Annoyance caused by advanced turboprop aircraft flyover noise: Counter-rotating-propeller configuration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccurdy, David A.

1990-01-01

Two experiments were conducted to quantify the annoyance of people to flyover noise of advanced turboprop aircraft with counter rotating propellers. The first experiment examined configurations having an equal number of blades on each rotor and the second experiment examined configurations having an unequal number of blades on each rotor. The objectives were to determine the effects on annoyance of various tonal characteristics, and to compare annoyance to advanced turboprops with annoyance to conventional turboprops and turbofans. A computer was used to synthesize realistic, time-varying simulations of advanced turboprop aircraft takeoff noise. The simulations represented different combinations fundamental frequency and tone-to-broadband noise ratio. Also included in each experiment were recordings of 10 conventional turboprop and turbofan takeoffs. Each noise was presented at three sound pressure levels in an anechoic chamber. In each experiment, 64 subjects judged the annoyance of each noise stimulus. Analyses indicated that annoyance was significantly affected by the interaction of fundamental frequency with tone-to-broadband noise ratio. No significant differences in annoyance between the advanced turboprop aircraft and the conventional turbofans were found. The use of a duration correction and a modified tone correction improved the annoyance prediction for the stimuli.

Sounds perceived as annoying by hearing-aid users in their daily soundscape.

PubMed

Skagerstrand, Åsa; Stenfelt, Stefan; Arlinger, Stig; Wikström, Joel

2014-04-01

The noises in modern soundscapes continue to increase and are a major origin for annoyance. For a hearing-impaired person, a hearing aid is often beneficial, but noise and annoying sounds can result in non-use of the hearing aid, temporary or permanently. The purpose of this study was to identify annoying sounds in a daily soundscape for hearing-aid users. A diary was used to collect data where the participants answered four questions per day about annoying sounds in the daily soundscape over a two-week period. Sixty adult hearing-aid users. Of the 60 participants 91% experienced annoying sounds daily when using hearing aids. The annoying sound mentioned by most users, was verbal human sounds, followed by other daily sound sources categorized into 17 groups such as TV/radio, vehicles, and machine tools. When the hearing-aid users were grouped in relation to age, hearing loss, gender, hearing-aid experience, and type of signal processing used in their hearing aids, small and only few significant differences were found when comparing their experience of annoying sounds. The results indicate that hearing-aid users often experience annoying sounds and improved clinical fitting routines may reduce the problem.

Effect of situational, attitudinal and demographic factors on railway vibration annoyance in residential areas.

PubMed

Peris, Eulalia; Woodcock, James; Sica, Gennaro; Sharp, Calum; Moorhouse, Andrew T; Waddington, David C

2014-01-01

Railway induced vibration is an important source of annoyance among residents living in the vicinity of railways. Annoyance increases with vibration magnitude. However, these correlations between the degree of annoyance and vibration exposure are weak. This suggests that railway vibration induced annoyance is governed by more than just vibration level and therefore other factors may provide information to understand the wide variation in annoyance reactions. Factors coming into play when considering an exposure-response relationship between level of railway vibration and annoyance are presented. The factors investigated were: attitudinal, situational and demographic factors. This was achieved using data from field studies comprised of face-to-face interviews and internal vibration measurements (N = 755). It was found that annoyance scores were strongly influenced by two attitudinal factors: Concern of property damage and expectations about future levels of vibration. Type of residential area and age of the respondent were found to have an important effect on annoyance whereas visibility of the railway and time spent at home showed a significant but small influence. These results indicate that future railway vibration policies and regulations focusing on community impact need to consider additional factors for an optimal assessment of railway effects on residential environments.

Ambient air pollution and annoyance responses from pregnant women

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Llop, Sabrina; Ballester, Ferran; Estarlich, Marisa; Esplugues, Ana; Fernández-Patier, Rosalia; Ramón, Rosa; Marco, Alfredo; Aguirre, Amelia; Sunyer, Jordi; Iñiguez, Carmen; INMA-Valencia cohort

ObjectivesTo describe the degree of annoyance caused by air pollution and noise in pregnant women in a birth cohort; to determine the modifying factors and their relation with exposure to ambient nitrogen dioxide (NO 2). MethodsThe study population was 855 pregnant women in Valencia, Spain. Annoyance caused by air pollution and noise, and explanatory factors were obtained from 786 pregnant women through a questionnaire. NO 2 levels were determined combining measurements at 93 points within the area of study and using geostatistical techniques (kriging). ResultsIn all 7.9% of the women reported high annoyance caused by air pollution and 13.1% high annoyance caused by noise. There was a significant difference in the degree of annoyance due to both air pollution and noise depending on the area where the women lived and their working status. The degree of annoyance correlated better with measured NO 2 at the municipality level (air pollution: r=0.53; noise: r=0.44) than at the individual level (air pollution and noise: r=0.21). On multivariate analysis, being a housewife, higher NO 2 levels and high traffic density were associated with higher degrees of annoyance. ConclusionsThere was a high percentage of women who perceived medium-high annoyance due to noise and air pollution. Annoyance caused by environmental pollutants could lead to some psychological effects, which impair the quality of life, or even physiological ones, which affect prenatal development.

