Skip to content

Case Study

Vancouver Fraser Port Authority Rail and Road Noise Mitigation Assessments

About This Project

A port can be a noisy place: Ships come and go. Terminals bustle with activity. Trains and trucks arrive and depart, load and unload. At Port of Vancouver, Canada’s largest, noise can occur at all hours. Even the wee ones.

Aiming to limit port-related noise impacts on nearby communities, the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority has endeavoured, through its ongoing noise management programs, to identify the many noise sources connected to the Port and understand how that noise affects neighbouring homes and businesses. BKL has worked with the Port on several noise projects, including this detailed study of rail and road traffic noise sources, which started in September 2014.

Scope of services

The Port asked BKL to monitor noise in the community and analyze results to distinguish between Port-related rail and road traffic and other noises. BKL conducted highly detailed two- to seven-day community noise studies to review a variety of different noise sources: rail passbys, rail squeals, train whistles, railcars shunting, locomotives idling, road traffic, trucks and trailers clanging, and other sources. BKL charted how each noise contributed to the overall noise environment during daytime, evening, and nighttime hours.

In order to provide further detail, BKL undertook a controlled study of truck and trailer noise, taking measurements at different speeds and with different types of trailers to accurately assess the various sounds made by heavy truck passbys. For this component, BKL deployed an acoustic camera with an array of 256 microphones. Using the acoustic camera, BKL deconstructed the sounds of passing heavy trucks and quantified the contributions of discrete noise sources. Examples include engine and exhaust noises, the sound of tires rolling on pavement, and clanging parts on trailers. These results were visualized in the time domain using videos of sound contours overlaying the truck passby events.

This data was worked into BKL’s 3-D noise model, which the acoustical team used to explore potential noise control options and specifications for the different noise sources.

Project benefits

Underpinning its analysis with the most detailed data possible, BKL developed specific mitigation options, including ballpark costs, for the noise sources assessed in the study: idling locomotives, rail whistles, railcars passing, squealing, and shunting. With the added information provided by the acoustic camera, BKL delivered pinpoint accurate data on noise from truck tires, engines, and exhausts, as well as trucks and trailers clanging.

Of equivalent importance was how BKL communicated the results of its measurements and analysis. By using intuitive charts, images, and videos, BKL gave the Port a clear picture of how the various sources were contributing to community noise, and whether the different noise control measures being contemplated would be able to provide noticeable changes to noise levels. This eliminated the risk of spending money on measures that wouldn’t benefit neighbouring communities.

The People Behind Our Work

Our Technical Leads

  • Mark Bliss
    Mark Bliss

    P.Eng., INCE

    President

    Mark Bliss

    Mark Bliss, P.Eng., INCE

    President

    Mark Bliss is a professional engineer and member of the Institute of Noise Control Engineering (INCE), with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of British Columbia. He has practiced as an acoustical consultant since 2003.

    Mark specializes in environmental noise and vibration assessment, with extensive experience evaluating transportation, industrial, construction, entertainment, commercial and other noise impacts. He has worked with all levels of government on noise policy and planning, and has appeared as an expert witness before the British Columbia Supreme Court and at municipal council hearings.

    His work includes field measurement, noise modelling, mitigation assessment and detailed reporting, using national and international standards and specialized software such as Cadna/A. He has prepared Environmental Assessment Certificate applications to BCEAA, CEAA and IFC requirements, and has conducted third-party reviews and training in noise and vibration measurement and assessment.

    Mark also has extensive experience in building acoustics, working on new construction and renovations to address environmental and mechanical noise, improve speech intelligibility and room acoustics, and achieve effective airborne and impact sound isolation. His work draws on CSA, ISO, ASTM, ANSI, WHO, Health Canada and other recognized standards and guidelines.

  • Gary Mak
    Gary Mak

    P.Eng., PMP

    Technical Director, Environmental Noise and Vibration

    Gary Mak

    Gary Mak, P.Eng., PMP

    Technical Director, Environmental Noise and Vibration

    Gary Mak graduated from the University of British Columbia in 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and joined BKL the same year. Gary has since worked in the areas of environmental noise assessments, mechanical/industrial noise control, and architectural acoustics.

