Basic Facts On Environmental Noise Control

Posted by Brett Slansky | 5:21 AM | 0 comments »

By Eugenia Dickerson


Noise can simply be described as unwanted or annoying sound. Significantly high noise levels negatively impact on the human population both emotionally and physically. A noisy environment is not only difficult to work in but poses a significant health risk as well. Persons that work in such environments need to undergo regular medical check-ups so that they can be screened for hearing impairment. The main purpose of environmental noise control is to make the acoustic environment better.

There are numerous other sources of this kind of pollution other than manufacturing industries. They include, among others, architecture, transport and urban planning. The most stubborn causes of pollution in this context worldwide are aircraft and road traffic. While some sources of pollution are fairly easy to control others like human social activities present a major challenge.

Different methods have been used to manage interior sound levels. These include party wall designs, exterior walls, and floor and ceiling assemblies. Rooms designed for specific purposes like entertainment halls, recording rooms and auditoria generate sound which can be contained by constructing sound absorbers or baffles. Sound masking as opposed to proofing refers to active addition of sounds to minimize the perception unwanted sounds.

Development of hybrid vehicles in efforts to control road traffic sources will need to attain a market share of about fifty percent to have a significant impact on the streets. Improving tire tread designs for trucks better shielding diesel stacks are some of the ways of curbing noise at source level. Speed control is effective since the minimum sound emissions come from vehicles moving at a speed of at least thirty kilometres per hour.

As in road traffic management, little has been affected in the aircraft sector, other than elimination of loud engine designs. A promising form of aircraft improvement is flight restriction. This can take the form of departure flight path, preferred runway use and time of day restrictions. This is however questionable because it negatively impacts on flying convenience, aircraft safety and economics.

Several materials have been incorporated into buildings to improve the acoustic properties. Panels made of steel are usually fitted into walls. Good panels are those that have very little interference with the substrates. Fabric covers are usually used in a number of buildings to improve absorption. The fabrics are made into sound curtains or blankets that are fitted onto surfaces or noisy equipment.

In manufacturing industries, it is important to adopt designs that will produce the least amount of noise possible. Persons that are stationed in these places should have protective equipment and should be exposed to the environment only when necessary. Quality control departments should have their own quiet rooms where proper acoustics are fitted to keep away the disturbance.

A wisely laid out plan for environmental noise control is crucial in eliminating all areas of pollution. In a nutshell, sound management methods include insulation and absorption, vibration isolation and vibration damping. Sound insulation employs large barriers to prevent transmission of sound. In damping, vibration energy is extracted from the thin sheet and dissipating as heat.




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