The French method (of representing noise annoyance)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Collet, F.; Delol, J.

1980-01-01

The psophic index used in France for noise exposure from aircraft globally represents the annoyance with the following hypotheses: (1) the global annoyance is a function of the number of aircraft overflights of each type but does not depend on the overflight time; (2) an aircraft flying at night is considered to be just as annoying as 10 aircraft of the same type passing overhead during the day; and (3) and annoyance is only a function of the peak noise levels. Overall, the psophic index appears statistically as good a representation of the average annoyance as methods used in other countries; however, it does seem to reflect poorly the annoyance caused by light aircraft. Noise maps produced for Orly, Roissy, and the area around Paris are described. The range of applications and limitations of the psophic index are discussed.

Taking into account nighttime annoyance in the calculation of the psophic index

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Francois, J.

1981-01-01

The annoyance factor caused by air traffic noise on the residents of areas near airports is discussed. The psophic index is used to predict the level of overall annoyance suffered on the average by residents around airports. The calculation method differentiates between daytime and nighttime annoyance.

Comparison of Annoyance from Railway Noise and Railway Vibration

PubMed Central

Gidlöf-Gunnarsson, Anita; Gustavsson, Sara

2017-01-01

The aim of this study is to compare vibration exposure to noise exposure from railway traffic in terms of equal annoyance, i.e., to determine when a certain noise level is equally annoying as a corresponding vibration velocity. Based on questionnaire data from the Train Vibration and Noise Effects (TVANE) research project from residential areas exposed to railway noise and vibration, the dose response relationship for annoyance was estimated. By comparing the relationships between exposure and annoyance for areas both with and without significant vibration exposure, the noise levels and vibration velocities that had an equal probability of causing annoyance was determined using logistic regression. The comparison gives a continuous mapping between vibration velocity in the ground and a corresponding noise level at the facade that are equally annoying. For equivalent noise level at the facade compared to maximum weighted vibration velocity in the ground the probability of annoyance is approximately 20% for 59 dB or 0.48 mm/s, and about 40% for 63 dB or 0.98 mm/s. PMID:28753921

Loudness and annoyance response to simulated outdoor and indoor sonic booms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leatherwood, Jack D.; Sullivan, Brenda M.

1993-01-01

The sonic boom simulator of the Langley Research Center was used to quantify subjective loudness and annoyance response to simulated indoor and outdoor sonic boom signatures. The indoor signatures were derived from the outdoor signatures by application of house filters that approximated the noise reduction characteristics of a residential structure. Two indoor listening situations were simulated: one with the windows open and the other with the windows closed. Results were used to assess loudness and annoyance as sonic boom criterion measures and to evaluate several metrics as estimators of loudness and annoyance. The findings indicated that loudness and annoyance were equivalent criterion measures for outdoor booms but not for indoor booms. Annoyance scores for indoor booms were significantly higher than indoor loudness scores. Thus, annoyance was recommended as the criterion measure of choice for general use in assessing sonic boom subjective effects. Perceived level was determined to be the best estimator of annoyance for both indoor and outdoor booms, and of loudness for outdoor booms. It was recommended as the metric of choice for predicting sonic boom subjective effects.

Short-term annoyance reactions to stationary and time-varying wind turbine and road traffic noise: A laboratory study.

PubMed

Schäffer, Beat; Schlittmeier, Sabine J; Pieren, Reto; Heutschi, Kurt; Brink, Mark; Graf, Ralf; Hellbrück, Jürgen

2016-05-01

Current literature suggests that wind turbine noise is more annoying than transportation noise. To date, however, it is not known which acoustic characteristics of wind turbines alone, i.e., without effect modifiers such as visibility, are associated with annoyance. The objective of this study was therefore to investigate and compare the short-term noise annoyance reactions to wind turbines and road traffic in controlled laboratory listening tests. A set of acoustic scenarios was created which, combined with the factorial design of the listening tests, allowed separating the individual associations of three acoustic characteristics with annoyance, namely, source type (wind turbine, road traffic), A-weighted sound pressure level, and amplitude modulation (without, periodic, random). Sixty participants rated their annoyance to the sounds. At the same A-weighted sound pressure level, wind turbine noise was found to be associated with higher annoyance than road traffic noise, particularly with amplitude modulation. The increased annoyance to amplitude modulation of wind turbines is not related to its periodicity, but seems to depend on the modulation frequency range. The study discloses a direct link of different acoustic characteristics to annoyance, yet the generalizability to long-term exposure in the field still needs to be verified.

Partial and Total Annoyance Due to Road Traffic Noise Combined with Aircraft or Railway Noise: Structural Equation Analysis.