    Gary’s experience in architectural acoustics includes hospitals, educational facilities, performance spaces, offices, and operations buildings. His contributions to these projects include reviewing project acoustical requirements and building designs for partition sound isolation, room acoustics, mechanical noise control, and environmental noise control. For performance venues, Gary has experience working with more advanced techniques and parameters to assess and improve acoustical conditions for performers and audiences.

    Performing noise and vibration impact assessments for transportation, construction, industrial, and commercial projects, Gary has established baseline noise conditions, predicted future noise environments, rated noise impacts, and determined mitigation measures to meet project criteria. In particular, he has worked on mines, terminals, rail, transit centres, district energy centres, and other industrial and transportation projects.

    Gary is proficient in performing noise and vibration measurements with a variety of specialized equipment for investigations, bylaw assessments, room acoustics, and Sound Transmission Class (STC), and Impact Insulation Class (IIC) testing. He is also very familiar with using acoustical software including Cadna/A, Samurai, Insul, EASERA, and ODEON for impact analysis and design.

  • Brigette Martin
    Brigette Martin

    P.Eng., WELL AP

    Technical Director, Sound and Vibration Measurements

    Brigette Martin

    Brigette Martin, P.Eng., WELL AP

    Technical Director, Sound and Vibration Measurements

    Brigette Martin graduated from the University of Canterbury in New Zealand with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in 2009. Before joining BKL in 2015, Brigette worked as an acoustic consultant on various building and environmental projects throughout New Zealand and Australia.

    Brigette has extensive experience with environmental noise including assessing noise impacts and designing noise mitigation for gas compressor and pump stations, power generation sites, port terminals, and transformers sites; modelling construction noise, and developing construction noise abatement and management plans; designing noise controls and preparing noise management plans for mines and quarries; and monitoring benchmark noise, developing 3-D noise models, and designing noise walls for road infrastructure projects.

    In the area of building acoustics, Brigette has been involved in numerous projects and has consulted on sound insulation and mechanical services design, as well as controlling external noise intrusion and reverberation noise levels, and optimizing speech clarity for critical spaces.

    Over her career, Brigette has gained experience with a wide range of technical equipment and software including Insul, SoundPLAN, Cadna/A, SONarchitect, Brüel & Kjær analyzers, and numerous other sound level meters.

    Brigette has also developed and presented training courses for using acoustical software and sound level meters for acoustical engineers and clients throughout New Zealand and Australia.

  • Trevor Cheng
    Trevor Cheng

    P.Eng., MIOA

    Managing Specialist Acoustical Consultant

    Trevor Cheng

    Trevor Cheng, P.Eng., MIOA

    Managing Specialist Acoustical Consultant

    Trevor Cheng holds a bachelor of applied science (engineering physics) from University of British Columbia and joined BKL in January 2016, with experience in environmental and architectural acoustics, as well as condition monitoring, and machine vibration analysis and diagnostics.

    With BKL, Trevor has primarily been involved in transportation, commercial, industrial, and infrastructure projects. His work experience includes measuring baseline noise conditions, predicting future noise environments, assessing noise impact, and offering mitigation measures where appropriate.

    Trevor also has experience in architectural acoustics, working on hospitals, performance spaces, and multipurpose buildings. He is proficient in measuring noise insulation performance, reviewing building designs, and predicting noise levels from HVAC equipment.

    Prior to joining BKL, Trevor worked in London, UK, on a wide variety of projects ranging from large-scale architectural renovations to major airport improvement works. He has unique experience in measuring and assessing noise and vibration in buildings from underground rail sources.

    He also has experience using sound level meters by Brüel & Kjær, Norsonic, and Larson Davis, and software tools such as Cadna/A. He is familiar with ASTC/AIIC testing and using acoustic software including Insul, SONarchitect, and EASE for indoor noise predictions.

    Trevor is a member of the Institute of Acoustics (IOA) in the UK.