Appendix Noise and O1 Vibration Impact Assessment
Hunter H2O Queanbeyan Sewage Treatment Plant Noise and Vibration Impact Assessment
267007-AC01
Issue 1 | 27 October 2020
This report takes into account the particular instructions and requirements of our client. It is not intended for and should not be relied upon by any third party and no responsibility is undertaken to any third party.
Job number 267007
Arup – Canberra Office Suite 4.04 Level 4 10 Moore Street Canberra ACT 2600 Australia www.arup.com
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Hunter H2O Queanbeyan Sewage Treatment Plant Noise and Vibration Impact Assessment
Contents
Page
1 Introduction 3 1.1 Project Description 3 1.2 Environmental Authorisation 3
2 Statutory Context and Standards 5 2.1 Summary of Key Documents 5 2.2 Applicability to Road Traffic Noise 6 2.3 Applicability to Construction Noise 7 2.4 Applicability to Vibration: Human Comfort 7 2.5 Applicability to Vibration: Building Damage 9 2.6 Applicability to Operational Noise 11
3 Noise Receivers 13
4 Construction Impacts 15 4.1 Construction Overview 15 4.2 Construction Noise Assessment 18 4.3 Construction Vibration Assessment 21 4.4 Construction Generated Traffic 21
5 Operational Impacts 22 5.1 Operational Overview: Existing vs Proposed 22 5.2 Operational Noise Assessment 26 5.3 Operational Vibration Assessment 26
6 Mitigation Measures 27 6.1 Construction Noise Mitigation and Management Measures 27 6.2 Construction Vibration Management 30 6.3 Operational Noise and Vibration Management 31
7 Conclusion 32
8 Bibliography 34
Appendices
Appendix A Acoustic Terminology
267007-AC01 | Issue 1 | 27 October 2020
C:\USERS\FIONA.RILEY\DESKTOP\QUEANBEYAN REVIEWS\267007-AC01 V2 QSTP NOISE AND VIBRATION ASSESSMENT FINAL.DOCX
Hunter H2O Queanbeyan Sewage Treatment Plant Noise and Vibration Impact Assessment
267007-AC01 | Issue 1 | 27 October 2020
C:\USERS\FIONA.RILEY\DESKTOP\QUEANBEYAN REVIEWS\267007-AC01 V2 QSTP NOISE AND VIBRATION ASSESSMENT FINAL.DOCX
Hunter H2O Queanbeyan Sewage Treatment Plant Noise and Vibration Impact Assessment
1 Introduction
Arup has been engaged to conduct an Environmental Noise and Vibration Assessment for the construction and operational phases of the proposed upgrade to the Queanbeyan Sewage Treatment Plant (QSTP) (‘the Project’) in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). The Assessment addresses emissions to surrounding developments and has been carried out in accordance with the requirements of relevant ACT noise and vibration policies further described in Section 2 of this Assessment.
1.1 Project Description The Project will provide an upgraded sewage treatment plant (STP) for 75,000 EP (equivalent population) in an area adjacent to the current STP. [1] The design has also considered a further capacity of 150,000 EP with the assumption that the same process technology will be located within the current leased area available. [2] The concept design has been developed based on the design criteria and assumptions report [1] and an options study that selected the preferred treatment process for the upgrade. [3] The Project aims to be operational by 2024 and includes the following key facilities and components: Primary inlet works with screening and grit removal Secondary biological processes to remove carbon and nutrients Tertiary filtration to remove phosphorus, solids and pathogens such as protozoa Disinfection to treat pathogens such as viruses and bacteria Sludge treatment to stabilise biosolids for offsite reuse Controlled effluent discharge to the Molonglo River providing a safe environmental flow to Lake Burley Griffin All buildings including administration and those that house support facilities Standpipe for recycled water to be provided for offsite use Mountain Road upgrade Decommissioning of the current evaporation ponds followed by rehabilitation to return them to their more natural river and riparian state.
1.2 Environmental Authorisation Under the Environment Protection Act 1997, certain activities that pose environmental risk require environmental authorisation. Environmental authorisations are one of the most important regulatory tools available to the Environment Protection Authority (ACT EPA), as they set out conditions for activities carrying with them the greatest environmental risk [4]
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The Environmental Authorisation 0417 (dated 21 February 2017) which authorises the operation of sewage treatment and storage of petroleum products of the existing QSTP facility does not note any specific criteria for noise. It makes references to an Environmental Management Plan which requires the protection of the amenity of nearby residents from noise/vibration impacts resulting from activities associated with the existing development by ensuring that noise/vibration levels meet statutory requirements and acceptable standards.
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2 Statutory Context and Standards
This section lists, explains and assesses the relevance of key statutory documents and standards.
2.1 Summary of Key Documents Key Legislation and PolicyIn assessing the noise and vibration impacts of the QSTP, the following policies, acts and regulations are relevant: ACT Government Environment Protection Act 1997 [5] ACT Government Environment Protection Regulation [6] ACT Environment Protection Authority Noise Environment Protection Policy 2010 [7] These documents are summarised here and their applicability to the Project is explored in sections 2.2 to 2.6.
Environment Protection Act 1997 The ACT Environment Protection Act 1997 (the EP Act) [5] sets out the basis for regulations and policies pertaining to protection of the environment within the ACT. The EP Act makes provision for general environmental duty such that: “A person must take the steps that are practicable and reasonable to prevent or minimise environmental harm or environmental nuisance caused, or likely to be caused, by an activity conducted by that person.” Environmental nuisance is defined by the EP Act to include noise emission that causes unreasonable interference to the enjoyment of the public, a section of the public or a person of a place or area. In the context of the proposed QSTP, noise emissions could be generated by construction or operation activities. The relevant policies and guidelines are discussed in the succeeding sections that address these matters.
Environment Protection Regulation 2005 Section 25 of the ACT Government Environment Protection Regulation 2005 (‘the Regulation’) [6] makes provision for excessive noise that causes environmental harm, to support the intent of the EP Act. The Regulation states: “Under section 25 (1), noise is not taken to cause environmental harm in an affected place if it is noise mentioned in schedule 2, table 2.3, column 2 and the conditions (if any) mentioned in column 3 for the noise are met.” Under the Regulation, the ACT is divided into ‘Noise Zones’ in accordance with land use policies defined by the Territory Plan. ‘Noise Standards’ apply to each Noise Zone, except where otherwise permitted by the Regulation. This regulation would apply to fixed infrastructure noise and construction.
