Noise

ENB380
Robin Ormerod
robin.ormerod@pacific-environment.com

Outline
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Basic Theory
Legislative requirements
Practical aspects of monitoring
Interpretation of Results
Dealing with Community
Concerns
6. Questions

Basic Theory
Noise and vibration characteristics
Noise and vibration attenuation

Sound vs Noise

What is Sound?
Pressure wave in air 340 m/s.
Frequency range
20 Hz - 20,000 Hz.

Tuning fork

Group frequencies
into octaves or
1/3 octave bands

Air particles vibrate to and fro

Sound Levels

Levels normally encountered in buildings are between 20 dB to 100 dB

Noise Level

Space

20 dB(A)

Fully-sealed Audiometric Booth

25 dB(A)

Quiet Bedroom

30-35 dB(A)

Quiet Private office

40 dB(A)

Typical private office

45 dB(A)

Typical Open Plan office (no talking)

50-60 dB(A)

Shopping Centre Mall

60-75 dB(A)

Air Handling Plantroom

75-90 dB(A)

Chiller Plantroom

95-115 dB(A)

Diesel Generator Plantroom

129 dB(A)

Under wing of F-111 Zone 5 after-burner

Sound Pressure
We detect
0.00002 Pa to 60 Pa
Atmospheric pressure
101 000 Pa
We hear a change from
0.01 Pa to 0.1 Pa
Is the same as
5.0 Pa to 50 Pa

Noise Level Weightings

A-weighting scale similar
to human ear.
Instruments and dogs are
more sensitive than we
are

Noise Attenuation
Distance attenuations:
Point sources6 dB/doubling of distance
Line sources~3 dB/doubling of distance
Other attenuations:
Air absorption (minor)
Barriers (5-15 dB)
Ground effects (0-3 dB/100m)
Meteorology (up to +/-7 dBA)

Noise level as a function of distance

assuming only hemi-spherical attenuation
90

noise level, dBA

80

70

60

50

40

30
0

100

200

300

400

500

600

distance from point source (m)

700

800

900

1000

Adding Noise Levels

Adding Noise Level A & B
A + B = Lp

40
40
40
40
40
40

+
+
+
+
+
+

40
37
32
25
40
40

=
=
=
=
+
+

43
42
41
40
40 = 45
40 + 40 = 46

(equal numbers add 3)

(difference of 2 to 4, add 2)
(difference 5 to 10, add 1)
(difference >10, add 0)

(3 equal numbers add 5)

(4 equal numbers add 6)

Noise Reduction & Sound

Energy
Noise
Reduction

Sound
Energy
Reduction

Sound
Energy
Transmitted

Reduction in
Loudness

1 dB

20%

80%

Not noticeable

3 dB

50%

50%

Barely noticeable

6 dB

75%

25%

Noticeable

10 dB

90%

10%

Approx halving of loudness

20 dB

99%

1%

Approx quarter of loudness

Noise Level Description

Duration of noise measurements
10 min
15min
30min

1h

8h

9h

15h

24h etc

Common Noise Parameters

Noise levels fluctuate continuously
Useful Parameters:
Lmax Maximum Noise Level, hammering, car door slams
and engine starts, rail noise, short term events.
L10 Typically used for external traffic noise in QLD,
commonly referred to as the average of the maximums.
Leq Energy average noise level, used for the assessment
of mechanical plant, easily added.

L90 Typically referred to a the background noise level,

used to set limits for continuous noise.

Noise Reduction Over Barriers

Line of sight barrier 5 dB(A)

Lower barrier very little
Tall barrier 10 15 dB(A)
Max theoretical 24 dB(A)

Noise Reduction around Barriers

Acoustic barriers potential

negative aspects
Potential negatives:

Aesthetics (visual impact)

Air flow
Safety
Loss of views
Reflection off acoustic barriers

Human Response to Noise

Interference with:

relaxation (annoyance)
conversation (annoyance)
sleep (performance, health?)

Decrease in property values!

Human Response Stages to Noise
1. Awareness
2. Annoyance
3. Complaint
4. **@*!?!.

Effects of Transportation Noise

Interference with

relaxation (annoyance)
conversation (annoyance)
sleep (performance, health?)

Decrease in property values

Your own personal experience(s)?

