This building has been designed directly above the Tunnel for the “Unterinntal Trasse’ of the Austrian Railway. The building, housing medical facilities specializing in eye surgery, has been put on a special insulation to avoid any vibrations during various surgeries. Also, the building ceilings had to be detailed in such a way that any vibrations transmitted from the tunnel could be avoided, especially those of high- speed trains and transport trains. In addition, some key building components had to be analyzed from a building physics standpoint, to make sure they were compatible with the Austrian standards. The building containing the eye clinic and various offices has been fully opened for the past two months. 

In the course of a system acceptance test for the world's first high-pressure sintering system with 200 bar by personnel from Ceratizit, increased vibrations were found on the system housing. The cause of these vibrations could not be located. In the course of a further test, it was then agreed with the manufacturer of the PVATePla system in Wettenberg (Germany) to carry out accompanying vibration and sound measurements in order to be able to identify the cause (based on specific measured values). In addition to vibration and sound measurements under different operating conditions, the natural frequency of parts was also determined. On the basis of these measurement results, additional theoretical considerations on sound and vibration phenomena were carried out - it was thus possible to establish the correspondence of the critical frequency with a calculation result. Based on this, further measures have now been taken on the system to reduce the vibrations.

Measurements of this kind were also carried out in comparable high-pressure sintering systems with 60 bar and 100 bar in order to find out whether similar vibration phenomena occur there - which then turned out to be not the case.

The PEMA P3 building project is currently being built in the center of Innsbruck, directly at the main train station. The 'Motel One' hotel will move into this 12-story building. Offices and shops will move into the building in front of the hotel.

Since this building is located directly at the main train station, extensive vibration measurements were carried out in order to record the influences from rail operations.

With this measurement information, special structure-borne noise measures were then determined for the entire structure. This prevents inadmissible vibration immissions and so-called secondary airborne noise in the hotel rooms. PUR mats from Getzner Werkstoffe were chosen as the vibration insulation material.

Presentation of the noise map for night hours and all sources of noise (public roads, railways, building services, parking space and shift changes of employees).

Investigations on vibration emissions by TAL pipeline; Assessment of immissions in residential buildings from 28.06.2018

May 2017

In this new facility I was commissioned to carry out a comprehensive evaluation of all noise sources. In addition to a comprehensive measurement campaign, concrete soundproofing measures had to be developed for the existing measuring results. The aim of this task was to reduce the existing noise emissions in the neighborhood. In addition to various sound propagation calculations, further investigations were carried out during the design of silencers and noise insulation. At present, these extensive measures are in the processing or in the production. At the end of this year, all the recommended measures should be implemented.

After completion of the office complex SJO 30 of EGGER in St. Johann in Tyrol , which was carried out completely in wood and glass , I was commissioned to conduct an acoustic evaluation, based on airborne and impact sound measurements. In the course of this  the sound insulation of all partition walls and flanking building components were analyzed on two floors (2. and 3. level), consisting of a total of 20 rooms. with 2 rooms the sound insulation of the floor from 2. to 3. level was analyzed using a trapping device. A typical example of a study on the airborne sound insulation can be seen from the graph above .

For the section within Austria of the oil pipeline from Trieste (Italy) to Ingolstadt (Germany) a study was conducted towards the safety of the pipeline (under the official body / ZAMG Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics and in ÖNORM as well as Euro-Standards prescribed seismic loads). In the course of mathematical models for a large number of major components and constructional facilities are created and related results are established via dynamic calculations. These are , for example, Pipeline with a nominal diameter of 40 " in tunnels, in trenches with greatly differing embedment criteria, discharge tanks with volumes of approximately 8,000 m³, motor-driven main spool and control valves, piping systems, as well as various other components. The image depicts an exemplary FEM dynamic calculation result - Mode no. 5 - for a piping system.