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ACT EPA Noise Environment Protection Policy 2010 The ACT EPA Noise Environment Protection Policy 2010 (NEPP) [7] has been published to provide guidance on meeting the legislative requirements, particularly the EP Act, and requirements of the Regulation applicable to noise. The objective of the NEPP is to establish environmental noise limits which are consistent with the requirements and Object of the EP Act. Section 7 of the NEPP outlines how the ‘Noise Standards’ and ‘Noise Zones’ defined in the Regulation are applied, and Section 9 defines the permitted activities, with some extenuating circumstances set out in Table 2.3 of Schedule 2 of the Regulation.
2.1.1 Key Guidance Material The following guidance, resources and documents are relevant: Roads ACT Noise Management Guidelines 2018 [8] NSW Department of Environment and Conservation Assessing Vibration: A Technical Guideline 2006 [9] British Standard BS 6472:2008 – Guide to Evaluation of Human Exposure to Vibration in Buildings Part 1: Vibration sources other than blasting [10] British Standards BS 7385-1:1990 - Evaluation and measurement for vibration in buildings. Guide for measurement of vibrations and evaluation of their effects on buildings [11] British Standards BS 7385-2:1993 - Evaluation and measurement for vibration in buildings. Guide to damage levels from ground borne vibration [12] German Standard DIN4150.3: 2016 – Structural Vibration – Part 3: Effects of Vibration on Structures [13] ACT Mapi Basic Map, http://app.actmapi.act.gov.au/actmapi/index.html?viewer=basic [14] Australian Standard AS2436:2010 – Guide to noise and vibration control on construction, demolition and maintenance sites (AS2436:2010) [15] Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, Update of noise database for prediction of noise on construction and open sites 2006 [16] ACT Environmental Protection Authority Noise Measurement Manual 2009 [17]
2.2 Applicability to Road Traffic Noise The Transport Canberra and City Services’ Roads ACT Noise Management Guidelines (RANMG) 2018 [8] provide traffic noise criteria for adjacent noise sensitive receivers next to arterial and major collector roads. Road traffic noise criteria in the RANMG apply to upgraded existing roads which are defined as major collector roads or arterial roads.
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Roads relevant to the proposed QSTP are Mountain Road and Railway Street, where upgrade works include widening of lanes to allow heavy vehicles. New internal roads are also proposed to be constructed around the plant to allow access for operation and maintenance. However Mountain Road, Railway Street and these new internal minor roads are not considered major collector roads or arterial roads. Further, it is not anticipated that the upgrades to the existing local roads and new access roads will increase traffic generation. Therefore, no road traffic noise criteria apply.
2.3 Applicability to Construction Noise The Regulation does not have any requirements specifically relating to construction works for upgrading public infrastructure [6]. The most appropriate noise condition is Item 6 (c) of Table 2.3 of the Regulation which is reproduced in Table 1. Table 1: Noise conditions applicable to the proposed QSTP site Item Noise Conditions 6 Noise emitted in the course of (c) all of the following: building work for which a (i) the noise is emitted from a place other than building approval under the a place in noise zone A or B; and, Building Act 2004, division 3.3 (ii) the building work will not be finished is required. within 3 weeks after the day it started; and, (iii) all relevant noise reduction measures mentioned in Australian Standard 2436 [15], as in force from time to time, are implemented; and, (iv) the noise is emitted between 7am and 6pm on Monday to Saturday excluding public holidays.
Accordingly, construction noise generated by the proposed QSTP has not been assessed against specific numerical noise limits. However, as part of the Project’s contract documents, the construction contractor is required to prepare and demonstrate compliance with a best-practice construction noise and vibration management plan (CNVMP), subject to ACT EPA approvals. This is further detailed in section 6 which explores mitigation measures for noise and vibration.
2.4 Applicability to Vibration: Human Comfort In the absence of an ACT guideline, the vibration criteria for the assessment of human comfort have been established in accordance with the NSW Department of Environment and Conservation’s ‘Assessing Vibration: a technical guideline’ (NSW AVTG) (February 2006) [9]. The NSW AVTG provides vibration criteria for maintaining human comfort within different space uses. The NSW AVTG recommends ‘preferred’ and ‘maximum’ weighted vibration levels for both continuous vibration sources, such as steady road traffic and continuous construction activity, and for impulsive
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vibration sources. The weighting curves are obtained from BS 6472-1:2008 – ‘Guide to Evaluation of Human Exposure to Vibration in Buildings Part 1: Vibration sources other than blasting’ [10]. For intermittent sources (for example, passing heavy vehicles, impact pile driving, intermittent construction), the NSW AVTG uses the vibration dose value (VDV) metric to assess human comfort effects of vibration. A VDV considers both the magnitude of vibration events and the number of instances of the vibration event. Intermittent events that occur less than three times in an assessment period (either day, 7 am to 10 pm, or night, 10 pm to 7 am) are counted as ‘impulsive’ sources for the purposes of assessment. As noted in the NSW AVTG, situations exist where vibration above the preferred values can be acceptable, particularly for temporary disturbances, such as construction or excavation projects. However, the recommended vibration limits for maintaining human comfort in residences and other relevant receiver types are given for continuous/impulsive and intermittent vibration in Table 2 and Table 3 respectively. Table 2: Preferred and maximum weighted root-mean-square (rms) values for continuous and impulsive vibration acceleration (m/s²) 1-80 Hz Preferred Values Maximum Values Location Period x- and x- and z-axis z-axis y-axes y-axes Continuous Vibration Critical areas1 Day- or Night-time 0.005 0.0036 0.01 0.0072 Residences Daytime 0700-2200h 0.010 0.0071 0.020 0.014 Night-time 2200-0700h 0.007 0.005 0.014 0.010 Offices, schools, Day- or Night-time 0.020 0.014 0.040 0.028 educational institutions and places of worship Impulsive Vibration Critical areas1 Day- or Night-time 0.005 0.0036 0.01 0.0072 Residences Daytime 0700-2200h 0.30 0.21 0.60 0.42 Night-time 2200-0700h 0.10 0.071 0.20 0.14 Offices, schools, Day- or Night-time 0.64 0.46 1.28 0.92 educational institutions and places of worship Note: 1. Criteria for sensitive areas are only indicative, and have been provided as guidance to acceptable vibration levels for the use of sensitive equipment
Table 3: Acceptable vibration dose values for intermittent vibration (m/s1.75) Daytime 0700-2200 h Night-time 2200-0700 h Location Preferred Maximum Maximum Preferred Value Value Value Value Critical areas1 0.10 0.20 0.10 0.20 Residences 0.20 0.40 0.13 0.26
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Daytime 0700-2200 h Night-time 2200-0700 h Location Preferred Maximum Maximum Preferred Value Value Value Value Offices, schools, 0.40 0.80 0.40 0.80 educational institutions and places of worship Note 1. Criteria for sensitive areas are only indicative, and there may be a need to assess intermittent vibration against impulsive or continuous criteria.
