Showing papers on "Annoyance published in 1990"

Loudness, Annoyance and dBA in Evaluating Low Frequency Sounds:

Abstract: The study reported here was undertaken to evaluate annoyance and loudness of low frequency sounds, to establish a reason for the discrepancy between the dB(A) unit and annoyance after exposure to l...

The extra-auditory effects of noise and annoyance: an overview of research.

Abstract: This paper is an overview of research on the extra-auditory effects of exposure to noise. The aim is to demonstrate the pervasiveness of the effects in support of noise reduction at the source for reasons that go well beyond hearing conservation. The areas discussed are performance effects, including vigilance, selective attention, sensory-motor behavior and memory; physical effects, including cardiovascular disease and sleep-related disorders, and annoyance, with special reference to psychological outcomes. The results show that high levels of noise are particularly disruptive for dual-task paradigms, requiring attention sharing, and sequential responding, involving speed and accuracy. Both the level and the type of noise background affect memory, severely limiting the number of stimulus dimensions that may be simultaneously encoded and retained. Community noise with a preponderance of heavy traffic and aircraft flyovers affects sleep, resulting in changes in the normal pattern of EEG fluctuations, and increases in movement and heart rate. Lastly, noise causes annoyance, with its own set of by-products: job dissatisfaction, irritability and anxiety over potential risk.

Annoyance and health risk caused by military low-altitude flight noise

Abstract: Effects of noise of low-flying military jet aircraft were investigated from demoscopic and epidemiological points of view. Areas with different low-altitude flight noise exposure were compared with one another as to subjective annoyance, casual blood pressure and ear symptoms. With the same energy equivalent sound pressure level (Leq), the subjective disturbance caused by military low-altitude flight noise was essentially greater than that due to ordinary flight noise (in the neighbourhood of civil airports). A comparison of several areas revealed that frequencies of ear symptoms (tinnitus lasting more than one hour and permanent hearing threshold shifts of > 30 dB) were higher only in areas where maximal flight noise levels considerably exceeded 115 dB (A) accompanied by rapid noise level increases. Blood pressure measurements yielded significantly higher values (group difference 9 mm Hg systolic) in girls living in these highly exposed areas. Acoustic limits are proposed with respect to public health.

A field survey on annoyance caused by sounds from small firearms

Abstract: In this study, the results of a field survey on annoyance caused by sounds from small firearms are presented. Dose–response relationships were determined for about 400 randomly selected residents around two military and three civil shooting sites. After completion of personal interviews, extensive sound measurements with different time‐weightings were carried out. Also, for the same respondents, the subjective effects of road‐traffic sounds were determined enabling a comprehensive comparison of dose–response relations for impulse sounds and road‐traffic sounds. The results show that A‐weighted equivalent sound‐pressure level, Leq , is a better acoustical measure for the prediction of annoyance caused by shooting sounds than the mean‘‘impulse’’ or ‘‘fast’’ time‐weighted levels of individual impulses. The results of a principal components analysis showed that the subjective effects of the shooting sounds could be reduced to one overall psychological dimension with high negative loadings on object‐centered a...

Low frequency noise and annoyance in working environments

Abstract: Estimation as well as control and elimination rely almost exclusively on the Aweighting procedure. At the same time a variety of studies have shown that the Aweighting could be in quest6ion when assessing annoyance (Kjellberg and Goldstein, 1985;Hellman and Zwicker, 1987) and specially in low frequency environments (Tempest, 1973; Bryan, 1976; Broner, 1979; Broner and Leventhall 1982, 1983). Many studies have indicated that tonal components can increase the perceived annoyance of noise. Various tone-correction procedures have therefore been proposed (FAR 36,1969; Kryter and Pearsons, 1965; Pearsons et al, 1969). Hellman (1982. 1984, 1986) has shown that the magnitude of the tone correction, depends in acomplex manner on tone-noise configuration. The frequency of the tone. the spectral shape of the noise and the location of the tone within the spectrum are factors that are discussed. As an example in the FAR 36 tone-correction procedure. tones situated between 500 5000 Hz are given higher correction values than tones under 500 Hz and over 5000 Hz. respectively. Annoyance reactions differ due to the sound pressure levels of the tone and ofthe overall tone-noise complex. Tone-to-noise ratios under or over a 15 dB level are shown to give different effects. Hellman (1985) has also shown that annoyance reactions depend on whether there is one or more than one tone present in the noise spectrum. In Landstrom et a!. (1988), a field study of noise and annoyance was described. In this study commonly employed frequency weightings were compared with respect to their ability to predict annoyance reactions. The working environments included in the study represented low. middle and high frequency exposures. The study was mainly directed at the methods of measuring noise and annoyance in occupational settings. hut some preliminary results were also presented. These results. in accordance with earlier findings, indicated that dB(A) levels did not give the best prediction of annoyance. In the present paper, 84 comhi ned measurements of noise and annoyance in low frequency working environments have been analysed. The dB(A)-. dB(B)-. dB(C)-. dB(D)and dB(lin)-levels were studied as predictors of annoyance. The material was also examined with respect to interacting non-acoustic work-related factors and tonal components in the noise.

