Basic Facts On Environmental Noise Control

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.

The management of this pollution is centered on architecture, urban planning, transport and occupational areas. Globally, aircraft and road traffic are the most stubborn sources of pollution. With the exception of electrical vehicle development, very little has been to abate road and aircraft air pollution. Recreational activities may affect people living in neighboring areas by generating amplified sounds and music. This poses a significant challenge in effective control strategies

To address indoor sound levels, multiple techniques have been applied including design of party walls, exterior walls, and ceiling and floor assemblies. Special purpose rooms such as auditoria, social halls, recording and dining areas emit sound which can be controlled by putting up sound baffles or absorbers. As opposed to sound proofing, sound masking entails actively adding sounds to reduce the disturbance of certain other 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.

A variety of materials and finishes can be used to in acoustic walls and ceiling panels. The ideal panels are those that do not interfere with the substrate. To maximise absorption, fabric covers are incorporated. Windows to buildings can be modified in manner that controls sound movement. To prevent sound transmission from outside, thicker or double glazed windows may also be used.

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.

Well planned environmental noise control can eliminate a key component of industrial, recreational or road traffic impact on the surrounding environment. Summarily, the available techniques include sound insulation, absorption, vibration, damping and isolation. Sound insulation introduces a mass barrier to prevent sound transmission. Damping works by extracting vibration energy and dissipating as heat from the thin sheet.




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