Vipac has been providing acoustic engineering and consultancy services since 1973, and is one of the largest acoustic consultancies in the world. Vipac has offices located throughout Australia, many of which are designated ‘Acoustic Centres of Excellence’ and staffed by acousticians with diverse industry experience and qualifications to PhD level.

Vibration Analysis is as critical to building and infrastructure developments as it is to industrial plants, machines, transport systems and products. What sets Vipac apart from other Vibration Engineering companies is our ability to conduct Vibration Analysis for the built environment, as well as the transport sector and heavy industry.

Some of our consulting services, in detail:

Building/Architectural Acoustics

Vipac provides acoustic advice to ensure that a building complies with all relevant acoustic standards and requirements for a range of Development Application types.

We offer architectural and general building acoustic services for the following:

• High-rise buildings
• Housing Developments
• Hotel and Apartment Developments
• Commercial and Office Developments
• Hospitals and Healthcare Facilities
• Schools, Colleges and Child Care Centres
• Defence Facilities and Bases
• Industrial and Warehouse Facilities
• Auditoria, Convention and Exhibition Centres, Theatre Design and Refurbishment
• Inter-tenancy Noise Control
• Tapping tests for noise transmission in residential units

Services usually involve the provision of advice on sound proofing/acoustic criteria for partitions, ceilings, doors, windows, service penetrations and floors as required by relevant standards and design guidelines. This includes the review of architectural drawings and provision of acoustic rated partition mark ups.   Mechanical services, duct attenuators and silencers are regularly considered on larger projects.  Acoustic advice for Defence involves additional audio security requirements.

A recent trend of replacing soft floor coverings in high rise residential units with hard floor surfaces has seen a requirement for providing Inter-floor tapping machine tests to control inter-tenancy noise.

 

Environmental Noise

Environmental noise impact is an important environmental aspect, which is legally required to be managed by various government and regulatory bodies. Noise pollution is considered one of the most critical environmental issues when lodging a planning application or an insurance claim, meeting EPA regulations, installing new plant and equipment, avoiding council complaints, upholding health and safety guidelines, or appeasing resident concerns, Vipac can help by assessing and making recommendations to mitigate environmental noise issues.

Vipac offers the following services in assessing and managing environmental noise impacts:

• Noise Impact Assessments for new Development Approvals (EIS, EIA, Council Development Applications ‘DA’, Commonwealth approvals), for new Mines, Quarries, Heavy Industry, Manufacturing and Processing Plants, Water/Waste Facilities, Entertainment Venues, Defence Facilities, Power Stations, Wind Farms, Solar Farms and other large scale developments.
• Noise Impact Assessments for new or upgraded infrastructure: Roads, Rail (freight, commuter, trams), Tunnels, Multi-use Hubs/Interchanges, Airports and Ports.
• Field measurements and noise monitoring, using in-house calibrated equipment. Noise monitoring trailer for standard road surface noise measurement.
• Noise modelling and predictions, using validated algorithms and software. Noise contour mapping.
• Noise source identification and definition. Low frequency noise, tonality, modulation, impulsive noise and acoustic induced vibration.
• Noise mitigation and control treatments and specification, noise management plans.
• Compliance and Licencing – Regular environmental noise compliance testing.
• Construction noise and vibration management plans, and construction noise monitoring.
• Expert witness statements, acoustic advice and policy/guideline development.

Typically, we work with developers, architects, planning consultants, builders and the construction industry to provide intelligent acoustic advice while maintaining a delicate balance between cost, functionality and aesthetics.

The earlier we get involved in a project, the easier it is to find a cost-effective solution which meets the needs of both our client and the local planning authority. Remove costly revisions and minimise disruptions by integrating acoustic elements into the overall design of a development. Early consultation can save big dollars on project costs.

 

Wind Farm Noise

Vipac can provide the following services for Wind Farm projects:

• Environmental Noise Assessments
• Acoustic Advice & Project Review
• Background Noise Monitoring Surveys
• Noise / Wind Data Regression Analyses
• Acoustic Model Predictions & Contours
• Noise Control & WTG Layout Design Input
• Impact Assessment & Compliance Reports
• Noise Agreements & Env’l Management Plans
• EPA & Council Liaison, Community Consultation

 

Occupational Noise and Vibration

Occupational noise and vibration continues to be a major health hazard in many workplaces, and is one of the biggest staff liability costs to industry.

Vipac leads the way in designing and implementing noise and vibration controls to ensure workplaces operate within ‘acceptable’ noise and vibration levels.  Our best practice methodologies follow the latest standards, guidelines and industry standard processes.  Our engineering background provides expertise in evaluating the most practical, suitable and cost-effective noise and vibration control measures.

