODUCTS and INNOVATIONS
Delivering noise pollution solutions for Crossrail
Jan 2012
Brüel & Kjær News Release
- Contractors carrying out advance works for Crossrail at London's Liverpool Street Station have turned to an acoustic consultancy in a bid to ensure compliance with strict noise pollution regulations.
-
NoiseSentinel software warns of possible breaches
- The BAM Nuttall/Kier JV is operating in a highly built-up area of central London, and the contract demands real-time monitoring of noise levels as part of planning conditions imposed by the local authority.
- The JV has turned to Anderson Acoustics to provide a noise-management solution that will enable it to fulfil the Crossrail project's noise pollution regulations and prevent delays to operations.
- Andy Knowles, Director of Acoustic Services at Anderson Acoustics, explained: "Given the scale of this construction, and the constraints, a key requirement was high reliability of the noise monitoring system. Experiencing failures that could require construction work to be stopped is not an option. The capability to present the data in the right place at the right time was critical."
- The monitoring equipment being used is the NoiseSentinel system which is owned and operated by Danish company Brüel & Kjær, a subsidiary of UK-based Spectris.
-
Crossrail demands enabling works and demolition must operate within strict noise level limits
- A web-based interface monitors and warns of noise increases, with a trigger alerting consultants to any small noise increase above a pre-determined threshold. This allows mitigating action to be taken before a breach occurs. A sound recording is automatically made whenever an alert is issued, and this is available to site operators within seconds, allowing them to investigate the source and determine if it is construction-based or not.
- At the Liverpool Street enabling works site there are three noise-sensitive locations nearby where real-time monitoring is required as a condition of the planning consent issued by the City of London Corporation. The BAM Nuttall/Kier JV also decided to install a fourth noise monitor on the construction site itself, so that events could be relayed back to the site with greater certainty.
- Dan Saunders, European Sales Driver for Danish company Brüel & Kjær, said: "We are very pleased that our service is able to assist in the Crossrail construction project, and see it as a logical solution for large projects of this type – completely freeing the project drivers to focus on what they do best."
-
Liverpool Street Station contract set to be awarded later this month
- Phil Stollery, Head of Product Marketing, added: "Both noise and vibration has the potential to cause nuisance and trigger complaints from the community. Excessive vibration can also lead to structural damage. If not managed properly both can lead to costly delays in construction, and limits to operations."
- In total six central London stations are to be redeveloped as underground structures. These will provide the new east-west 118km-long Crossrail system with interconnections to the existing London underground and overground rail networks. The new line - which runs from Maidenhead and Heathrow in the west to Abbey Wood in the east - includes 21km a twin-bore tunnels under the heart of London.
- The estimated £300 million C502 contract to rebuild the Liverpool Street Station to incorporate the necessary underground structures is due to be let later this month. The shortlist comprises Balfour Beatty/Morgan Sindall/ Vinci JV, Costain/Skanska JV, Laing O'Rourke and the Dragados/Sisk JV.
-
Crossrail awards central station contracts - TunnelTalk, Nov 2011
Bids called for remaining Crossrail stations - TunnelTalk, April 2011
Space monitor for Hong Kong settlement - TunnelTalk, Sep 2011
|
|
|
|
|
Add your comment
- Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and comments. You share in the wider tunnelling community, so please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language professional.
