Showing papers on "Annoyance published in 1987"

Non-auditory effects of noise in industry. VI. A final field study in industry.

Abstract: Non-auditory effects of noise were studied among 539 male workers from seven industries. The LAeq, assessed by personal noise dosimetry, has been used to study acute effects. Various indices of total noise exposure, involving level and duration, were developed for long-term effect studies. In the analysis close attention was paid to prevent confounding, e.g. by other adverse working conditions. As expected, hearing loss increased with total noise exposure. Tinnitus was related particularly to hearing loss. Dizziness and hoarseness, however, were not related with noise exposure in this study. Also no correlation could be demonstrated between blood pressure and total noise exposure after correction for age, relative weight and various confounding variables. Use of hearing protection, selection processes and incomplete analysis of interactions between independent variables are suggested for possible explanation. About two-thirds of the workers reported noise annoyance. Various aspects were mentioned, such as irritation, surprise and impairment of communication and perception. Mentally stressful tasks appeared to be the most noise-sensitive. Particularly annoying noise sources, mental work load and time pressure had a relatively large impact on noise annoyance in comparison with the influence of noise level (LAeq) itself. Stress responses were not simply related to the noise exposure level, although consistent positive relations could be demonstrated between symptoms of stress and noise annoyance. Various findings led to the conclusion that noise exposure together with stressful mental activities may lead to disturbed concentration, irritation and annoyance. Experienced stress in turn may render workers more susceptible to noise. To overcome some limitations of this study, cohort studies and studies designed to assess interaction-effects are recommended.

Annoyance of audible infrasound

Abstract: Contours of equal annoyance were determined for pure tones in the frequency range 4 – 31.5 Hz. The curves show a narrowing of the dynamic range of the ear at low frequencies. The same pattern is se...

Community and individual response to changes in traffic noise exposure. environmental annoyance: characterization, measurement, and control -- proceedings of the international symposium on environmental annoyance, conference centre woudschoten, the netherlands, september 15-18, 1986

Abstract: This paper presented the results of research undertaken to assess the permanence of the benefits and disbenefits of reducing road traffic noise. Both medium term and long term adaptation were investigated. The medium term adaptation was studied at 3 sites, involving 90 respondents in all. Acoustic and psychological surveys were conducted at roadside sites subject to upward and downward changes in noise level in 3 phases: before the change in noise exposure, 2-3 months after and 17-22 months after the change. Changes in L10 (18 hr db(a)) between the first and second "after" study were less than 1 db(a). There was no indication that the effect of a decrease in noise diminishes over a period of up to 22 months. However there was a significant change in the overall opinion of the area (it had improved), and the rating of the highest noise level which would be acceptable to be able to hear (which was lower). Long term adaptation (after 7-9 years) was studied at 5 sites, and involved a total of 507 people, who were interviewed at home, not on the street. Noise measurements (using a community noise analyser) and a social survey were carried out, accompanied by simultaneous classified traffic counts. A comparison was made between respondents who were resident when the change in noise level occurred and those who were not. These results showed that the effects of change in noise exposure were real and substantial. For the covering abstract of the conference see IRRD 820771. (TRRL)

Survey of the effect of railway-induced building vibration on the community

Abstract: A sample of 720 potential respondents was drawn from the adult population of Scotland who live within 100 meters of a railway line. The respondents were clustered in 24 sites, each containing 30 potential respondents. A questionnaire was designed to determine the number of residents who feel railway-induced building vibration in their home, and to find the amount of annoyance this caused. Questions were included to identify the personal, social, and physical factors which influenced the annoyance, and to ascertain the comparative annoyance caused by vibration and other aspects of railway's presence in a neighborhood. Of the 720 potential respondents, 459 were interviewed. A total of 160 reported noticing railway-induced building vibration and most of these, 133, lived at one of 12 sites. Vibration was recorded continuously for 24 hours in three orthogonal axes in 52 of the dwellings at the 12 sites, in buildings occupied by one of the 133 respondents who noticed vibration.

A proposed metric for assessing the potential of community annoyance from wind turbine low-frequency noise emissions

Abstract: Given our initial experience with the low-frequency, impulsive noise emissions from the MOD-1 wind turbine and their impact on the surrounding community, the ability to assess the potential of interior low-frequency annoyance in homes located near wind turbine installations may be important. Since there are currently no universally accepted metrics or descriptors for low-frequency community annoyance, we performed a limited program using volunteers to see if we could identify a method suitable for wind turbine noise applications. We electronically simulated three interior environments resulting from low-frequency acoustical loads radiated from both individual turbines and groups of upwind and downwind turbines. The written comments of the volunteers exposed to these interior stimuli were correlated with a number of descriptors which have been proposed for predicting low-frequency annoyance. The results are presented in this paper. We discuss our modifications of the highest correlated predictor to include the internal dynamic pressure effects associated with the response of residential structures to low-frequency acoustic loads. Finally, we outline a proposed procedure for establishing both a low-frequency ''figure of merit'' for a particular wind turbine design and, using actual measurements, estimate the potential for annoyance to nearby communities. 10 refs., 13 figs., 7 tabs.

On the psychological measurement of loudness,noisiness and annoyance : A review

Abstract: Following topics were discussed from the psychological viewpoint of noise assessment: 1) The distinction among loudness, noisiness and annoyance. 2) Validity of the sone scale, and the methods of calculating loudness. 3) Physical descriptors of non-steady state sounds. 4) Psychological methods to evaluate the effects of noise on man.