2.5 Applicability to Vibration: Building Damage Currently, there is no Australian standard that sets the criteria for building or structural damage caused by construction vibration. Potential structural or cosmetic damage to buildings as a result of vibration is typically assessed in accordance with British Standard BS7385-2:1993 – ‘Evaluation and Measurement for Vibration in Buildings Part 2: Guide to damage levels from ground borne vibration’ [12].
British Standard BS 7385-1:1990 – ‘Evaluation and measurement for vibration in buildings. Guide for measurement of vibrations and evaluation of their effects on buildings’ [11] defines different levels of structural damage as: Cosmetic - The formation of hairline cracks on drywall surfaces, or the growth of existing cracks in plaster or drywall surfaces; in addition, the formation of hairline cracks in mortar joints of brick/concrete block construction. Minor - The formation of large cracks or loosening of plaster or drywall surfaces, or cracks through bricks/concrete blocks. Major - Damage to structural elements of the building, cracks in supporting columns, loosening of joints, splaying of masonry cracks, etc. These levels have been adopted for this Assessment and are quantified in the following section.
2.5.1 Structural building damage Table 1 within BS7385-2: 1993 – ‘Evaluation and measurement for vibration in buildings. Guide to damage levels from groundborne vibration’ [12] sets limits for the protection against cosmetic damage (shown in Table 4), and the following guidance on minor and major damage is provided in Section 7.4.2 of the Standard: 7.4.2 Guide values for transient vibration relating to cosmetic damage Limits for transient vibration, above which cosmetic damage could occur are given numerically in Table 1 and graphically in Figure 1. In the lower frequency region where strains associated with a given vibration velocity magnitude are higher, the guide values for the building types
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corresponding to line 2 are reduced. Below a frequency of 4 Hz, where a high displacement is associated with a relatively low peak component particle velocity value a maximum displacement of 0.6 mm (zero to peak) should be used. Minor damage is possible at vibration magnitudes which are greater than twice those given in Table 1, and major damage to a building structure may occur at values greater than four times the tabulated values. BS7385-2:1993 is based on peak particle velocity and specifies damage criteria for frequencies within the range 4–250 Hz, and a maximum displacement value below 4 Hz is recommended. Table 4 sets out the BS7385-2:1993 criteria for cosmetic, minor and major damage. Table 4: BS 7385-2 structural damage criteria Peak component particle velocity 1 Damage Group Type of structure level 4 Hz to 15 Hz to 40 Hz and 15 Hz 40 Hz above 1 Reinforced or framed Cosmetic 50 structures. Industrial and Minor1 100 heavy commercial buildings Major2 200 2 Un-reinforced or light Cosmetic 15 to 20 20 to 50 50 framed structures. Minor2 30 to 40 40 to 100 100 Residential or light commercial type Major2 60 to 80 80 to 200 200 buildings Notes: 1. Peak Component Particle Velocity is the maximum Peak particle velocity in any one direction (x, y, z) as measured by a tri-axial vibration transducer. 2. Minor and major damage criteria established based on BS7385.2:1993 Section 7.4.2 All levels relate to transient vibrations in low-rise buildings. Continuous vibration can give rise to dynamic magnifications that may require levels to be reduced by up to 50%.
2.5.2 Buried Services DIN 4150-3:2016 [13] sets out guideline values for vibration effects on buried pipework and reproduced in Table 5. Table 5: Guideline values for short-term vibration impacts on buried pipework2 Guideline values for vibration Pipe material velocity measured on the pipe, mm/s Steel (including welded pipes) 100 Clay, concrete, reinforced concrete, pre-stressed 80 concrete, metal (with or without flange) Masonry, plastic 50
For water supply pipes within 2m of buildings, the levels given in Table 6 should be applied. Consideration must also be given to pipe junctions with the building
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structure as potential significant changes in mechanical loads on the pipe may cause stress concentrations. Table 6: DIN 4150-3 structural damage criteria Group Type of structure Vibration velocity, mm/s At foundation at frequency of Plane of floor uppermost storey 1 Hz to 10 Hz to 50 Hz All 10 Hz 50 Hz to frequencies 100 Hz 1 Buildings used for commercial 20 20 to 40 40 to 40 purposes, industrial buildings and 50 buildings of similar design 2 Dwellings and buildings of 5 5 to 15 15 to 15 similar design and/or use 20
Other services that may be encountered include electrical cables and telecommunication services such as fibre optic cables. While these may sustain vibration velocity levels from between 50 millimetres/second and 100 millimetres/second, the connected services such as transformers and switchgear may not. Where encountered, site specific vibration assessment in consultation with the utility provider should be carried out.
2.6 Applicability to Operational Noise The Regulation provides limits for noise which potentially causes environmental harm [6]. These limits apply only to noise sources associated with the fixed infrastructure, such as STPs. The noise limits are based on ‘Noise Standards’ applicable to ‘Noise Zones’, which relate to different land use zones within the ACT. The assessment noise descriptor for the Noise Standards is in dBLA10(15min). The QSTP’s operation noise limits are summarised in Table 7. The Project site and the adjacent broadacre land have similar noise standard values, however the nearest residential receivers have an even lower level. Table 7: Operation noise limits Land Noise standard dB(A) 1 Noise Area use Land use description zones zone2 Day Night Adjacent NUZ1 Zone E Land in (other than land in the 50 40 broadacre city centre, town centres and land group centres) in: A restricted access recreation zone A broadacre zone
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Land Noise standard dB(A) 1 Noise Area use Land use description zones zone2 Day Night QSTP site TSZ2 Zone F Land (other than land in the 503 403 city centre, town centres and group centres) in: A commercial (CZ5) zone, in a services zone (TSZ2), A community facility zone (CFZ), A leisure and accommodation zone (CZ6) Nearest RZ1 Zone G All other land, including – 45 35 Residential residential land, hills ridges receiver in and buffers ACT and NSW Notes: 1. Day is defined as Mon-Sat (07:00-22:00) Sun and public holiday (08:00-22:00), Night is defined as Mon-Sat (22:00-07:00) Sun and public holiday (22:00-08:00). 2. The land use zones and the associated noise zones were sourced from https://actgov.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=44e571e9994341c285969ae430d40 126 3. The same as the noise standard for the adjoining noise zone with the loudest noise standard for the time period.
Further, the ACT EPA’s ‘Noise Measurement Manual’ 2009 (NMM) provides correction factors to noise emission with specific noise characteristics, such as tonal, impulsive, intermittent, low-frequency and non-continuous duration. The corrections specified are to be added to the predicted noise levels at the receiver before comparison with the project noise criteria.
