Basic Facts On Environmental Noise Control

By Eugenia Dickerson

Noise pollution is a major problem in the modern industrialized world. A noisy environment is difficult to work in and possess a health risk as well. Proper environmental noise control is needed to better the acoustic environment. Persons who work in noisy industrial areas should undergo regular medical check-ups to ensure that they have not suffered from hearing impairment.

There are many sources of this type of pollution other than the industrial sources. The commonest causes include architecture, the transport industry and urban planning. Air and road traffic are considered the biggest sources of pollution worldwide. Some sources are fairly easy to bring under control while others are a major challenge.

There are various methods that may be employed indoors or outdoors depending on the source. The available potions can be used for walls, ceilings, floors or exterior walls. The type of material chosen is determined by, among other factors, the function of the structure. Theaters, recording studios and auditoria produce sound that can be easily absorbed by baffles. Sound masking is the active addition of other sounds that help minimise 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.

Aircrafts with quitter engines are now being adopted by a number of designers and this has gone a long way into making the environment better. Restricting flights in some sensitive areas also helps in managing the pollution. Restriction can be done through allocation of specific times for flights, allocating specific paths, runways and so on. The main disadvantages of doing this include inconveniences to travellers and unfavourable flight economics.

A number of finishes and materials can be employed in ceiling panels and acoustic walls. A good panel is one that does not interfere with the substrate. Fabric covers are used for effective maximum absorption. The covers may be modified into sound blankets or curtains that are used to cover surfaces or noisy equipment. Moreover, windows that are thicker or double glazed may also serve the same purpose.

Industrial equipment can be designed in such a manner as to produce minimum noise possible, for the health benefit of workers. Also, special equipment including shock mounting source equipment, solid barriers and ear protection equipment can be used by workers. Office workers can look out for quieter office equipment such as photocopiers and printers as simple solutions for more conventional office environments.

A properly organised environmental noise control framework is required in virtually all public places. The methods chosen for this are variable but will fall in any of the following categories: vibration dumping, vibration isolation, absorption or sound isolation. In general, sound isolation is the use of barriers to impede transmission. Damping involves extraction of vibration energy from various media and dissipating it as heat.

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