PubMed

Gille, Laure-Anne; Marquis-Favre, Catherine; Lam, Kin-Che

2017-11-30

Structural equation modeling was used to analyze partial and total in situ annoyance in combined transportation noise situations. A psychophysical total annoyance model and a perceptual total annoyance model were proposed. Results show a high contribution of Noise exposure and Noise sensitivity to Noise annoyance , as well as a causal relationship between noise annoyance and lower Dwelling satisfaction. Moreover, the Visibility of noise source may increase noise annoyance, even when the visible noise source is different from the annoying source under study. With regards to total annoyance due to road traffic noise combined with railway or aircraft noise, even though in both situations road traffic noise may be considered background noise and the other noise source event noise, the contribution of road traffic noise to the models is greater than railway noise and smaller than aircraft noise. This finding may be explained by the difference in sound pressure levels between these two types of combined exposures or by the aircraft noise level, which may also indicate the city in which the respondents live. Finally, the results highlight the importance of sample size and variable distribution in the database, as different results can be observed depending on the sample or variables considered.

Partial and Total Annoyance Due to Road Traffic Noise Combined with Aircraft or Railway Noise: Structural Equation Analysis

PubMed Central

Gille, Laure-Anne; Marquis-Favre, Catherine; Lam, Kin-Che

2017-01-01

Structural equation modeling was used to analyze partial and total in situ annoyance in combined transportation noise situations. A psychophysical total annoyance model and a perceptual total annoyance model were proposed. Results show a high contribution of Noise exposure and Noise sensitivity to Noise annoyance, as well as a causal relationship between noise annoyance and lower Dwelling satisfaction. Moreover, the Visibility of noise source may increase noise annoyance, even when the visible noise source is different from the annoying source under study. With regards to total annoyance due to road traffic noise combined with railway or aircraft noise, even though in both situations road traffic noise may be considered background noise and the other noise source event noise, the contribution of road traffic noise to the models is greater than railway noise and smaller than aircraft noise. This finding may be explained by the difference in sound pressure levels between these two types of combined exposures or by the aircraft noise level, which may also indicate the city in which the respondents live. Finally, the results highlight the importance of sample size and variable distribution in the database, as different results can be observed depending on the sample or variables considered. PMID:29189751

A comparison of a laboratory and field study of annoyance and acceptability of aircraft noise exposures. [human reactions and tolerance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Borsky, P. N.

1977-01-01

Residents living in close, middle and distant areas from JFK Airport were included in a field interview and laboratory study. Judgments were made of simulated aircraft noise exposures of comparable community indoor noise levels and mixes of aircraft. Each group of subjects judged the levels of noise typical for its distance area. Four different numbers of flyovers were tested: less than average for each area, the approximate average, the peak number, or worst day, and above peak number. The major findings are: (1) the reported integrated field annoyance is best related to the annoyance reported for the simulated approximate worst day exposure in the laboratory; (2) annoyance is generally less when there are fewer aircraft flyovers, and the subject has less fear of crashes and more favorable attitudes toward airplanes; (3) beliefs in harmful health effects and misfeasance by operators of aircraft are also highly correlated with fear and noise annoyance; (4) in direct retrospective comparisons of number of flights, noise levels and annoyance, subjects more often said the worst day laboratory exposured more like their usual home environments; and (5) subjects do not expect an annoyance-free environment. Half of the subjects can accept an annoyance level of 5 to 6 from a possible annoyance range of 0 to 9, 28% can live with an annoyance intensity of 7, and only 5% can accept the top scores of 8 to 9.

Noise annoyance is related to the presence of urban public transport.

PubMed

Paunović, Katarina; Belojević, Goran; Jakovljević, Branko

2014-05-15

The association between noise annoyance and public transport as a source of noise has not been studied previously. The aim was to study noise annoyance in an urban population due to the presence, the type and the number of public transport vehicles, in relation to other acoustical and non-acoustical parameters. The study sample comprised 5861 adults residing in 118 streets in the city center of Belgrade. The presence, the type and the number of public transport vehicles were assessed using official transport maps and matched with residential addresses. Noise annoyance was assessed by a questionnaire including a self-report five-graded scale. 'High noise annoyance' was defined by merging 'very' and 'extremely' annoyed answers. Significant predictors of high noise annoyance were the presence of public transport at daytime (yes vs. no) (odds ratio=1.47, 95% confidence interval=1.28-1.70), and at night (yes vs. no) (OR=1.39, 95% CI=1.20-1.61). Residing in the streets with more than 79 public transport vehicles per hour (3rd tercile vs. 1st tercile) predicted high noise annoyance at daytime (OR=1.64, 95% CI=1.18-2.27). Residing in the streets with buses and trams at night ('bus and tram' vs. no public transport) increased the risk of high noise annoyance (OR=2.67, 95% CI=1.78-4.09). These associations were independent from noise sensitivity, orientation of bedroom windows, floor level, and equivalent noise levels. Living in the apartment with bedroom windows facing the street was the strongest confounder for the association between noise annoyance, noise levels and public transport. The study has identified the presence of public transport at daytime and at night as a significant and independent predictor of high noise annoyance. Future intervention measures should concern the presence, the type and the number of public transport vehicles in order to reduce noise annoyance reactions in urban areas. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of interior aircraft noise on speech intelligibility and annoyance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pearsons, K. S.; Bennett, R. L.

