Acoustics

Testing, Calibration and Consultancy

Rail

We have world-class expertise in the measurement of vibration and noise exposure and in the development and administration of questionnaires to determine human response. The determination of exposure-response relationships and evaluation of railway vibration and noise is a particular area of exceptional  capability. The most advanced techniques that we can offer involved bespoke subjective testing for evaluation of the perception and annoyance caused by railway induced groundborne vibration and noise, including the influence of source type and audible rattle.

We have unique specialist expertise in structure-borne sound including sound source characterisation – the in situ blocked force method and in situ transfer path analysis (TPA) method were both devised in our labs. 

The following tests are quality assured to ISO/IEC 17025:

Other traceable standard test services we offer include:

  • Sound Power Testing to BS EN ISO 3741 / BS EN ISO 3743 / BS EN ISO 3745 / BS EN ISO 3744:2010 / BS EN 60704-2-1:2015
  • Impedance tube testing for normal incidence sound absorption and transmission loss
  • Sound intensity methods to BS EN ISO 9614-1:2009 / BS EN ISO 9614-3:2009 / BS EN ISO 15186-3:2010
  • Ventilation duct silencer testing BS EN ISO 7235:2009 / BS EN ISO 11820:1997

We also offer a broad range of non-standard measurements, diagnostic testing and R&D services including:

  • Structure borne noise and vibration prediction
  • Noise source tracking/localisation
  • Sound and vibration source characterisation
  • Transfer path analysis / source path contribution analysis
  • Noise source rank ordering and treatment
  • Product noise modelling and auralisation
  • Vibration testing e.g. with Polytec laser interferometer or Guralp force-feedback accelerometers
  • Vibration isolator characterisation (dynamic stiffness measurements)

Prof David Waddington
t: +44 (0)161 295 4989
e: d.c.waddington@salford.ac.uk