Importance of technical research in long-distance sound propagation

ACOUSTICS

Andrew Peplow Andrew Bullmore

Contact emails: andrewpeplow@hoarelea.com andrewbullmore@hoarelea.com

Why do we want to hear sound ?

warns of danger Image courtesy Bruel & Kjaer provides information on surroundings allows us to communicate and learn enjoyment of recreational sound (music)

Why do we not want to hear noise ?

Image courtesy Bruel & Kjaer lowers quality of life causes annoyance interferes with work and ability to learn damages health

When does sound become noise ?

depends on individual depends on activity of individual depends on attitude of individual depends on hearing acuity of individual depends on level of noise depends on character of noise

Image courtesy Bruel & Kjaer

The human auditory field

Threshold of hearing

Please click on small pictures to hear audio samples or anywhere on main figure to hear pure tones at 200Hz, 1000Hz, 2000Hz and 10,000Hz

LAeq,T

Equivalent continuous noise level. The continuous noise level over the assessment time period, T, that would result in the same total sound energy at the assessment location as produced by the actual time varying sound. The LAeq,T tends towards the peaks in the time varying noise. Background noise level. The noise level exceeded for 90% of the time over the assessment time period, T. The LA90,T tends towards the troughs in the time varying noise and thus provides a measure of the typical lower level of noise that will always be present to mask out any specific source of noise introduced into the noise environment
64 62 60 58 56 54 52 50 48 46 44 42 40 38 36 34 32 30 28 26 24

LA90,T

Sound pressure level, dB(A)

LAeq,T = 44 dB

LA90,T = 34 dB

Time (125ms per sample, total time = 1 minute)

Sample plot showing the time varying sound pressure level measured over a minute long period

LAeq,T versus

LA90,T

For a steady noise environment, such as that at some distance from a busy motorway, the LAeq,T will be similar to the LA90,T, although it will always be higher

70

65

Sound pressure level, dB(A)

60

LAeq,T = 57.2dB
55

LA90,T = 56.8dB

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Time (5 seconds per gridline)

Please click anywhere on chart to hear the noise, or on picture to see and hear noise

LAeq,T versus

LA90,T

For a variable noise environment, such as that close by a road with distinct passing vehicles, the LAeq,T will be significantly higher than the LA90,T

70

65

Sound pressure level, dB(A)

60

LAeq,T = 57.2dB
55

50

LA90,T = 51.0dB

45

40

Time (5 seconds per gridline)

Please click anywhere on chart to hear the noise, or on picture to see and hear noise

The subjective perception of specific sounds

The two previous traffic noise examples (shown together below for direct comparison) have the same LAeq,T noise levels but quite different temporal characteristics, as evidenced by the differences in their respective LA90,T levels. Thus the subjective perception of the same specific noise introduced into each of the two different environments may be quite different.

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65

Sound pressure level, dB(A)

60

Distant traffic
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50

Close by traffic

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Time (5 seconds per gridline)

Please click anywhere on chart to hear the combined noise from distant and close traffic

The subjective perception of specific sounds

As an example, the sound of kart racing activity is now introduced into the two different environments. The following figure shows that the LAeq,T of the kart noise is 54.9 dB. This is around 2 dB(A) lower than the LAeq,T of both the more constant in level distant traffic noise case and the more variable in level close by traffic noise case

70

65

Sound pressure level, dB(A)

60

55

LAeq,T = 54.9dB LA90,T = 51.2dB

50

45

40

Time (5 seconds per gridline)

Please click anywhere on chart to hear the kart noise

The subjective perception of specific sounds

The preceding examples have considered the effects on subjective audibility of different temporal characteristics of the existing (residual) sound field. The following example shows the effect of introducing the same kart noise into environments with the same (steady) noise environment, but with different levels of steady noise

70

65

Sound pressure level, dB(A)

Traffic noise Traffic noise ++ 5dB 5dB

60

Traffic noise Traffic noise

55
Kart noise

50
Traffic noise Traffic noise - 10dB

10 dB

45

40

Time (5 seconds per gridline)

Please click anywhere on the relevant traffic noise label to the right of the chart to hear the kart noise together with the constant traffic noise at the stated level

Third octave band frequency analysis

70 Third octave band sound pressure levels, dB Ambient Low Frequency Ambient Low Frequency 60 Kart Noise Kart Noise Bird Song Bird Song