Effects of Sleep Disturbance

Immediate effects:
sleep stage change
increased blood pressure
increased heart rate
Effects next day:
feeling tired
lower performance

Quiz #1
1. Find the total noise level when a truck making 40 dB(A)
starts up next to a scraper already making 40 dB(A)
2. What is the noise level if both vehicles drive twice as far
away?
3. What if the background was 37 dB(A) before they both
started, and they both were at the greater distance?
4. What sound energy reduction do you get from a noise
barrier giving 10 dB(A) reduction? What is the loudness
reduction?

Noise Management
General aim:
To achieve noise exposures which protect
human health and well-being
Specific objectives:
To develop noise criteria
To encourage noise assessment & control

Noise Control
Possible Noise Control Options
Legislation
Land-use planning/Master Planning
Education
Physical
At source
Transmission path
At receptor

Noise Guidelines
Noise Emission Criteria
VIC
(N3/89)

WHO

QLD

NSW

SA

Day

45

40-45

Bg + 5, plus
max limits

Bg + 5, plus
max limits

47 52

Evening

37

40-45

Bg + 5, plus
max limits

Bg + 5, plus
max limits

47 52

Night

32

35-40

Bg + 5, plus
max limits

Bg + 5, plus
max limits

30 40

Period

Qld Noise Legislation/Guidelines

Environmental Protection Act 1994

Environmental Protection Noise Policy 2008.

Environmental Protection Regulation 2008

EHP Guidelines
Ecoaccess Planning for Noise Control
Ecoaccess Assessment of Low Frequency Noise
Background Plus Informal Limits based on AS1055

Example Case Extractive Industry

Coal Mine

ROM approx. 1 Mt per annum.

Waste approx 10 Mt per annum.
Limited Blasting.
CHPP.

Dump Trucks.
FELs.
Excavators.
Grader.
Dozer.
Water truck.

Mine Fleet

Example Case Extractive Industry

Noise Predictions
Leq(1 hour) Energy Average Noise Level.
Rural Area
Adverse Meteorology.
Wind blowing towards receivers.
Neutral atmosphere during the day.
Stable atmosphere during the night.

Scenarios
Daytime Background 30 dB(A).
Nighttime Background 20 dB(A).

Example Case Extractive Industry

Summary of Nighttime Limits
State

Source

BG

Min BG

Criteria

QLD

EPP 1997

QLD

EPP 2008

20

30 to 35

QLD

E3 Guideline

20

30

33

QLD

EA - Background

20

25

28

QLD

EA - Sleep

37

Do not cause nuisance

Example Case Extractive Industry

Nighttime

EPP 2008 - 1

EPP 2008 - 2

EA - BC

EA - SD

55

Leq(1 hour) Night Maximum dB(A)

50

EPP 2008 - 5450m to 7450m

45

QLD GD - 4850m to 8450m

40

35

30

25

20
1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

Distance from Mine (m)

8000

9000

10000

Example Case Extractive

Industry
Summary of Daytime Limits
State

Source

BG

Min BG

Criteria

QLD

EPP 1997

QLD

EPP 2008

30

35 to 40

QLD

E3 Guideline

30

35

40

QLD

EA - Background Creep

30

25

36

QLD

EA - Sleep Disturbance

Do not cause nuisance

NA

Example Case Extractive Industry

Daytime

EPP 2008 - 1

EPP 2008 - 2

EA - BC

55

EPP 2008 - 4150m to 5650m

Leq(1 hour) Day Maximum dB(A)

50

45

QLD GD - 4150m to 5300m

40

35

30

25

20
1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

Distance from Mine (m)

8000

9000

10000

Example Case Extractive Industry

Summary
State

Source

Compliance

Night

Day

QLD

EPP 1997

QLD

EPP 2008

5450m to 7450m

4150m to 5650m

QLD

Guidelines

4850m to 8450m

4150m to 5300m

Background Noise Survey

Other Operational Noise Issues

Noise Penalties:

Impulsiveness
Tonality
Irregularity
Intermittency
Low Frequency

Duration
Traffic Noise
Train Noise
Construction Noise

Operational Noise Monitoring

Loggers monitor noise continuously (8/sec)
combine with weather logging
Also use attended measurements
Cannot separate noise sources
e.g. mine/ neighbour/ traffic/ other
Keep records of noisy/quiet activities
e.g. meal breaks/shutdowns etc
Specific equipment for blast noise & vibration

Noise & Vibration Monitoring

Instruments
Operational Noise
weather proof,
Mains/battery/solar
power,
telephone/internet
download capabilities

