Guide to reducing tram noise and vibration

The guidance aims to assist designers, owners, operators and maintainers in minimising noise and vibration, from the planning stages right through to running established systems.

Craig O’Brien, LRSSB Head of Engineering Safety and Innovation, said: “Light Rail systems bring many advantages over other forms of urban transport, but managing their impact on communities where they operate is an essential requirement for designers and operators.

“This can be highly technical, and while the guidance doesn’t aim to cover all the relevant standards, technical papers and documents available it provides useful information for non-specialists who may have to deal with ‘N&V’ issues as part of their management responsibilities.”

The guidance provides an accessible overview of the regulatory framework – both national and international – covering noise and vibration. It goes into basic N&V theory, shows how the practical limits were arrived at, offers approaches to management of the issue during construction as well as operation, and gives information on the latest equipment and technologies for N&V mitigation.

The different types of noise, such as rolling noise, discontinuity noise from switches and crossings, curving noise and wheel squeal are also covered, along with noise and vibration measurement.

The complete guide, entitled LRG 38.0 – Noise and Vibration Guidance, can be downloaded here.