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3 Noise Receivers
The nearest most potentially affected land uses surrounding the development have been identified in Table 8 and Figure 1. Table 8: Nearest sensitive receivers to the proposed QSTP facility Item Distance from facility1 Type Address No (m) RE1 Residential 50 Railway st, 10 Oaks Estate Road 580 IN1 Commercial 44 Railway Street 600 IN2 Commercial 101 Copper Crescent 440 RE2 Residential 1 Crest Road 740 RE3 Residential 3 Hill Street 650 Note: 1 – the distance is measured from the proposed QSTP facility to the receiver boundary.
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Figure 1: Proposed QSTP site with nearest receivers
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4 Construction Impacts
This section outlines the impact assessment for construction, covering both noise and vibration.
4.1 Construction Overview This Assessment has been based on construction staging, hours, activities and equipment information. It has been prepared ahead of the detailed design phase and construction planning; including completion of certain site survey data and land and access agreements. The detailed design and construction staging plans and methods would be determined following the EIS. Due to this the actual method may vary from what is described in this section, which is based on current high-level detail on construction methods.
4.1.1 Construction Staging The staging would involve a sequence of works lasting up to three years starting in June 2020, summarised in Table 9. Table 9: Description of preliminary construction program and stages No Activity Duration Start Finish 1 Mobilisation 25 days Fri 3/06/22 Thu 7/07/22 2 Procurement 130 days Fri 1/07/22 Thu 29/12/22 3 Establishment & early works 60 days Fri 8/07/22 Thu 29/09/22 4 Bulk Earthworks 60 days Fri 30/09/22 Thu 22/12/22 5 Construction key structures 320 days Fri 11/11/22 Thu 1/02/24 6 Testing and Commissioning 80 days Fri 2/02/24 Thu 23/05/24 7 Maturation ponds decommissioning 70 days Fri 24/05/24 Thu 29/08/24 8 Restoration of Mountain Road 40 days Fri 19/07/24 Thu 29/08/24 9 Completion 0 days Thu 29/08/24 Thu 29/08/24
4.1.2 Working Hours Construction would be largely carried out during standard construction hours given in Table 10. Table 10: Standard hours of construction for the QSTP site Day Standard construction hours Monday to Friday 7:00 am to 6:00 pm Saturdays 8:00 am to 1:00 pm
It is anticipated that there may be some schedule night works on case by case basis which will require approval from the ACT EPA.
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4.1.3 Construction Activities The majority of the construction activities will occur while the existing plant remains operational. Table 11 lists the main construction activities – establishment and early works, bulk earthworks, construction of key structures, testing and commissioning, decommissioning of maturation ponds and restoration of Mountain Road – and what high level steps each involves. Table 11: Anticipated construction activities to be carried out during the main works Stage Key steps Activity 1 These are administrative steps and have no construction works, Mobilisation therefore, these were not included in the acoustic assessment Activity 2 Procurement Activity 3 Survey and set out Construction Establishment and use of temporary construction site compound Establishment and early and stockpile areas/laydown areas in an existing cleared area works Establish environmental controls
Early access road to main construction pad Early work on Mountain Road Identify and divert services underground Activity 4 Bulk and detailed earthworks to prepare the site for construction Bulk earth works of new facilities including large excavators Erosion and sediment control measures would be installed prior to excavation and construction works Activity 5 Construction of new structures including: Construction of key o Storm pond (Earthworks, pipework, Mech and Elec Fit out) structures o Jerrabomberra trunk sewer diversion o Oxidation ditch (Earthworks, pipework, Mech (Blowers and diffuser installation, WAS pump installation) and Elec Fit out) o Clarifier (Earthworks, pipework, Mech (RAS Pump installation) and Elec Fit out) o Aerobic Digester o Road restoration and upgrades o Inlet works and PS (Earthworks, Pipework, Band Screen Installation, Pump Installation) o Grit Chamber o Dewatering building o Dual Media Filter o UV disinfection o Switch rooms and amenities building o Chemical dosing systems o Various pumping station (Foul water pumping station, dirty backwash pumping station, scum pumping station, filtrate pumping station) o Various tanks (Dirty Backwash tank, clear water tank)
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Stage Key steps Activity 6 All earthworks will adopt AS3798 commercial criteria Testing and Commissioning
Activity 7 Discontinuing inflow to existing maturation pond from existing De-commissioning of STP once new STP commissioned Maturation Ponds Discharge of treated effluent from ponds to Molonglo River o Removal of Exotic fish stock ponds to a suitable facility off site Liquid sludge from maturation ponds will be removed using contract dewatering equipment o Remaining sludge that cannot be removed from the lagoons using dewatering equipment will likely need to be blended and moisture conditioned with clean fill from the site, then removed using an excavator and stockpiled for further drying Removal of existing vegetation from existing embankment Revegetation to extend riverbank Embankment modification to form broad crest along maturation pond wall Activity 8 Resurfacing of Mountain Road Restoration of Mountain Road
4.1.4 Construction Equipment The activities that require equipment and machinery for the Project are typical for a general construction site. Table 12 provides an indicative but not exhaustive list of the potential equipment and machinery to be used in construction. Sound power levels have been sourced from Appendix A of the Australia Standard AS 2436-2010 (R2016) ‘Guide to noise and vibration control on construction, demolition and maintenance sites’ [15] and the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs’ ‘Update of noise database for prediction of noise on construction and open sites’ [16]. Table 12: Indicative key equipment and machinery and sound levels
Equipment Plant item sound power level, dBLAeq(15min)
Forklift 106 Concrete Pump 106 Truck 107 Backhoe 108 Compactor 115 Crane (Mobile) 113 Concrete Pump Truck 113 Generator (Diesel) 113 Bulldozer 114
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Equipment Plant item sound power level, dBLAeq(15min)
Moxeys 117 Large excavators fitted with teeth 106 Hand tools 117 Hoist 105 Power tool 110 Hand held electric drill 110 Hand held electric grinder 108 Excavator 106 Excavator with hammer 122 Scraper 113 Water cart 107 Roller 109 Hot mix 108
4.2 Construction Noise Assessment It is anticipated that construction equipment would move about the works site, changing noise impacts in relation to the nearby individual sensitive receivers. It is unlikely that all construction equipment would be operating at their maximum sound levels simultaneously. In any given period, typically construction equipment would be used with maximum sound levels for only a brief amount of time, while at other times the equipment may emit lower sound levels during activities. Table 13 describes the anticipated impacts of each proposed activity and considerations for noise impacts both during standard construction hours and outside standard hours.
