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Vibration Surveys
Protect your project with expert ground-borne vibration surveys, practical mitigation advice and evidence-based reports that reduce risk and support planning approval.
Reduce Vibration Risk | Protect Nearby Buildings
Projects in 2025
1725
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Projects to date
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Expert acoustic consultancy, delivered across the UK.
A ground-borne vibration survey measures vibration transmitted through the ground from sources such as construction activity, rail networks, industrial machinery, or road traffic, assessed against BS 6472 for human response to vibration in buildings and BS 7385 for potential structural damage. NOVA Acoustics carries out ground-borne vibration surveys for planning applications, construction monitoring, and nuisance complaints across the UK.
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HOW WE SUPPORT YOU
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House Builders
Property Developers
Architects & Contractors
Homeowners
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Supporting projects throughout the UK.
- Prompt site visits with flexible appointment availability.
- Straightforward, easy-to-understand reporting.
- Fast 24-hour response when required.
- Regional expertise supported by nationwide resources.
Acoustic specialists across the UK.
Whether you’re delivering a residential scheme or a commercial development, our experienced consultants provide expert acoustic advice and dependable support across the UK.
Why choose NOVA Acoustics?
- Extensive expertise in acoustic consultancy for planning submissions.
- Institute of Acoustics-qualified professionals with proven experience.
- Responsive support delivered by consultants with regional knowledge.
- Practical solutions aligned with planning authority expectations.
What This Service Covers
Pre-construction baseline vibration survey
Vibration monitoring during construction/operation (PPV and VDV reporting)
Assessment against BS 6472 (human response) and BS 7385 (building damage)
Trigger-level alerting for piling, demolition, or heavy plant activity
Mitigation advice for vibration-sensitive sites
Human Response to Vibration vs. Risk to Buildings
When it comes to ground borne vibration, there are two quite different questions that often need answering, and it’s worth being clear about the distinction. The first is how vibration affects people, in terms of comfort, disturbance, and the ability to work or sleep normally. This is assessed under BS 6472, which provides criteria for evaluating human response to vibration in buildings, recognising that people can be affected by vibration levels far below those that would cause any damage to a structure.
The second question is whether vibration poses a risk of damage to a building itself, whether that’s the structure undergoing the vibration-generating activity, such as a building being demolished, or neighbouring structures that might be affected by vibration from piling, excavation, or heavy plant. This is assessed using guidance such as BS 7385, which provides criteria for evaluating the risk of cosmetic, minor, or major structural damage based on measured vibration levels. A thorough vibration survey will often need to consider both of these questions together, since a level of vibration that’s perfectly acceptable in terms of building damage risk might still be noticeable, or even disruptive, to people in nearby properties.
The Survey Process
A ground borne vibration survey typically begins with the installation of triaxial geophones or accelerometers at locations representative of the receptors of concern, whether that’s a residential property near a construction site or a sensitive piece of equipment near an industrial process. These instruments measure vibration in three axes simultaneously, allowing both Peak Particle Velocity (PPV), commonly used for assessing building damage risk, and Vibration Dose Value (VDV), commonly used for assessing human response, to be calculated.
Monitoring can be carried out over a defined period to establish baseline conditions, during specific activities such as piling to assess the vibration generated, or on an ongoing basis throughout a construction programme to track levels against agreed trigger thresholds.
Mitigation Options
Where a vibration survey identifies a risk, whether to people or to buildings, a range of mitigation options may be appropriate depending on the source and situation. For construction projects, this might include changes to construction methodology, such as switching from percussive to non-percussive piling techniques, or sequencing works to avoid particularly sensitive periods.
Isolation and damping measures can reduce the transmission of vibration from machinery into a building’s structure. And for ongoing construction activities, a trigger-and-respond approach, where work is paused or adjusted if monitored vibration approaches an agreed threshold, provides a practical way of managing risk in real time.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is ground borne vibration and when does it become a problem?
Ground borne vibration is vibration that transmits through the ground and into building structures, originating from sources such as construction activity, rail traffic, road traffic, or industrial machinery. It becomes a problem either when it’s noticeable enough to disturb people in nearby properties, or when it reaches levels that could risk damage to a building’s structure.
What is BS 6472 and how does it relate to vibration surveys?
BS 6472 is the British Standard covering the evaluation of human exposure to vibration in buildings. It provides criteria for assessing how vibration is likely to be perceived and how disruptive it might be to occupants, which is a different question from whether vibration poses a risk to the building itself.
What's the difference between vibration's effect on people and its effect on buildings?
People can notice and be disturbed by vibration levels that are far too low to cause any damage to a building. Assessing human response (under BS 6472) and assessing building damage risk (under guidance such as BS 7385) are therefore two separate considerations, and a thorough survey often needs to address both.
What activities commonly require a ground borne vibration survey?
Common triggers include construction activities near existing buildings, particularly piling and demolition, developments close to railway lines, and the installation or operation of vibration-generating industrial machinery near vibration-sensitive receptors such as residential properties or sensitive equipment.
How is vibration measured during a survey?
Vibration is measured using triaxial geophones or accelerometers, which capture vibration in three directions simultaneously. This data is used to calculate Peak Particle Velocity (PPV) for assessing building damage risk, and Vibration Dose Value (VDV) for assessing human response.
Can vibration surveys help avoid damage claims during construction near existing buildings?
Yes. A baseline survey carried out before construction begins establishes the condition and vibration environment of nearby buildings beforehand, and ongoing monitoring during construction provides an objective record of vibration levels throughout the works, which can help resolve any concerns or claims that arise.
How early in a project should a vibration survey be arranged?
Ideally, a baseline survey should be arranged before construction activities begin, so that conditions can be established beforehand and any necessary monitoring can be set up in time for the start of works. For projects involving piling or demolition near existing buildings, early planning is particularly important.
Is real-time vibration monitoring available during piling or demolition works?
Yes. Our monitoring systems can provide real-time vibration data with trigger-level alerts, allowing the project team to be notified immediately if vibration levels approach agreed thresholds during particularly
What are the common sources of ground borne vibration?
Ground borne vibration arises from a range of sources, and the type of source often determines the most appropriate survey approach. Rail-adjacent developments are commonly affected by vibration from passing trains, which can transmit through the ground into nearby buildings, particularly where foundations are close to the track or where ground conditions are conducive to vibration transmission. Construction activities, especially piling, demolition, and the operation of heavy plant such as excavators and compactors, are a frequent source of vibration concern on and around development sites. Road traffic, particularly heavy goods vehicles on uneven surfaces, can also generate noticeable vibration in nearby properties. And industrial machinery, such as presses, compressors, or other heavy equipment, can transmit vibration through a building’s structure to occupied spaces.
Where do you provide Environmental Permit noise impact assessments?
We carry out ground borne vibration surveys across Leeds, Manchester, London, Birmingham, Nottingham, Liverpool, Cambridge, Newcastle, Sheffield, Bristol and Hull.
Recent Projects
Acoustic Consultancy and Design for Breeam HEA05 and POL05.
Reverberation Testing, Consultancy, Design and Installation of Acoustic Panelling.
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