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0
H 31 z .5 H z 40 H z 50 H z 63 H z 80 H 10 z 0 H 12 z 5 H 16 z 0 H 20 z 0 H 25 z 0 H 31 z 5 H 40 z 0 H 50 z 0 H 63 z 0 H 80 z 0 H z 1 kH 1. 25 z kH 1. z 6 kH z 2 kH 2. z 5 k 3. Hz 15 kH z 4 kH z 5 kH 6. z 3 kH z 8 kH 10 z k 1 2 Hz .5 kH 16 z kH z 20 25 H z

Third octave band centre frequencies, Hz

Please click on coloured labels at top of chart to hear recorded noise in that frequency range

Time history of upper frequency noise (predominantly bird song) only

64 62 60 58 56 54 52 50 48 46 44 42 40 38 36 34 32 30 28 26 24

Sound pressure level, dB(A)

LAeq,T = 44 dB

LA90,T = 34 dB

Time (125ms per sample, total time = 1 minute)

Please click on chart to hear recorded noise in the upper frequency range

Time history of mid frequency noise (predominantly karts) only

64 62 60 58 56 54 52 50 48 46 44 42 40 38 36 34 32 30 28 26 24

Sound pressure level, dB(A)

LAeq,T = 52 dB LA90,T = 47 dB

Time (10ms per sample, total time = 1 minute)

Please click on chart to hear recorded noise in the mid frequency range

Comparison of mid (top trace) and upper (lower trace) frequency noise
64 62 60 58 56 54 52 50 48 46 44 42 40 38 36 34 32 30 28 26 24

Sound pressure level, dB(A)

LAeq,T = 52 dB

LAeq,T = 44 dB

Time (125ms per sample, total time = 1 minute)

Please click on chart to hear recorded noise in the combined frequency ranges

Background noise and wind farms

Measured background noise levels - quiet daytime
60

Sound pressure level, LA90

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20

y = 0.2603x - 0.0533x + 21.225 2 R = 0.7092

10 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

10m height wind speed, m/s

background noise levels often fall below 30dB(A) noise levels also vary with wind speed

Ground effect as a source of uncertainty

35 dB(A) to 39 dB(A) (ground effect only)

Hard paving, concrete, etc. G = 0.0 Mixed - hard and porous ground G = 0.5

39 dB(A) 37 dB(A)

Porous - ground suitable for vegetation G = 1.0 35 dB(A)

Background Sound Variability

Noise level, dB

Distance from source

Industry Sound Variability

Noise level, dB

Distance from source

Uncertainty and Potential Risk

Noise level, dB

critical region = risk

Distance from source

RAY TRACING & PARABOLIC EQUATION METHODS TWO MOST POPULAR METHODS

100

Propagation effects. Wind or Temp term included in sound speed profile

100 90 80 70 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Shadow 0 200 400 600 800 Distance (m) 1000 1200 Limiting ray

Sound shadow region results under temperature lapse and/or upwind conditions Result is large decreases over neutral of typically -10dB(A) to -15dB(A) coupled with highly variable noise level

Height (m)

60 50 40 30 20 10 0 335

340 Sound speed (m/s)

345

Sound energy enters shadow region via turbulent scattering

40 35 30 25 Height (m) 20 15 10 5 0 343 S R

Sound enhancement results due to multiple paths under temperature inversion and/or downwind conditions Result is small increases over neutral of typically +1dB(A) to +3dB(A) and much more stable noise level Barrier effects of topographical screening can be greatly reduced compared with the neutral case

343.5 344 344.5 Sound speed (m/s)

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400 500 600 Distance (m)

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Sound enhancement at receiver due to multiple source-receiver paths

Benefits of using Parabolic Equation models

can aid understanding of complex effects (e.g. linear/logarithmic sound speed gradients) can provide guidance as to potential range of noise levels for a given range of input parameters can serve as benchmarks for testing the output of engineering type models

ATTENUATION DECREASE IN NOISE LEVEL

Low-level source. Difference Ray and PE

Ray tracing does not include surface wave ???

Raspet, JASA, 1991

Benefits of using Asymptotics

can provide understanding of mechanisms of complex physical effects (e.g. linear/logarithmic sound speed gradients, impedance) can provide guidance as to potential decay rate of noise levels against homogeneous, no wind, conditions. p ~ Z / (kr) squared in homogeneous conditions, Real(Z) > 0. can serve as a benchmark for testing the output of engineering type long-range models

Offer two MSc projects: PARABOLIC EQUATION METHODS ASYMPTOTICS

ACOUSTICS