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Table 13: Qualitative construction noise assessment and activity specific considerations Acoustic considerations Activity Qualitative assessment of noise impacts Standard construction hours work Outside of standard hours work Activity 3 High noise generating equipment, likely The construction site is 500m away from the Implement community consultation or notification Construction required during excavation, surface preparation, nearest sensitive receiver. Due to the significant measures detailing work activities, dates and hours, Establishment and earthworks, backfilling, profiling, levelling and distance from the project site, impacts due to impacts and mitigation measures, indication of work early works grading. these works are anticipated to be minor. schedule over the night-time period.
Activity 4 Other high noise activities are associated with Loudest works should be conducted during Concentrate works in the evening and early night- the use of concrete saws, jackhammers and standard construction hours. time period and minimise late night works wherever Bulk earth works compactors. practicable.
Activity 5 Construction of key structures Activity 6 It is anticipated that commissioning the new The construction site is 500m away from the May be required for connections of equipment or Testing and QSTP facility will not generate significant noise nearest sensitive receiver. Due to the significant power but is anticipated to be low noise impact. Commissioning levels. distance from the project site, impacts due to these works are anticipated to be minor.
Activity 7 Noise generating equipment may include The nearest sensitive receiver is: Not required De-commissioning pumps, trucks, excavators. 580m from the proposed QSTP facility of Maturation Ponds Assuming majority of the works and equipment will be located in close proximity to the project site, impacts due to these construction works are anticipated to be minor.
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Acoustic considerations Activity Qualitative assessment of noise impacts Standard construction hours work Outside of standard hours work Activity 8 High noise generating equipment, likely The construction site is 500m away from the Not required Restoration of required during excavation, surface preparation, nearest sensitive receiver. Due to the significant Mountain Road earthworks, backfilling, profiling, levelling and distance from the project site, impacts due to grading. these works are anticipated to be minor.
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4.3 Construction Vibration Assessment Due to the large distances from the Project site to the surrounding receivers as shown in Table 8 and Figure 1, vibration generated by the construction works will likely focus on the site and nearby services, posing a low risk of impact to the nearest sensitive receivers. Recommendations on vibration mitigation and management is provided in Section 6.2.
4.4 Construction Generated Traffic Traffic routes used by construction vehicles, including delivery and waste disposal vehicles, are yet to be defined. These routes shall be determined considering the number of noise sensitive receivers along each route, as well as the proximity to the nearest noise sensitive receivers. It is proposed that these vehicle movements would normally only occur during working hours as indicated in Section 4.1.2. It is anticipated that the construction vehicles will mainly be on the local roads, Mountain Road and Railway Street, and given the large distance to the nearest residential receivers, noise generated from these vehicles will have minimal impact.
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5 Operational Impacts
This section presents the impact assessment for operational, covering both noise and vibration.
5.1 Operational Overview: Existing vs Proposed The Project involves upgrading both of the capacity of the QSTP and the equipment used. This section provides a comparison between the existing and proposed QSTP in term of the treatment processes and the associated equipment for each process, in order to understand potential impacts related to noise and vibration. A comparison of the existing and the proposed system for the QSTP is provided in Table 14 and a comparison of the associated equipment for each treatment process is provided in Table 15. Following the tables, drawings of the existing and proposed equipment on the site are shown in Figure 2 and Figure 3, respectively. Table 14: Comparison of the existing vs the proposed system for the QSTP Component Existing System Proposed System Treatment Capacity Design 34,500 EP 75,000 EP Serves 57,000 EP Screening Partial 12 mm aperture and 1 Full 5 mm aperture and 2 Dimensional Dimensional Storm Storage Nil 30 ML Biological Treatment 8 ML Reactor 25 ML Reactor Ammonia removal Ammonia removal BOD removal BOD removal Biological nitrogen removal Biological phosphorous removal Chemical Phosphorus Chemical Phosphorus removal Chemical Phosphorous (2 stages) Treatment (1 stage) using ferric chloride using aluminium Clarification Surface area of 1,040 m2 Surface area of 2,500 m2 (Enhanced) Floc well, baffling and Solids contact zone Filtration Nil Dual media carbon and sand DAFF Disinfection Ultraviolet disinfection using Ultraviolet disinfection of all flows evaporation pond with no to the river using controlled and control engineered lamp system Reuse Nil Reuse Ready Biosolids Anaerobic sludge lagoons Aerobic Digestion Dewatering Noise Surface Aeration Acoustic enclosed blowers and diffused aeration
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Table 15: Comparison of equipment used by existing and proposed system for the QSTP Component Existing System Proposed System Screening Mechanically raked bar screen Band screens Vortex grit settler Inlet pumps Grit pumps (dry mounted) Washpress with screw conveyor Foul water pump station Vortex grit chamber agitator drive Blanche classifier rough/washer Grit pump Foul water pumps Storm Storage Nil Submersible storm pump Storm pond Storm returning pumping station Biological Treatment IDEA tanks Oxidation ditches Submerged diffused aeration Scum harvester WAS pump (surface mounted) Clarification Clarifier drives Clarifier drives Submersible RAS pumps Scum pump station RAS pump station Bioreactor blowers Airs scour blowers Air compressor Filtration Nil Filter lift pump Backwash tank Dual media filters Disinfection Maturation Ponds UV Disinfection (submerged lamps)
Reuse Nil Septage receival Recycled water tanker standpipe Biosolids Sludge Lagoon Polymer blending equipment Drying beds Dewatering facility (centrifuge with factory supplied noise attenuation and sludge conveyors) Aerobic digester (submerged diffused aeration and DWAS pumps) Noise mitigation Nil Noise attenuation covers for blowers
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Location Description 1 Mechanically raked bar screen,
Vortex grit settler
Grit pumps (dry mounted)
2 IDEA tanks (surface aerators)
3 Clarifiers,
Submersible RAS pumps
4 Generator
Figure 2: Existing site with equipment
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Item No Description 001 Inlet works 002 Storm pond 003 Storm return pumping station 004 Grit removal facility 005 Anaerobic zones 006 Oxidation ditch 1 007 Oxidation ditch 2 008 Final aerobic zones 009 Aeration grid wash down area 010 Mixed liquor splitter 011 Clarifier 1 012 Clarifier 2 013 RAS pumping station 014 Filter lift pumping station 015 UV disinfection facility 016 Dual media filers 017 Clear water tank 018 Dirty backwash tank 019 Polymer dosing facility 020 WAS thickener 021 Aerobic digester 022 Dewatering facility 023 Septage receival 024 Blower facility 025 HV electrical area 026 Main switch room 027 Inlet switch room 028 Sludge handling switch room 029 Chemical dosing facility 030 Amenities
Figure 3: Proposed QSTP site with equipment
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5.2 Operational Noise Assessment The QSTP upgrade proposes well-established technology for treating sewage that is tested and known to be robust and reliable. The new treatment process utilises additional and larger capacity equipment compared to the existing QSTP facility. The main sources of noise from the existing QSTP facility are the mechanically raked screen, surface aerators and clarifier drives. As outlined in section 5.1, this equipment will be replaced with newer technology, some with factory supplied noise attenuation. As there are no reported adverse noise impacts from the existing QSTP equipment, it is anticipated that with the proposed equipment changes for the upgrade, noise emission from the new equipment and process can readily satisfy the noise criteria. Detailed assessment is however required to be undertaken once initial equipment selections have been made to determine the need for equipment reselection or specific noise mitigation treatment. More detail is provided in the mitigations within section 6.3.