Vipac offers the following services in assessing and managing occupational noise and vibration impacts:

• Occupational Noise Impact Assessments for a range of workplaces including Mines, Quarries, Heavy Industry, Manufacturing and Processing Plants, Defence Facilities, Power Stations and other facilities.
• OHS noise and vibration site measurements
• Noise exposure calculations, statistical metrics and similar exposure group risk assessments.
• Evaluation of Hearing Protection Devices and their effectiveness (and associated noise test data). Hearing Protection Areas designation.
• Noise mitigation and control treatments and specification, noise management plans.
• Noise reduction strategies incorporated into the design of a new workplace or production process.
• Expert acoustic advice and policy/procedure development.
• Whole body vibration (WBV) exposure assessments and vibration management plans
• Hand-arm vibration (HAV) exposure assessments and vibration management plans.
• We can also assist with Occupational Air Quality assessments.

 

Environmental Vibration

Ground vibration

Ground vibration monitoring is required to manage vibration impacts from construction, demolition, and blasting.  Ground vibration equipment can be provided with the following features:

• Short term and Long term monitoring
• Portable standalone units
• SMS/Email alert notification upon high vibration trigger
• Flashing light and audio alarms upon high vibration trigger
• Specialised equipment available for protecting sensitive equipment (eg data centres)
• NATA calibrated equipment
• ISO 9001 certified

Blast vibration and overpressure

Vipac can predict and measure blast vibration and overpressure to support the management of blasting risks to buildings and people.

Sensitive Equipment in Buildings

Vipac staff are experts in the assessment of vibration isolation requirements for sensitive equipment in buildings, including high rise buildings.  Machines such as Electron Microscopes, MRIs, and Xray machines often cannot be exposed to even low levels of vibration to operate effectively.  Vipac are able to recommend designs for floor slabs, special foundations and isolations systems for a specific sensitive machine.  We can assess an individual machine for its tolerance to vibration, and deliver a turn-key design solution to ensure there are no operational issues due to vibration.

 

Structural Design, Dynamics and Vibration

Some of our structural and dynamics capabilities are:

• Finite Element Modelling
• Machine supports and foundations
• Stress, fatigue and failure analysis
• Strain gauging
• Vehicle and Aircraft Dynamics, Noise and Vibration
• Failure analysis
• Structure borne noise

 

Shock and Vibration Testing

In our laboratories in Melbourne and Sydney we conduct environmental testing, including shock and vibration testing.

 

Machine Reliability Services

Vipac provides the following services in the field of machine reliability:

• Vibration condition monitoring
• Online monitoring and analysis – system design, installation and diagnostics
• Turbo machinery monitoring
• Motor current analysis.

 

Oil & Gas

Vipac has advanced capabilities in design support, problems solving and routine maintenance support for Rotating Machinery and Static Systems for all Oil and Gas Assets.

The following services are routinely provided:

• Machine condition monitoring;
• Vibration problem solving, including structural vibration assessments. Structural assessments often involve major pipework and small bore fittings, with sources of vibration including fluid (FIV), and acoustic (AIV);
• Impact tests;
• Pulsation studies (design and operational);
• Design support (FEA, drawings, pulsation review, design reviews);
• Strain gauging;
• General machine and structures problems solving related to high vibration, high pressure, or machine / component failures;
• Vipac has three shakers and two test facilities suitable for testing various components. Vipac owns the largest commercial shaker in Australia;
• Torsional Studies;
• Turnkey solutions for machine / pipework / structural problems, including redesign of machine components or machine systems; production of drawings; managing contractors to manufacture and install solutions, and compliance testing; and
• On line vibration monitoring systems; monitoring and design and installing.

 

Marine Vessel – Noise and Vibration

Vipac is Australia’s only American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) recognised specialist in Ambient Environmental Testing in the Marine sector.  We are one of only 18 specialists recognised worldwide by the ABS.

Vipac provides a large range of services to the Marine Industry, mostly based around solving problems related to high noise and vibration, and assessing for compliance with noise and vibration OHS requirements.

Air Quality assessments for survey compliance are a commonly requested service in the commercial marine sector.

 

Building Approval, Design & Construction Services

Getting a new development to run to schedule requires professional expertise of a team that has experience and an understanding of the building and construction industry. We’ve been assisting architects, property developers and builders at every stage of the building process — from approval, to design, to construction. Drawing on the skills and experience of our multidisciplinary team that includes acoustics and vibration analysis, we’re able to provide consulting and testing services for building and design needs. Check out our latest capability statement and how we can assist with your current or next project.

 

Training courses

Our qualified team conducts training courses to provide professional development and internationally recognised certification in vibration analysis. Onsite training and scheduled public courses are available based on client demand. Please contact us on or +61 8 8334 0968 to discuss your training requirements, and follow us on LinkedIn for the latest information.

 

Publications

Vipac’s team also researches and collaborates with other engineers and scientists around the world. Here’s a publication that one of our senior acoustic engineers co-produced through Elsevier, which examines vibration signal processing techniques to better detect weak impulses and reliably diagnose bearing faults.

At Vipac it’s all about solving engineering challenges and improving lives.