1977-01-01

Recordings of the aircraft ambiance from ten different types of aircraft were used in conjunction with four distinct speech interference tests as stimuli to determine the effects of interior aircraft background levels and speech intelligibility on perceived annoyance in 36 subjects. Both speech intelligibility and background level significantly affected judged annoyance. However, the interaction between the two variables showed that above an 85 db background level the speech intelligibility results had a minimal effect on annoyance ratings. Below this level, people rated the background as less annoying if there was adequate speech intelligibility.

Effects of noise frequency on performance and annoyance. M.S. Thesis - Georgia Inst. of Tech.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Key, K. F.

1979-01-01

Using a complex psychomotor task performed for 50 minutes in the presence of low frequency noise, high frequency noise, or ambient noise, annoyance ratings were obtained for noises of various frequencies by the method of magnitude estimation. The results suggest that high frequency noise affects female performance to a greater extent than male performance. Contrasted to these performance effects, the sexes did not differ in their annoyance ratings. A monotonically increasing relationship between annoyance and noise frequency was found (except for a decrease in annoyance at 8,000 Hz). It is concluded that both performance and annoyance responses may need to be assessed in certain situations to adequately describe human reaction to noise.

The Concept of Noise Annoyance: how International Experts See it

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guski, R.; Felscher-Suhr, U.; Schuemer, R.

1999-06-01

The first part of this paper is a review of some definitions of noise annoyance which have been used explicitly or implicitly in major files and laboratory studies in different countries. This analysis shows wide differences. For instance, in some cases annoyance is seen as an outcome of disturbances, in other cases it is seen as an indication of the degree of helplessness with respect to the noise source. The second part is a report of an empirical study in which 68 noise research experts from seven different nations were asked (1) to indicate the main effect of noise, and (2) to rate the similarity between the concept “noise annoyance” and several related concepts. It turned out that (1) noise annoyance is seen as the major effect of noise, (2) that noise annoyance is a multi-faceted psychological concept, including behavioral, and evaluative aspects. Also, (3) the two aspects rated highest in similarity to annoyance are “nuisance” and “disturbance”, (4) although noise annoyance must be related to acoustic variables, acoustic characteristics do not play an overwhelming role in the concept of annoyance and (5) although experts from different languages agree upon the main components of the annoyance concept (e.g., nuisance, disturbance, and unpleasantness), there are some significant differences in the weights English, German, and Japanese speaking experts assign to several components (e.g., to nuisance, interference, irritation, and vexation). Whether these different weights are due to different concepts of annoyance, or due to different connotations of the related words in the respective languages, could not be analyzed with the data at hand.

The relationship between odour annoyance scores and modelled ambient air pollution in Sarnia, "Chemical Valley", Ontario.

PubMed

Atari, Dominic Odwa; Luginaah, Isaac N; Fung, Karen

2009-10-01

This study aimed at establishing the relationship between annoyance scores and modelled air pollution in "Chemical Valley", Sarnia, Ontario (Canada). Annoyance scores were taken from a community health survey (N = 774); and respondents' exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO(2)) and sulphur dioxide (SO(2)) were estimated using land use regression (LUR) models. The associations were examined by univariate analysis while multivariate logistic regression was used to examine the determinants of odour annoyance. The results showed that odour annoyance was significantly correlated to modelled pollutants at the individual (NO(2), r = 0.15; SO(2), r = 0.13) and census tract (NO(2), r = 0.56; SO(2), r = 0.67) levels. The exposure-response relationships show that residents of Sarnia react to very low pollution concentrations levels even if they are within the Ontario ambient air quality criteria. The study found that exposure to high NO(2) and SO(2) concentrations, gender, and perception of health effects were significant determinants of individual odour annoyance reporting. The observed association between odour annoyance and modelled ambient pollution suggest that individual and census tract level annoyance scores may serve as proxies for air quality in exposed communities because they capture the within area spatial variability of pollution. However, questionnaire-based odour annoyance scores need to be validated longitudinally and across different scales if they are to be adopted for use at the national level.

Individual differences in human annoyance response to noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pearson, R. G.; Hart, F. D.; Obrien, J. F.

1975-01-01

Individual variations in annoyance and in susceptibility to noise were studied to establish a finer definition of the ingredients of the human annoyance response. The study involved interactions among a heterogeneous sample of human subjects, various noise stimuli, and different physical environments of exposure. Significant differences in annoyance ratings among the six noise stimuli, all equated for peak sound pressure level, were found.

Noise sensitivity and loudness derivative index for urban road traffic noise annoyance computation.