5.3 Operational Vibration Assessment The nearest residential receiver to the proposed QSTP is about 500m as shown in Table 8 and Figure 1. It is anticipated that the vibration generated by the operation of the QSTP will not have an adverse impact to the nearest sensitive receivers due to the distances of the receivers from the facility. Recommendations on vibration mitigation and management is provided in Section 6.3.
5.3.1 Locations with Vibration Sensitive Equipment No receivers have been identified within the vicinity of the proposed QSTP that are expected to house vibration sensitive equipment. If other receivers with vibration sensitive equipment are identified during later project phases, measurements of existing ambient vibration levels should be undertaken at these receivers.
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6 Mitigation Measures
6.1 Construction Noise Mitigation and Management Measures The recommended mitigation measures for noise during construction are covered in Table 16 below. A CNVMP for the Project would be play a key role in minimising the construction noise impact and would be included as part of the Construction Environment Management Plan (CEMP). Table 16: Construction noise mitigation measures ID Description Mitigation Measure Timing Responsibility N1 CNVMP A Construction Noise and Vibration Pre- Contractor or Management Plan shall be prepared Construction; Project prior to the issuing of a Construction During Proponent Certificate. This would specify the Construction actual plant to be used and would or include updated estimates of the likely Operational levels of noise and the scheduling of Phase activities. N2 Staffing Appoint a named member of the site Pre- Contractor staff who would act as the Responsible Construction; Person with respect to noise and During vibration; Construction Regularly train workers and contractors to use equipment in ways to minimise noise; Ensure good work practices are adopted to avoid issues such as noise from dropped items, noise from communication radios is kept as low as is practicable; Avoid the use of radios or stereos outdoors; and Avoid shouting and minimise talking loudly and slamming vehicle doors.
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ID Description Mitigation Measure Timing Responsibility N3 Plant and Where possible stationary equipment Pre- Contractor equipment would be located behind structures such Construction; as demountable buildings or stockpiles During to maximise shielding to receivers; Construction Consider using electric / hydraulic equipment; Consider using pulverisers instead of impact hammers for demolition works; Use the smallest equipment as is practical; Maintain and operate all plant and equipment used on site in a proper and efficient condition; Turn off all vehicles, plant and equipment when not in use; and Ensure that the Responsible Person checks the conditions of the powered equipment used on site daily to ensure plant is properly maintained and that noise is kept as low as practicable. N4 Work site Hold ‘Toolbox talks’ or similar at Pre- Contractor training regular intervals with the contractor Construction; workers, including discussion of noise During and vibration mitigation, monitoring Construction and assessment. These topics would also be covered under induction processes. N5 Scheduling Program high noise activities to occur Pre- Contractor during the daytime hours wherever Construction; possible and scheduled with due During consideration of the nearest sensitive Construction receivers; and For approved out-of-hours work, schedule noisy activities early in the night to minimise the impact on adjacent residents. Limit the number of consecutive nights receivers are impacted. N6 Community Ensure that the Responsible Person Pre- Contractor liaison keeps the local community advised on Construction; expected activities and coordinates During scheduling and locations of noisy works Construction around any critical user events where practicable. This shall include face to face meetings with nearby receivers if requested and a letter box drop, and shall include close liaison with neighbours during construction; and Maintain appropriate records of complaints to include timing, reported issues, actions taken and measures to be included for on-going works. The complaints log will need to be filed with the Responsible Person.
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ID Description Mitigation Measure Timing Responsibility N7 Reversing Use audible movement alarms of a type During Contractor alarms that would minimise noise impacts on Construction surrounding noise sensitive receivers – this must be implemented; Where practicable, utilise broadband, non-tonal reversing alarms on site equipment; and Ensure that the difference in volume between the reversing warning devices and the base machine noise level (at maximum governed speed under no load at any given test location) is minimised (in accordance with International Standard ISO9533:1989), and ensure that warning devices are no more than 5 dB above the Australian Standard level. N8 Material Avoid dropping equipment/materials During Contractor handling from a height or into trucks; and Construction Where practicable, use sound dampening material to cover the surfaces on to which any materials must be dropped. N9 Equipment Site noisy equipment away from noise- Pre- Contractor Location sensitive areas. Construction; Orient plant known to emit noise During strongly in one direction so that the Construction noise is directed away from noise- sensitive areas; Locate site access roads and site compounds as far away as possible from noise sensitive receptors; and Plan truck movements to avoid residential streets where possible. N10 Out of hours Submit a site-specific Out of hours Pre- Contractor Work work noise management plan, inclusive Construction; of all reasonable and practicable noise During Construction mitigation measures to ACT EPA for approval.
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6.2 Construction Vibration Management The recommended mitigation measures for vibration during construction are provided in Table 17 below. Table 17: Construction vibration mitigation measures Responsibili ID Description Mitigation Measure Timing ty V1 CNVMP A Construction Noise and Vibration Pre- Contractor or Management Plan shall be prepared prior Construction; Project to the issuing of a Construction During Proponent Certificate. This would specify the actual Construction plant to be used and would include or updated estimates of the likely levels of Operational vibration and the scheduling of activities. Phase V2 Minimum Maintain recommended minimum During Contractor working working distance for vibration intensive Construction distances plant equipment given in Table 16. V3 Vibration Where vibration intensive works are During Contractor monitoring required within the minimum working Construction distances outlined in Table 18, undertake vibration monitoring at the nearest potential affected building where real- time alerts can be generated when measured vibration levels exceed criteria in Section 2.4 and 2.5. V4 Exceedance Where there is an exceedance of vibration During Contractor of vibration criteria, stop the vibration producing Construction criteria activity and undertake a review of the construction methodology and equipment. V5 Building Should alternative low vibration During Contractor condition methodologies not be possible, building Construction surveys condition surveys would need to be Post undertaken prior to resuming the Construction vibration producing activity to document the building condition Post completion of the construction activities a further building condition survey would be required to establish whether damage has occurred as a result of the construction activities and where damage is identified it would be the contractor’s responsibility to make good any damage to a standard at least as good as prior to the construction works.