For the hydropower plants Illerstage 5 , 6 and 7, the new machine units will be carried out with structure-borne noise isolation systems. Extensive dynamic and sound technical studies for these 3 machine sets were conducted. The aim of these measures, which the client Lechwerke demanded of the manufacturer of the machine units (company Andritz Hydro in Ravensburg), is the prevention of disturbing vibration emissions and secondary airborne sound in the nearest neighboring buildings. 

The public transportation company of Innsbruck is planning to set up a valley crossing in the form of a reinforced concrete bridge named 'Mutterer Bridge'. For this purpose, a technical noise report was created for the filing with the authorities (§31a). In addition to the analysis of the local situation with and without tram rides a three-dimensional noise propagation model with the new tram bridge was created. This model establishes the effects of the current tram route in comparison to effects of the planned new tram route on neighbouring properties in Mutters. 

The company Plansee built a new building last year, which will house the central technical department and various workshops. With this project it was necessary to address various acoustic problems, due to the chosen construction technique (basement levels in reinforced concrete and office levels in wood construction). The scope included airborne sound effects, structure-borne sound effects, soundproofing of ceilings/ floors and walls (especially in the office levels), as well as elastically mounted heavy machinery in the workshops. In addition expansive measurements and computational investigations to the accoustic conditions were conducted. 

The evaluation of measurements of the sound insulation between office units and conference rooms have been carried out in all office floors , while pinpointing and finding weaknesses in order to resolve these.

The newly completed hydroelectric power plant KW Jerzens ( Austria ) had increased vibrations. The discovery of the cause and advanced theoretical studies should lead to the elimination of these vibration phenomena. On site vibration and sound measurements were conducted. Using this basic data, mathematical models were established for the assessment and finding of the causing mechanisms. Various factors were investigated in more detail in the course of these calculations.

January 2014

For the newly to build hydropower plant of the BEW Bernese Hydro-Power Company at the river Simme (Bern, Switzerland) the task is to develop a professional structure-borne sound isolation system of the machine set, to protect the neighborhood with a living area. In addition to examining structure-borne sound effects it will also be important to minimize various airborne noise emissions from the power house to the neighborhood.

January 2014

For the newly to build hydropower plant at the river Iller of the AÜW Allgäuer Überlandwerke (Kempten / Allgäu, Germany) the task will be to develop a professional structure-borne sound isolation system of the machine set, to protect the nearest neighborhood with a living area and the planned restaurant business in the powerhouse building.

January 2014

For the hydropower plant at the river Lech owned by the EWL Elektrizitätswerke Lech (Bayrische Elektrizitätswerke GmbH, Augsburg, Deutschland), which has been in operation for several years, the brief will be to investigate solutions for structure-borne sound decoupling of the machine set against the power house building, due to neighbourhood complaints. In addition a study of emissions by radiation from structure-borne noise from the building exterior surfaces, as well as by direct airborne sound through windows / doors will also be examined. The aim of this study is to reduce significantly the existing airborne noise emissions for the nearest located neighbours compared to the current situation.

November 2013

The new production facility at Ceratizit with a volume of more than 10,000 m³ initially had too high reverberation times (6-8 sec). With pattern plates (slit absorber) optimization studies were performed in the reverberation chamber. Using the theory of Helmholtz we determined certain slot proportions that led to solutions that are now being incorporated in the production facilities in order to improve the acoustics in these halls. Overall this resulted in several hundred square feet of additional improvement measures. The solution was a combination of Helmholtz resonators and absorbtion mats in order to cover the broadband spectrum for a high absorption behavior.

October 2013
The new hydroelectric plant of the company Robert Bosch is located very close to several residential buildings and therefore requires structure borne sound insulation. We developed a singular foundation for all three sets of machines, supported by elastic PU-Mats from the company Getzner Werkstoffe. The support of the foundation over the entire surface was done using materials with different stiffness and damping characteristics.

In the photo you can see very clearly the already completed base surface (grey color) and the fully completed and installed side surfaces (blue and red color with yellow tape).

The hydropower plant is now in operation.