PubMed

Gille, Laure-Anne; Marquis-Favre, Catherine; Weber, Reinhard

2016-12-01

Urban road traffic composed of powered-two-wheelers (PTWs), buses, heavy, and light vehicles is a major source of noise annoyance. In order to assess annoyance models considering different acoustical and non-acoustical factors, a laboratory experiment on short-term annoyance due to urban road traffic noise was conducted. At the end of the experiment, participants were asked to rate their noise sensitivity and to describe the noise sequences they heard. This verbalization task highlights that annoyance ratings are highly influenced by the presence of PTWs and by different acoustical features: noise intensity, irregular temporal amplitude variation, regular amplitude modulation, and spectral content. These features, except irregular temporal amplitude variation, are satisfactorily characterized by the loudness, the total energy of tonal components and the sputtering and nasal indices. Introduction of the temporal derivative of loudness allows successful modeling of perceived amplitude variations. Its contribution to the tested annoyance models is high and seems to be higher than the contribution of mean loudness index. A multilevel regression is performed to assess annoyance models using selected acoustical indices and noise sensitivity. Three models are found to be promising for further studies that aim to enhance current annoyance models.

Determining the direction of causality between psychological factors and aircraft noise annoyance.

PubMed

Kroesen, Maarten; Molin, Eric J E; van Wee, Bert

2010-01-01

In this paper, an attempt is made to establish the direction of causality between a range of psychological factors and aircraft noise annoyance. For this purpose, a panel model was estimated within a structural equation modeling approach. Data were gathered from two surveys conducted in April 2006 and April 2008, respectively, among the same residents living within the 45 Level day-evening-night contour of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, the largest airport in the Netherlands (n=250). A surprising result is that none of the paths from the psychological factors to aircraft noise annoyance were found to be significant. Yet 2 effects were significant the other way around: (1) from 'aircraft noise annoyance' to 'concern about the negative health effects of noise' and (2) from 'aircraft noise annoyance' to 'belief that noise can be prevented.' Hence aircraft noise annoyance measured at time 1 contained information that can effectively explain changes in these 2 variables at time 2, while controlling for their previous values. Secondary results show that (1) aircraft noise annoyance is very stable through time and (2) that changes in aircraft noise annoyance and the identified psychological factors are correlated.

Role of community tolerance level (CTL) in predicting the prevalence of the annoyance of road and rail noise.

PubMed

Schomer, Paul; Mestre, Vincent; Fidell, Sanford; Berry, Bernard; Gjestland, Truls; Vallet, Michel; Reid, Timothy

2012-04-01

Fidell et al. [(2011), J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 130(2), 791-806] have shown (1) that the rate of growth of annoyance with noise exposure reported in attitudinal surveys of the annoyance of aircraft noise closely resembles the exponential rate of change of loudness with sound level, and (2) that the proportion of a community highly annoyed and the variability in annoyance prevalence rates in communities are well accounted for by a simple model with a single free parameter: a community tolerance level (abbreviated CTL, and represented symbolically in mathematical expressions as L(ct)), expressed in units of DNL. The current study applies the same modeling approach to predicting the prevalence of annoyance of road traffic and rail noise. The prevalence of noise-induced annoyance of all forms of transportation noise is well accounted for by a simple, loudness-like exponential function with community-specific offsets. The model fits all of the road traffic findings well, but the prevalence of annoyance due to rail noise is more accurately predicted separately for interviewing sites with and without high levels of vibration and/or rattle.

Effect of noise spectra and a listening task upon passenger annoyance in a helicopter interior noise environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clevenson, S. A.; Leatherwood, J. D.

1979-01-01

The effects of helicopter interior noise on passenger annoyance were studied. Both reverie and listening situations were studied as well as the relative effectiveness of several descriptors (i.e., overall sound pressure level, A-weighted sound pressure level, and speech interference level) for quantifying annoyance response for these situations. The noise stimuli were based upon recordings of the interior noise of a civil helicopter research aircraft. These noises were presented at levels ranging from approximately 68 to 86 dB(A) with various gear clash tones selectively attenuated to give a range of spectra. Results indicated that annoyance during a listening condition is generally higher than annoyance during a reverie condition for corresponding interior noise environments. Attenuation of the planetary gear clash tone results in increases in listening performance but has negligible effect upon annoyance for a given noise level. The noise descriptor most effective for estimating annoyance response under conditions of reverie and listening situations is shown to be the A-weighted sound pressure level.

Effects of changed aircraft noise exposure on experiential qualities of outdoor recreational areas.