Adverse vibration impacts may result from vibration intensive equipment being used in close proximity to buildings and structures.
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Table 18 provides guidance regarding minimum working distances for vibration intensive plant. These are based on international Standards and national guidelines. Table 18: Recommended minimum working distances for vibration intensive plant Minimum working distance Human Plant item Rating / description Cosmetic response damage (OH&E (BS7385) Vibration Guideline) Vibratory roller < 50 kN (Typically 1-2 tonnes) 5 m 15 m to 20 m < 100 kN (Typically 2-4 tonnes) 6 m 20 m < 200 kN (Typically 4-6 tonnes) 12 m 40 m < 300 kN (Typically 7-13 tonnes) 15 m 100 m > 300 kN (Typically 13-18 tonnes) 20 m 100 m > 300 kN (> 18 tonnes) 25 m 100 m Small Hydraulic (300 kg - 5 to 12t excavator) 2 m 7 m Hammer Medium Hydraulic (900 kg – 12 to 18t excavator) 7 m 23 m Hammer Large Hydraulic (1600 kg – 18 to 34t excavator) 22 m 73 m Hammer Jackhammer Hand held 1 m Avoid contact (nominal) with structure
6.3 Operational Noise and Vibration Management The treatment plant equipment for the QSTP upgrade has not been confirmed at this stage of design. During ongoing design of the development, the equipment will be selected and provided with noise and vibration attenuation measures as required to meet the Project goals. It is recommended that an acoustic consultant be engaged to undertake noise predictions in order to recommend appropriate noise mitigation measures, should they be required. These may include: Specification of maximum sound power levels for all items of plant as part of the Project documentation. Use of attenuators, enclosures, etc. to control the noise source Vibration isolators to reduce vibration input to the building structure Acoustic screens around external plant, where required Incorporation of sound absorptive treatments in plantroom spaces.
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7 Conclusion
The assessment has covered the following issues and concluded that based on currently information, noise and vibration impacts due to both construction and operation are anticipated to be minor. Further detailed assessments are recommended once the equipment has been selected and the construction methodology has been finalised.
Construction Noise and Vibration Due to the distance of works to the nearest noise sensitive receivers, impacts due to the construction works are anticipated to be minor. Accordingly, a qualitative construction assessment of construction noise impacts has been undertaken. While it is recommended that a detailed construction noise and vibration management plan be developed by the contractor, in consultation with appropriate authorities, in-principle noise mitigation measures have been provided, with a focus on scheduling noisiest works outside of the night time period, noise reduction measures, community consultation, and good work practices on site. The noisiest stage of construction works is anticipated to be during the site works and establishment and construction of the key structures which can take up to fourteen (14) months. Some activities, including the noisiest activities of earthworks and subsurface works, track works and road works are anticipated to occur during the standard daytime hours. Should works be required outside standard hours, it is recommended to concentrate works in the evening and early night-time period and minimise late night works wherever practicable. Should night works be required, it is recommended to minimise the number of consecutive nights work and hold community consultation Vibration impacts should be managed by adhering to minimum working distances to buildings. Mitigation measures have been provided should works be required within these distances. These activities are temporary in nature and will require implementation of mitigation and management measures typical of capital works projects. Although no quantitative construction assessment is required at this stage of the design, a detailed assessment of construction noise impacts is recommended to be undertaken by the Contractor once further construction details are available and mitigation measures further developed.
Operational Noise and Vibration The proposed QSTP upgrade site is 500 to 700 m away from the nearest noise sensitive receivers as shown in Table 8 and Figure 1. As such, noise and vibration generate from the operations of the facility are anticipated to have no adverse impacts to the nearest receivers. A qualitative assessment of operational noise emissions has been undertaken on the basis that the Project relates to an upgrade of technology for treating sewage, and that the proposed treatment system will
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have negligible to minor impacts to the nearest receivers. These are anticipated to be due to a combination of the equipment’s newness, its associated reliability and its factory-supplied noise attenuation. It is nonetheless required that detailed acoustic assessment be undertaken once the equipment selection has been finalised in the later stages of the design.
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8 Bibliography
Bibliography
[1] Hunter H2O, “Queanbeyan Sewage Treatment Plant Upgrade Project: Design Criteria and Assumptions Report, Revision C,” Hunter H2O, ACT, 2019a. [2] Hunter H2O, “Queanbeyan Sewage Treatment Plant Upgrade Project Concet Design Report Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council,” Hunter H2O, ACT, 2020. [3] Hunter H2O, “Queanbeyan Sewage Treatment Plant Upgrade Project: Option Selection Report, Rev B,” Hunter H2O, ACT, 2019b. [4] A. Government, “Access Canberra,” [Online]. Available: https://www.accesscanberra.act.gov.au/app/answers/detail/a_id/3286/~/envir onmental-authorisations. [Accessed 24 June 20]. [5] ACT Government, “Environment Protection Act,” ACT Government, Canberra, 1997. [6] ACT Government, “Environment Protection Regulation,” ACT Government, Canberra, 2005. [7] ACT Government, “Environment Protection Authority Noise Environment Protection Policy,” ACT Government, Canberra, 2010. [8] ACT Government, “Roads ACT Noise Management Guidelines,” ACT Government, Canberra, 2018. [9] Department of Environment and Conservation (NSW), “Assessing Vibration: A technical guideline,” Department of Environment and Conservation (NSW), Sydney, 2006. [10 British Standards, “BS 6472-1:2008 Guide to evaluation of human exposure ] to vibration in buildings. Vibration sources other than blasting,” British Standards, 2008. [11 British Standards, “BS 7385-1:1990 - Evaluation and measurement for ] vibration in buildings. Guide for measurement of vibrations and evaluation of their effects on buildings,” British Standards, 1990. [12 British Standards, “BS 7385-2:1993 Evaluation and measurement for ] vibration in buildings. Guide to damage levels from groundborne vibration,” British Standards, 1993. [13 German Institute for Standardisation, “DIN 4150 - Part 3 'Structural ] vibration in buildings - Effects on Structure',” German Institute for Standardisation, 2016. [14 ACT Government, “ACT Mapi,” [Online]. Available: ] http://app.actmapi.act.gov.au/actmapi/index.html?viewer=basic. [Accessed 8 April 2020]. [15 Standards Australia, “AS 2436-2010 - Guide to noise and vibration control ] on construction, demolition and maintenance sites,” Standards Australia, 2010.
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[16 Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, “Update of noise ] database for prediction of noise on construction and open sites,” Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, 2006. [17 ACT Government, “Environmental Protection Authority Noise Measurement ] Manual,” ACT Government, Canberra, 2009.