Noise Monitoring Procedures

Operational Noise

Noise Logging at nearest Dwellings

Hard to distinguish mine noise
background noise contaminated by mine
Check with mine operational patterns

Additional noise measurements

Closer to the mine
Needed to confirm mine noise emission
Need to forecast noise to nearest neighbours

Meteorological Effects
Noise travels further at night especially in winter on
clear, starry nights
Noise travels further downwind
Background noise may increase with wind speed
mine harder to hear
Under adverse Met conditions hills, barriers and
bunds offer less noise protection

Meteorological Monitoring and Impact

on Results
Wind
Higher noise downwind
Lower noise upwind
Effect of wind velocity profile

Interaction of wind velocity profile with topography

Meteorological Monitoring and Impact

on Results

Meteorological Monitoring and Impact

on Results
Temperature Profile
Higher noise during temperature inversion
Higher noise during greater inversions

Lower noise when clouds present

Meteorological Monitoring and Impact

on Results

Meteorological Monitoring and Impact

on Results
Meteorological effects on:
Low frequency / high frequency noise
Summer / winter months
Night / day

Distance

Quiz #2
1. What is the typical minimum night-time operational
noise criterion?

2. Nominate 2 annoying characteristics to emitted

noise?
3. When can wind and temperature inversion cause
similar effects on emitted noise?

Interpretation of Results - Logged

data
Does noise level increase with:
periods of noisy site activity?
winds blowing from site to neighbours?
during temperature inversions?

Does noise level decrease with:

winds blowing from neighbours to site?
periods of quiet (or no) site activity?

Interpretation of Results - Logged

Data
Sundays/Public holidays - is the site quiet or is
everything quiet?
Are the noise levels lower the further from the site
you are?
How often is noise limit reached/exceeded? Does this
correlate to particular site activity

Interpretation of Results - Noise

Character
Impulsiveness
Subjective and Objective Tests Typical penalty 2 to 5 dB(A)
Tonality
Subjective and Objective Tests
Typical penalty 3 to 5 dB(A)

Dont apply correction to overall noise from site, only to

annoying components

Interpretation of Results
Meteorology
Table 2:
Season

Summer

Autumn

Winter

Spring

Percentage of stability classes

Time of day

Percentage of each stability class (%)

A

Midnight to 6 am

0.0

2.3

0.8

9.7

22.8

64.4

6 am to midday

49.3

31.5

18.4

0.8

0.0

0.0

Midday to 6 pm

26.9

30.9

39.9

2.3

0.0

0.0

6 pm to midnight

0.6

1.3

5.1

51.8

22.0

19.2

Midnight to 6 am

0.0

0.0

0.0

9.1

20.8

70.1

6 am to midday

35.8

30.6

18.0

3.2

1.9

10.5

Midday to 6 pm

28.6

29.8

31.3

8.0

1.4

0.9

6 pm to midnight

0.0

0.0

0.1

34.1

26.5

39.3

Midnight to 6 am

0.0

0.0

0.0

8.9

14.1

76.9

6 am to midday

39.2

24.3

18.3

2.4

2.1

13.7

Midday to 6 pm

29.1

30.1

31.4

6.4

1.7

1.2

6 pm to midnight

0.1

0.1

0.1

23.8

25.3

50.6

Midnight to 6 am

0.1

2.0

1.4

8.5

16.8

71.2

6 am to midday

53.6

31.0

15.1

0.3

0.0

0.2

Midday to 6 pm

31.3

27.9

34.4

6.3

0.0

0.0

6 pm to midnight

0.2

0.3

1.4

46.4

25.8

25.8

Interpretation of Results - Noise

Meteorology
Forecast noise levels
Pit at Southern end
1.

Temperature Inversion (F-Class) & No wind

2.

Temperature Inversion (F-Class) & 3 m/s SW wind

Pit Further North

3.

Temperature Inversion (F-Class) & No wind

4.

Temperature Inversion (F-Class) & 3 m/s SW wind

Forecast Noise Levels - #1

Forecast Noise Levels - #2

Forecast Noise Levels - #3

Forecast Noise Levels - #4

Dealing with Community

Concerns
Will this noise harm me?
Will this vibration harm my house?

Why can I still hear the noise?

Why are they louder when you are not here?

Why are they louder at night?

Why is it louder with my window closed?
I cant sleep with this noise!