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Noise pollution

About: Noise pollution is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 4455 publications have been published within this topic receiving 67192 citations.


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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Impulsive noise activity in the Northeast Atlantic reported during 2015-2017 to the first international impulsive noise register (INR) is assessed, which discusses utilising the INR for risk assessment, target setting, and forward planning, and the implementation of similar systems in other regions.

21 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, an audio recording was made by using a calibrated microphone in an ICU room at Jeroen Bosch Hospital for a duration of 67 hours, and the analysis of various acoustic parameters, a 24-hour audio fragment was manually annotated by six research assistants.
Abstract: We read with interest the recent issue of Critical Care in which Darbyshire and Young [1] reported on noise levels in five different ICUs and demonstrated average sound pressure levels far above the World Health Organization recommended standard of 35 dB LAeq (A-weighted energy-equivalent sound pressure level in decibels). Although their article provides an interesting insight into the ICU soundscape, the authors did not attempt to investigate the sources of noise. In the literature, only few studies have performed an analysis of noise sources, using either questionnaires [2] or a human observer in the patient’s room [3–5]. Aiming to provide more insight into this matter, some of the authors recently performed an acoustic survey in an ICU room in order to determine which sources are responsible for the high noise levels, and details of this study were recently published [6]. Briefly, an audio recording was made by using a calibrated microphone in an ICU room at Jeroen Bosch Hospital for a duration of 67 hours. In addition to the analysis of various acoustic parameters, a 24-hour audio fragment was manually annotated by six research assistants. All sound events (n = 27,421) were identified by using 28 noise source labels, which were grouped into five noise categories. Acoustic analysis showed an average sound pressure level of 61 dB LAeq when the room was occupied. In agreement with the aforementioned study, the number of predicted loudness peaks was up to 90 per hour. Restorative periods were defined as periods of at least 5 minutes in which the sound pressure level relative to the background level did not exceed 17.7 dBA (A-weighted sound pressure level in decibels); only approximately 46% of the periods recorded at night were considered to be restorative, and the average duration of these restorative periods was approximately 13 minutes. Source-specific analysis revealed that, on average, noisy events related to staff activities (54 dB LAeq) occurred approximately 10 times per minute, staff speech (55 dB LAeq) occurred approximately 4 times per minute, and alarms (57 dB LAeq) also occurred approximately 4 times per minute. Further analyses showed that 57% of total acoustic energy and 92% of predicted loudness peaks could be attributed to the activities and speech of hospital personnel (Figure 1). We agree with Darbyshire and Young [1] that high sound pressure levels may have detrimental effects in the already vulnerable population of ICU patients. The aforementioned study demonstrates that more than half of all acoustic energy in an ICU is related to human activities and speech and therefore is potentially modifiable. Strategies involving the adaptation of human behavior therefore may prove to be very effective at reducing noise pollution in the ICU. Figure 1 The contribution of each noise category for (A) the acoustic energy and (B) the number of predicted loudness peaks. Noise generated by or involving patients is excluded. For more details, refer to [6].

21 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The results of statistical analysis of sound pressure levels show that commercial areas have the highest noise levels followed by industrial and residential areas.
Abstract: The measurements of noise levels in residential, industrial and commercial areas in the capital city of India, Delhi, were carried out in the month of March and April, 1992. Six sites in residential areas, four in industrial areas and nine in commercial areas were chosen, which were situated in different parts of Delhi. The results of statistical analysis of sound pressure levels show that commercial areas have the highest noise levels followed by industrial and residential areas. Spectral distribution of noise at octave band frequencies have also been presented for the above mentioned areas.

21 citations

01 Sep 2004
TL;DR: This paper is a first phase report of a wider framework of study that investigates the noise radiation characteristics of air-cooled power transformers, focusing on the influence of lamination of the core block on its structural dynamic behaviour.
Abstract: Power transformers can be sources of disturbing and annoying acoustic noise. This paper is a first phase report of a wider framework of study that investigates the noise radiation characteristics of air-cooled power transformers. The dynamics of the transformer core structure plays a significant role in the noise generation process. The reported work focuses on the influence of lamination of the core block on its structural dynamic behaviour. The degree of lamination of a core and its boundary conditions have been found to have a strong influence on its resonant behaviour and the need for an accurate modelling of these physical details has been observed through a combined experimental – numerical study. 1. Transformer noise – an annoying disturbance Power transformers are designed for the transmission and distribution of electrical power. Apart from satisfying this functional performance objective, the operation of a transformer happens to induce some annoying acoustic radiation. The requirement for more electrical power associated with the growing density of population, especially in urban areas, has resulted in enhancing the supply capacity of local electrical substations by adding more transformers, or building new substations of high power ratings closer to the neighbourhoods. This may result in the inhabitants in the vicinity being exposed to increased, and often disturbing, noise levels. Transformer acoustic noise is a hum characterised by spectral spikes at harmonics of the fundamental frequency (100 Hz /120 Hz) which is twice the line supply frequency. The transformer’s low frequency tonal noise components are the major source of annoyance and intrusion, invoking noise complaints from the residents, [1, 2]. A growing awareness and concern about public health problems due to noise pollution has brought transformer substations under the purview of tough regulations on excessive noise emission. Therefore, the need for compliance to stricter noise control regulations requires the construction of transformers that are less noise-prone and the design of efficient passive/active control systems for onsite noise control measures. For this purpose, a proper understanding of the noise generation in a transformer and an accurate estimation of its radiation characteristics are necessary.

21 citations

Journal Article
TL;DR: The assessment showed that the issue of noise pollution is currently ignored in urban regulations concerning environmental quality, and processed data, spatial analysis and models are integrated within the framework of ArcGIS software environment, providing adequate tools to address noise issues.
Abstract: Large urban areas are facing growing problems of noise pollutions. Geospatial Information Systems (GIS) can conveniently be adapted to gather, analyze and present noise information. GIS can also be extended to answer to user specific problems through deterministic and statistics models. The objectives of this research were to measure urban traffic noise levels, analyze temporal and spatial dynamics of urban traffic- induced noise pollution in the first districted of Tehran estimate the noise for pollution concentration, assess the results of Federal Highway Administration Traffic Noise Model (FHWA-TNM) and Iranian Traffic Noise Predictor (ITNP); and represent them in a GIS environment. Measurements were done at the traffic peak time and also when the traffic was at its minimum, during three successive months. In this study, L eq , L 10 , L 50 , L 90 , L max and L min were gathered. The results demonstrated that most of commercial and residential regions surrounding the main streets are suffering from sever noise pollution. Processed data, spatial analysis and models are integrated within the framework of ArcGIS software environment, providing adequate tools to address noise issues. The assessment showed that the issue of noise pollution is currently ignored in urban regulations concerning environmental quality.

21 citations


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Performance
Metrics
No. of papers in the topic in previous years
YearPapers
2023195
2022391
2021227
2020216
2019231
2018235