Models of community reaction to noise from more than one source. environmental annoyance: characterization, measurement, and control -- proceedings of the international symposium on environmental annoyance, conference centre woudschoten, the netherlands, september 15-18, 1986

Abstract: This paper discusses the relative merits of the information that can be collected on community disturbance from environmental noise, when the noise environment consists of more than one noise source A comparison is then made between the various methods for assessing the relative effects of different noise sources through either the direct comparison of social survey responses, or the statistical modelling of both social survey and acoustic data The design of field and laboratories studies, especially data collection strategies and questionnaire design, are discussed It is concluded that policy makers should take into account the peak and average noise levels, and the frequency of occurrence or operating time of all major noise sources to which the community is exposed For the covering abstract of the conference see IRRD 820771 (TRRL)

Community reactions to helicopter noise: Results from an experimental study

Abstract: Reactions to low numbers of helicopter noise events (less than 50 per day) have been studied in a community setting utilizing a new type of study design. Community residents were repeatedly interviewed about daily noise annoyance reactions on days when helicopter noise exposures had, without the residents’s knowledge, been controlled for study design purposes. The effects of maximum noise level and number of noise events on helicopter noise annoyance were found to be consistent with the principles contained in Leq‐based noise indices. Although the best estimate of the effect of number of noise events is very nearly the same as that represented by the energy summation principle contained in Leq‐based indices, the possibility that the number of noise events has only a small effect on annoyance cannot be rejected at the conventional p<0.05 level. The effect of the duration of noise events was also found to be consistent with Leq‐based indices. After removing the effect of differences in duration and noise le...

Leq as a measure of annoyance caused by gunfire consisting of impulses with various proportions of higher and lower sound levels

Abstract: As a method of rating sounds with respect to the expected community response, ISO(1971). ISO R 1996, ‘‘Assessment of noise with respect to community response’’ (International organization for Standarization, Switzerland), recommends the measurement of the A‐weighted equivalent sound level Leq. The usefulness of Leq for road‐traffic sounds has been demonstrated in various studies. For impulse sounds, however, research into the adequacy of Leq has been very limited. The present laboratory study provides a further test of the adequacy of Leq as a descriptor of annoyance. In one condition, all impulse sounds had the same level, whereas in the other eight conditions the levels of the impulses could differ either by 6 or by 12 dB. The proportions of the impulses with high or low sound levels were 90% vs 10%, 75% vs 25%, and vice versa. Sixteen subjects compared the annoyance caused by the impulse sounds (G) with the annoyance due to road‐traffic sounds (T). They adjusted the level of either T or G in such a way...

The importance of the measurement of annoyance in prediction of effects of aircraft noise on the health and well-being of noise-exposed communities. environmental annoyance: characterization, measurement, and control -- proceedings of the international symposium on environmental annoyance, conference centre woudschoten, the netherlands, september 15-18, 1986

Abstract: This article reviews the many different ways in which people become annoyed, and describes both community and laboratory studies undertaken to quantify human response to noise, with particular reference to aircraft noise. The stress-reduction model of individual response to aircraft noise is then described in more detail. The model is based on the premise that individuals will attempt to reduce, avoid, or eliminate stress in their lives. The model suggests that aircraft noise is perceived within two general sets of factors: situational factors and human factors. That is, qualities of the individual's physical, social and psychological environments are important to his perception of the noise, only when the perception is filtered through the various meanings associated with noise, through the interaction of activities and/or through evaluations of the adverse nature of the noise pe se, is stress produced. The individual will make every attempt to reduce this stress, and two methods of doing so are proposed: overt behaviour and internal adjustment. Research related to the stress reduction model is reviewed, followed by a discussion on the effects upon health of noise annoyance. For the covering abstract of the conference see IRRD 820771. (TRRL)

On the interaction of sensory experience, causal attributive cognitions and visual context parameters in noise annoyance. environmental annoyance: characterization, measurement, and control -- proceedings of the international symposium on environmental annoyance, conference centre woudschoten, the netherlands, september 15-18, 1986

Abstract: This article discussed the interaction of sensory experience, causal attributive cognitions and visual stimuli upon the level of annoyance caused by specific noise levels. Six models for the interaction of sensory (k1) and attributive (k2) cognitions were provided and tested by field studies. Noise emission of various sources (highway, urban traffic, urban railway or industrial noise) were sampled for 24 hours and the energy equivalent noise level (ld) for each source calculated. Questionnaires were sent to residents consisting of questions which measured sensory experiences (k1 cognitions) related to the loudness, frequency and noise emission at the site. K2 cognitions were evaluated by indications of disturbed daily activities, induced negative emotions, somatic disturbances and reduced outdoor activities. The effect of the visual appearance of the site upon the noise annoyance was studied by sampling the visual appearance and noise emission parameters for 24 streets in 2 towns in Germany and Switzerland. Noise level and the residents' annoyance values were measured by direct scaling techniques, as well as by k1 and k2 cognitions. Visual stimuli were measured using a modified bipolar rating scale system intended to measure the visual impact of house facades. Two topics were added: "green" and "traffic". 24 students rated the slides of each site. Visual aesthetic context of the environment was found to influence the effect of acoustic stressors. For the covering abstract of the conference see IRRD 820771. (TRRL)