PubMed

Krog, Norun Hjertager; Engdahl, Bo; Tambs, Kristian

2010-10-01

The literature indicates that sound and visual stimuli interact in the impression of landscapes. This paper examines the relationship between annoyance with sound from aircraft and annoyance with other area problems (e.g., careless bicycle riding, crowding, etc.), and how changes in noise exposure influence the perceived overall recreational quality of outdoor recreational areas. A panel study (telephone interviews) conducted before and after the relocation of Norway's main airport in 1998 examined effects of decreased or increased noise exposure in nearby recreational areas (n = 591/455). Sound from aircraft annoyed the largest proportion of recreationists, except near the old airport after the change. The decrease in annoyance with sound from aircraft was accompanied by significant decreases in annoyance with most of the other area problems. Near the new airport annoyance with most factors beside sound from aircraft increased slightly, but not significantly. A relationship between aircraft noise annoyance and perceived overall recreational quality of the areas was found.

Effects of sound level fluctuations on annoyance caused by aircraft-flyover noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccurdy, D. A.

1979-01-01

A laboratory experiment was conducted to determine the effects of variations in the rate and magnitude of sound level fluctuations on the annoyance caused by aircraft-flyover noise. The effects of tonal content, noise duration, and sound pressure level on annoyance were also studied. An aircraft-noise synthesis system was used to synthesize 32 aircraft-flyover noise stimuli representing the factorial combinations of 2 tone conditions, 2 noise durations, 2 sound pressure levels, 2 level fluctuation rates, and 2 level fluctuation magnitudes. Thirty-two test subjects made annoyance judgements on a total of 64 stimuli in a subjective listening test facility simulating an outdoor acoustic environment. Variations in the rate and magnitude of level fluctuations were found to have little, if any, effect on annoyance. Tonal content, noise duration, sound pressure level, and the interaction of tonal content with sound pressure level were found to affect the judged annoyance significantly. The addition of tone corrections and/or duration corrections significantly improved the annoyance prediction ability of noise rating scales.

Effects of Changed Aircraft Noise Exposure on Experiential Qualities of Outdoor Recreational Areas

PubMed Central

Krog, Norun Hjertager; Engdahl, Bo; Tambs, Kristian

2010-01-01

The literature indicates that sound and visual stimuli interact in the impression of landscapes. This paper examines the relationship between annoyance with sound from aircraft and annoyance with other area problems (e.g., careless bicycle riding, crowding, etc.), and how changes in noise exposure influence the perceived overall recreational quality of outdoor recreational areas. A panel study (telephone interviews) conducted before and after the relocation of Norway’s main airport in 1998 examined effects of decreased or increased noise exposure in nearby recreational areas (n = 591/455). Sound from aircraft annoyed the largest proportion of recreationists, except near the old airport after the change. The decrease in annoyance with sound from aircraft was accompanied by significant decreases in annoyance with most of the other area problems. Near the new airport annoyance with most factors beside sound from aircraft increased slightly, but not significantly. A relationship between aircraft noise annoyance and perceived overall recreational quality of the areas was found. PMID:21139858

The annoyance of impulsive helicopter noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Karamcheti, K.

1981-01-01

A total of 96 impulsive and non-impulsive sounds were rated for annoyance by 10 subjects. The signals had the same amplitude spectrum with a maximum frequency of 4.75 kHz. By changing the phase of the spectral components different levels of impulsivity were obtained. The signals had coefficients of impulsivity of 10,8, 7,9, and -0.2 respectively. Further, signals had intensity levels 89 and 95 dBA, pulse repetition rates 10 and 20 Hz, and half the signals had pink noise added at a level 12 dBA lower than the level of the sound. The significant results were: The four females and six male subjects rated the impulsive sounds respectively 3.7 dB less annoying and 2.6 dB more annoying than the non-impulsive sounds. Overall, impulsivity had no effect. The hish pulse repetition rate increased annoyance by 2.2 dB. Addition of pink noise increased annoyance of the non-impulsive sounds 1.2 dB, but decreased the annoyance of the impulsive sounds 0.5 dB.

Effects of noise frequency on performance and annoyance for women and men

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Key, K. F.; Payne, M. C., Jr.

1981-01-01

Effects of noise frequencies on both performance on a complex psychomotor task and annoyance were investigated for men (n = 30) and women (n = 30). Each subject performed a complex psychomotor task for 50 min in the presence of low-frequency noise, high-frequency noise, or ambient noise. Women and men learned the task at different rates. Little effect of noise was shown. Annoyance ratings were subsequently obtained from each subject for noises of various frequencies by the method of magnitude estimation. High-frequency noises were more annoying than low-frequency noises regardless of sex and immediate prior exposure to noise. Sex differences in annoyance did not occur. No direct relationship between learning to perform a complex task while exposed to noise and annoyance by that noise was demonstrated.

The fallacy of using NII in analyzing aircraft operations. [Noise Impact Index

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Melton, R. G.; Jacobson, I. D.

1984-01-01

Three measures of noise annoyance (Noise Impact Index, Level-Weighted Population, and Annoyed Population Number) are compared, regarding their utility in assessing noise reduction schemes for aircraft operations. While NII is intended to measure the average annoyance per person in a community, it is found that the method of averaging can lead to erroneous conclusions, particularly if the population does not have uniform spatial distribution. Level-Weighted Population and Annoyed Population Number are shown to be better indicators of noise annoyance when rating different strategies for noise reduction in a given community.