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Appendix A Acoustic Terminology
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Term Definition Ambient Noise The ambient noise level is the overall noise level measured at a location from Level multiple noise sources. When assessing noise from a particular development, the ambient noise level is defined as the remaining noise level in the absence of the specific noise source being investigated. For example, if a fan located on a city building is being investigated, the ambient noise level is the noise level from all other sources without the fan running. This would include sources such as traffic, birds, people talking and other nearby fans on other buildings. Background The background noise level is the noise level that is generally present at a Noise Level location at all or most times. Although the background noise may change over the course of a day, over shorter time periods (e.g. 15 minutes) the background noise is almost-constant. Examples of background noise sources include steady traffic (e.g. motorways or arterial roads), constant mechanical or electrical plant and some natural noise sources such as wind, foliage, water and insects. Assessment Background Level (ABL) A single-number figure used to characterise the background noise levels from a single day of a noise survey. ABL is derived from the measured noise levels for the day, evening or night time period of a single day of background measurements. The ABL is calculated to be the tenth percentile of the background LA90 noise levels – i.e. the measured background noise is above the ABL 90% of the time.
Rating Background Level (RBL / min LA90,1hour) A single-number figure used to characterise the background noise levels from a complete noise survey. The RBL for a day, evening or night time period for the overall survey is calculated from the individual Assessment Background Levels (ABL) for each day of the measurement period, and is numerically equal to the median (middle value) of the ABL values for the days in the noise survey. This parameter is denoted RBL in NSW, and min LA90,1hour in QLD. Correction A correction term is any mathematical adjustment to account for certain Factor characteristics such as tonality, intermittency, irregularity, low-frequency content on the measured or predicted sound pressure level. Decibel The decibel scale is a logarithmic scale which is used to measure sound and vibration levels. Human hearing is not linear and involves hearing over a large range of sound pressure levels, which would be unwieldy if presented on a linear scale. Therefore, a logarithmic scale, the decibel (dB) scale, is used to describe sound levels. An increase of approximately 10 dB corresponds to a subjective doubling of the loudness of a noise. The minimum increase or decrease in noise level that can be noticed is typically 2 to 3 dB. dBA dBA denotes a single-number sound pressure level that includes a frequency weighting (“A-weighting”) to reflect the subjective loudness of the sound level. The frequency of a sound affects its perceived loudness. Human hearing is less sensitive at low and very high frequencies, and so the A-weighting is used to account for this effect. An A-weighted decibel level is written as dBA.
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Term Definition Some typical dBA levels are shown below. Sound Pressure Example Level dBA 130 Human threshold of pain 120 Jet aircraft take-off at 100 m 110 Chain saw at 1 m 100 Inside nightclub 90 Heavy trucks at 5 m 80 Kerbside of busy street 70 Loud stereo in living room 60 Office or restaurant with people present 50 Domestic fan heater at 1m 40 Living room (without TV, stereo, etc.) 30 Background noise in a theatre 20 Remote rural area on still night 10 Acoustic laboratory test chamber 0 Threshold of hearing
L1 The L1 statistical level is often used to represent the maximum level of a sound level that varies with time.
Mathematically, the L1 level is the sound level exceeded for 1% of the measurement duration. As an example, 87 dB LA1,15min is a sound level of 87 dBA or higher for 1% of the 15 minute measurement period.
L10 The L10 statistical level is often used as the “average maximum” level of a sound level that varies with time.
Mathematically, the L10 level is the sound level exceeded for 10% of the measurement duration. L10 is often used for road traffic noise assessment. As an example, 63 dB LA10,18hr is a sound level of 63 dBA or higher for 10% of the 18 hour measurement period.
L90 The L90 statistical level is often used as the “average minimum” or “background” level of a sound level that varies with time.
Mathematically, L90 is the sound level exceeded for 90% of the measurement duration. As an example, 45 dB LA90,15min is a sound level of 45 dBA or higher for 90% of the 15 minute measurement period.
Leq The ‘equivalent continuous sound level’, Leq, is used to describe the level of a time-varying sound or vibration measurement. Leq is often used as the “average” level for a measurement where the level is fluctuating over time. Mathematically, it is the energy-average level over a period of time (i.e. the constant sound level that contains the same sound energy as the measured level). When the dBA weighting is applied, the level is denoted dB LAeq. Often the measurement duration is quoted, thus LAeq,15 min represents the dBA weighted energy-average level of a 15 minute measurement.
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Term Definition
Lmax The Lmax statistical level can be used to describe the “absolute maximum” level of a sound or vibration level that varies with time.
Mathematically, Lmax is the highest value recorded during the measurement period. As an example, 94 dB LAmax is a highest value of 94 dBA during the measurement period.
Since Lmax is often caused by an instantaneous event, Lmax levels often vary significantly between measurements. Frequency Frequency is the number of cycles per second of a sound or vibration wave. In musical terms, frequency is described as “pitch”. Sounds towards the lower end of the human hearing frequency range are perceived as “bass” or “low- pitched” and sounds with a higher frequency are perceived as “treble” or “high pitched”.
80
75
70
65
60
55
50
Sound Level dB Level Sound 45
40
35
30
5 3 0 0 k k k 2 40 6 5 3 1k .6 4 0 100 160 2 400 6 1 2.5k 6.3k 1 1/3 Octave Band Centre Frequency (Hz)
80
70
60
50
40
30
Sound Level, dB Level, Sound 20
10
0 31 63 125 250 500 1k 2k 4k 8k Octave Band Centre Frequency, Hz Peak Particle Peak Particle Velocity (PPV) is the highest velocity of a particle (such as part Velocity (PPV) of a building structure) as it vibrates. Most sound level meters measure root mean squared (RMS) values; it is common to approximate the PPV based on an RMS measurement. PPV is commonly used as a vibration criterion, and is often interpreted as a PPV based on the Lmax or Lmax,spec index.
Sound Power The sound power level (Lw) of a source is a measure of the total acoustic and Sound power radiated by a source. The sound pressure level (Lp) varies as a function Pressure of distance from a source. However, the sound power level is an intrinsic characteristic of a source (analogous to its mass), which is not affected by the environment within which the source is located.
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Term Definition Vibration Waves in a solid material are called “vibration”, as opposed to similar waves in air, which are called “sound” or “noise”. If vibration levels are high enough, they can be felt; usually vibration levels must be much higher to cause structural damage. A vibrating structure (e.g a wall) can cause airborne noise to be radiated, even if the vibration itself is too low to be felt. Structureborne vibration limits are sometimes set to control the noise level in a space. Vibration levels can be described using measurements of displacement, velocity and acceleration. Velocity and acceleration are commonly used for structureborne noise and human comfort. Vibration is described using either metric units (such as mm, mm/s and mm/s²) or else using a decibel scale.
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