A survey of annoyance of livestock by simulium chutteri lewis along the orange river, south africa (diptera: simuliidae)

Abstract: JORDAAN, LEONORA C. & VAN ARK, H., 1990. A survey of annoyance of livestock by Simulium chutteri Lewis along the Orange River, South Africa (Diptera: Simuliidae). Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research, 57 , 189-195 (1990). A survey by means of questionnaires was conducted along the Orange River to determine the extent of blackfly annoyance to livestock during 1984-1988. Severe annoyance reached peaks during September-November and increased over the years. Annoyance levels decreased with distance from the river with occasional severe annoyance as far away as 76 km. Annoyance levels increased with distance downstream from the P. K. le Roux dam to Augrabies (750 km). Greater water releases for increased irrigation and electricity generation may be an important reason for the higher annoyance levels. Present day high and increasing irrigation water requirements and the great length of the river probably render control by water level fluctuations impractical. Loss of condition of especially small livestock is the main consequence of annoyance by female blackflies. Decreased percentage lambing and occasional deaths were also reported.

Street traffic noise and stress experience

Abstract: Interpreting a sociological study in the city of Erfurt the results of a written interrogation of noise annoyance of a representative random sample of inhabitants are shown and selected characteristics both of the annoyed and the nonannoyed inhabitants are compared. From noise level measurements a proposal for a traffic noise threshold limit has been derived that corresponds to the requirement for calm. Moreover, moderators have been investigated which interfere with the degree of annoyance; health complaints of both groups of the interrogated individuals were compared. It could be shown, that a written interrogation of inhabitants of a territory is able to deliver sufficiently exact information concerning noise annoyance.

Empirical Determination of Environmental Assets: Noise Abatement

Abstract: This article deals with the determination of the benefits of environmental assets, involving an application for noise. In determining these benefits the so‐called Cost of Illness Method is applied. An important part of the research is the estimation of the relationship between environmental pollution (noise) and the number of lost workdays. This relationship is estimated by using the Lisrel technique with latent variables. The empirical results show that, for the sample concerned, a relationship between noise and lost workdays does not exist. The research also shows that noise causes annoyance and that annoyance influences people′s wellbeing negatively.

Noise Criteria and Regulations

Abstract: The best definition of noise, as many experts will agree, is unwanted sound What is most indisputably unwanted about noise is its capacity to cause hearing loss and the manner in which it invades our everyday lives by causing annoyance. And these seriously limiting disabilities are far more insidiously acquired than most people realize.

Predicting the audibility and annoyance of unducted fan engines

Abstract: Predictions of the prevalence of annoyance associated with aircraft noise exposure are heavily influenced by field studies conducted in urban airport neighborhoods. Flyovers heard in such relatively high ambient noise environments are composed in large part of high absolute level, broadband noise. In contrast, noise exposure created en route by aircraft powered by unducted fan engines is expected to be relatively low in level, but to contain prominent low frequency tonal energy. These tones will be readily audible in rural and other low ambient noise environments. The annoyance of noise intrusions of low absolute level has been shown to be closely related to their audibility. Thus, one way to predict the annoyance of en route noise generated by unducted fan engines is to estimate its audibility relative to that of conventionally powered aircraft in different ambient noise environments. This may be accomplished by computing the audibility of spectra produced by an aircraft powered by unducted fan engines and comparing predicted probabilities of annoyance for them with those of conventionally powered transport aircraft.

Public reaction to low levels of aircraft noise

Abstract: In several recent instances, community annoyance has resulted from noise of airplanes flying at relatively high altitudes (or relatively far from airports). In none of these instances did the noise levels involved meet the usual criteria for community annoyance or interference with individual activity, either in terms of time-averaged noise levels or single-event noise levels. Five basic concepts are presented on which criteria may be established for assessing intrusiveness of low noise levels generated by aircraft in remote, quiet locations.

Audibility and Annoyance of en Route Noise of Unducted Fan Engines

Abstract: : Aircraft flyovers heard in high ambient noise urban environments are composed in large part of high absolute level, broadband noise. In contrast, noise exposure created en route by aircraft powered by unducted fan engines is expected to be relatively low in level, but to contain prominent low frequency tonal energy. These tones may be readily audible in low ambient noise rural environments. The annoyance of noise intrusions of low absolute level has been shown to be closely related to their audibility. Thus, one way to predict the annoyance of high altitude overflights by aircraft equipped with unducted fan engines is to estimate their audibility relative to that of conventionally powered aircraft in various ambient noise conditions. These predictions may be converted into estimates of the probability of high annoyance by means of a dosage-response relationship derived from laboratory data about the annoyance of individual noise intrusions. The latter estimates may in turn be applied to populations exposed to unducted fan engine noise over a range of assumed exposure levels. Application of these procedures to several assumed exposure cases suggests that millions of people in rural areas of the United States would be likely to be highly annoyed by the noise of aircraft powered by unducted fan engines. (SDW)

Aircraft en route noise annoyance

Abstract: Results are reported from a laboratory experiment conducted in order to quantify the annoyance experienced by people on the ground in response to en route noise (ERN) generated by aircraft at cruise conditions. Objectives included the comparison of annoyance responses to ERN with the annoyance responses to takeoff and landing noise; the comparison of the annoyance responses to advanced turboprop aircraft ERN with those of the turbofan ERN; and also the ability of aircraft noise measurement procedures and corrections to predict annoyance to ERN. Tests were conducted at the Langley Acoustics Research Laboratory on 32 human subjects selected at random. Subjects judged the annoyance level of 24 Propfan Test Assessment advanced turboprop ERN stimuli, 18 conventional turbofan ERN stimuli, and 60 conventional turboprop and turbofan takeoff and landing noise stimuli. Analysis of resulting data compared annoyance responses to different aircraft types and operations, examined the ability of current noise measurement and correction procedures to predict annoyance ERN, and calculated optimum duration correction magnitudes for ERN.