By identifying a unified aim of Federal, State, and Local government authorities to deliver healthier, more liveable urban spaces and enable walkable neighbourhoods in Melbourne, Australia, questions emerge regarding noise data collection methods and the policies that aim to protect pedestrian areas from potential increases in urban traffic noise. It highlights a missed opportunity to develop strategies that provide explicit guidance for designing more compact urban forms without diminishing pedestrian amenities. This study investigates the governance of traffic-induced noise pollution and its impact on pedestrian amenities in Melbourne, Australia. It aims to identify the government bodies best positioned to protect pedestrians from noise pollution and evaluate the strategic justification for reducing traffic noise to enhance urban walkability. This research employs a semi-systematic policy selection method and a hybrid critique and review method to evaluate the multidisciplinary governance frameworks engaged in the management and mitigation of traffic noise in Melbourne. Key findings reveal that while traffic noise poses significant health risks, current policies overlook its impact on pedestrian amenities in urban areas. This study emphasises the benefits of qualitative and subjective noise data collection to inform policy-makers of the pedestrian aural experience and impacts. Discussion points include noise management strategies and the value of implementing metropolitan-scale noise-mapping to illustrate the impact of noise rather than quantities of sound. The conclusions demonstrate that there is strategic justification for managing traffic-induced noise pollution to protect pedestrian areas within international, federal, and state government policies and implicit rationale at a local level.

The lateral wind load applied to high-rise buildings results in movements that can cause creaking noises in drywall partitions with suspended ceiling systems. These noises can be disruptive to the residents and impair the structure’s serviceability. In this study, a sequence of large-scale three-dimensional (3D) experiments was conducted on two assemblies of drywall partitions with a suspended ceiling system to address this serviceability issue. The goal was to explore the 3D response of these assemblies, with a key emphasis on validating the effectiveness of adhesives in mitigating noise introduced by screw fixings, not only for individual walls but also when interacting with neighbouring walls and ceilings, which represent the real-world conditions. The six-degree of freedom (6-DOF) Multi-Axis Substructure Testing (MAST) system at Swinburne University Technology was used to simulate realistic wind load conditions. Two sets of test specimens were constructed using different methods to fix the plasterboard wall lining to the cold-formed steel (CFS) frame, which was rigidly bolted to both the MAST crosshead and the floor below. The first set of specimens (Assembly 1) had the plasterboards screw-fixed to the steel frame, while the second set (Assembly 2) used adhesive-only or a combination of adhesive and screw-fixing methods. Additionally, the instrumentation employed for acoustic measurements was strategically chosen to capture the noise generated by the overall system-level response. This served as a means of validating the serviceability noise experienced by users/occupants. Sound pressure level measurements and an acoustic camera were used simultaneously to identify the noise sources. The creaking noise measurements were compared for different specimens of Assemblies 1 and 2 and the effects of different construction details (e.g. fixing method, plasterboard ceiling lining, etc.) on wind-induced creaking noises were discussed. The results of this study can provide valuable insights for manufacturers and designers to minimize creaking noises in drywall partition systems and propose new construction techniques to improve the serviceability of high-rise buildings.