Advanced turboprop aircraft flyover noise annoyance - Comparison of different propeller configurations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccurdy, David A.

1989-01-01

A laboratory experiment was conducted to compare the annoyance of flyover noise from advanced turboprop aircraft having different propeller configurations with the annoyance of conventional turboprop and jet aircraft flyover noise. It was found that advanced turboprops with single-rotating propellers were, on average, slightly less annoying than the other aircraft. Fundamental frequency and tone-to-broadband noise ratio affected annoyance response to advanced turboprops but the effects varied with propeller configuration and noise metric. The addition of duration corrections and corrections for tones above 500 Hz to the noise measurement procedures improved prediction ability.

Predictors of noise annoyance in noisy and quiet urban streets.

PubMed

Paunović, Katarina; Jakovljević, Branko; Belojević, Goran

2009-06-01

Although noise annoyance is a major public health problem in urban areas, there is a lack of published data on predictors for noise annoyance in acoustically different urban environments. The aim of the study was to assess the predictive value of various factors on noise annoyance in noisy and quiet urban streets. Equivalent noise levels [Leq (dBA)] were measured during day, evening and night times in all of the streets of a central Belgrade municipality. Based on 24-hour noise levels, the streets were denoted as noisy (24-hour Leq over 65 dBA), or quiet (24-hour Leq under 55 dBA). A cross-sectional study was performed on 1954 adult residents (768 men and 1186 women), aged 18-80 years. Noise annoyance was estimated using a self-report five-graded scale. In both areas, two multivariate logistic regression models were fitted: the first one with nighttime noise indicators and the other one with parameters for 24-hour noise exposure. In noisy streets, the relevant predictors of high annoyance were: the orientation of living room/bedroom toward the street, noise annoyance at workplace, and noise sensitivity. Significant acoustical factors for high noise annoyance were: nighttime noise level [OR=1.02, 95%CI=1.00-1.04 (per decibel)], nighttime heavy traffic [OR=1.01, 95%CI=1.00-1.02 (per vehicle)]; or day-evening-night noise level (Lden) [OR=1.03, 95%CI=1.00-1.07 (per decibel)]. In quiet streets, the significant predictors were: noise sensitivity, the time spent at home daily, light vehicles at nighttime or heavy vehicles at daytime. Our study identified subjective noise sensitivity as a common annoyance predictor, regardless of noise exposure. Noise levels were important indicators of annoyance only in noisy streets, both for nighttime and 24-hour exposure. We propose that noise sensitivity is the most relevant personal trait for future studies and that nighttime noise levels might be as good as Lden in predicting annoyance in noisy urban areas.

The influence of acoustical and non-acoustical factors on short-term annoyance due to aircraft noise in the field - The COSMA study.

PubMed

Bartels, Susanne; Márki, Ferenc; Müller, Uwe

2015-12-15

Air traffic has increased for the past decades and is forecasted to continue to grow. Noise due to current airport operations can impair the physical and psychological well-being of airport residents. The field study investigated aircraft noise-induced short-term (i.e., within hourly intervals) annoyance in local residents near a busy airport. We aimed at examining the contribution of acoustical and non-acoustical factors to the annoyance rating. Across four days from getting up till going to bed, 55 residents near Cologne/Bonn Airport (M=46years, SD=14years, 34 female) rated their annoyance due to aircraft noise at hourly intervals. For each participant and each hour, 26 noise metrics from outdoor measurements and further 6 individualized metrics that took into account the sound attenuation due to each person's whereabouts in and around their homes were obtained. Non-acoustical variables were differentiated into situational factors (time of day, performed activity during past hour, day of the week) and personal factors (e.g., sensitivity to noise, attitudes, domestic noise insulation). Generalized Estimation Equations were applied for the development of a prediction model for annoyance. Acoustical factors explained only a small proportion (13.7%) of the variance in the annoyance ratings. The number of fly-overs predicted annoyance better than did equivalent and maximum sound pressure levels. The proportion of explained variance in annoyance rose considerably (to 27.6%) when individualized noise metrics as well as situational and personal variables were included in the prediction model. Consideration of noise metrics related to the number of fly-overs and individual adjustment of noise metrics can improve the prediction of short-term annoyance compared to models using equivalent outdoor levels only. Non-acoustical factors have remarkable impact not only on long-term annoyance as shown before but also on short-term annoyance judged in the home environment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The relation between modeled odor exposure from livestock farming and odor annoyance among neighboring residents.

PubMed

Boers, D; Geelen, L; Erbrink, H; Smit, L A M; Heederik, D; Hooiveld, M; Yzermans, C J; Huijbregts, M; Wouters, I M

2016-04-01

Odor annoyance is an important environmental stressor for neighboring residents of livestock farms and may affect their quality of life and health. However, little is known about the relation between odor exposure due to livestock farming and odor annoyance. Even more, the relation between odor exposure and odor annoyance is rather complicated due to variable responses among individuals to comparable exposure levels and a large number of factors (such as age, gender, education) that may affect the relation. In this study, we (1) investigated the relation between modeled odor exposure and odor annoyance; (2) investigated whether other factors can affect this relation; and (3) compared our dose-response relation to a dose-response relation established in a previous study carried out in the Netherlands, more than 10 years ago, in order to investigate changes in odor perception and appreciation over time. We used data from 582 respondents who participated in a questionnaire survey among neighboring residents of livestock farms in the south of the Netherlands. Odor annoyance was established by two close-ended questions in a questionnaire; odor exposure was estimated using the Stacks dispersion model. The results of our study indicate a statistically significant and positive relation between modeled odor exposure and reported odor annoyance from livestock farming (OR 1.92; 95 % CI 1.53-2.41). Furthermore, age, asthma, education and perceived air pollution in the environment are all related to odor annoyance, although they hardly affect the relation between estimated livestock odor exposure and reported odor annoyance. We also found relatively more odor annoyance reported among neighboring residents than in a previous study conducted in the Netherlands. We found a strong relation between modeled odor exposure and odor annoyance. However, due to some uncertainties and small number of studies on this topic, further research and replication of results is recommended.

A new methodology to derive settleable particulate matter guidelines to assist policy-makers on reducing public nuisance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Machado, Milena; Santos, Jane Meri; Reisen, Valdério Anselmo; Reis, Neyval Costa; Mavroidis, Ilias; Lima, Ana T.

2018-06-01

Air quality standards for settleable particulate matter (SPM) are found in many countries around the world. As well known, annoyance caused by SPM can be considered a community problem even if only a small proportion of the population is bothered at rather infrequent occasions. Many authors have shown that SPM cause soiling in residential and urban environments and degradation of materials (eg, objects and surface painting) that can impair the use and enjoyment of property and alter the normal activities of society. In this context, this paper has as main contribution to propose a guidance to establish air quality standards for annoyance caused by SPM in metropolitan industrial areas. To attain this objective, a new methodology is proposed which is based on the nonlinear correlation between the perceived annoyance (qualitative variable) and particles deposition rate (quantitative variable). Since the response variable is binary (annoyed and not annoyed), the logistic regression model is used to estimate the probability of people being annoyed at different levels of particles deposition rate and to compute the odds ratio function which gives, under a specific level of particles deposition rate, the estimated expected value of the population perceived annoyance. The proposed methodology is verified in a data set measured in the metropolitan area of Great Vitória, Espirito Santo, Brazil. As a general conclusion, the estimated probability function of perceived annoyance as a function of SPM has shown that 17% of inhabitants report annoyance to very low particles deposition levels of 5 g/(m2•30 days). In addition, for an increasing of 1 g/(m2•30 days) of SPM, the smallest estimated odds ratio of perceived annoyance by a factor of 1.5, implying that the probability of occurrence is almost 2 times as large as the probability of no occurrence of annoyance.

Short-term annoyance from nocturnal aircraft noise exposure: results of the NORAH and STRAIN sleep studies.

PubMed

Quehl, Julia; Müller, Uwe; Mendolia, Franco

2017-11-01

The German Aerospace Center (DLR) investigated in the NORAH sleep study the association between a distinct change in nocturnal aircraft noise exposure due to the introduction of a night curfew (11:00 p.m.-5:00 a.m.) at Frankfurt Airport and short-term annoyance reactions of residents in the surrounding community. Exposure-response curves were calculated by random effects logistic regression to evaluate the aircraft noise-related parameters (1) number of overflights and (2) energy equivalent noise level L ASeq for the prediction of short-term annoyance. Data of the NORAH sleep study were compared with the STRAIN sleep study which was conducted by DLR near Cologne-Bonn Airport in 2001/2002 (N = 64), representing a steady-state/low-rate change. The NORAH sleep study was based on questionnaire surveys with 187 residents living in the vicinity of Frankfurt Airport. Noise-induced short-term annoyance and related non-acoustical variables were assessed. Nocturnal aircraft noise exposure was measured inside the residents' home. A statistically significant rise in the portion of annoyed residents with increasing number of overflights was found. Similarly, the portion of annoyed subjects increased with rising L ASeq . Importance of the frequency of fly-overs for the prediction of annoyance reactions was emphasized. The annoyance probability was significantly higher in the NORAH than in the STRAIN sleep study. Results confirm the importance of both acoustical parameters for the prediction of short-term annoyance due to nocturnal aircraft noise. Quantitative annoyance models that were derived at steady-state/low-rate change airports cannot be directly applied to airports that underwent a distinct change in operational and noise exposure patterns.

Effect of Attitudinal, Situational and Demographic Factors on Annoyance Due to Environmental Vibration and Noise from Construction of a Light Rapid Transit System.

PubMed

Wong-McSweeney, Daniel; Woodcock, James; Waddington, David; Peris, Eulalia; Koziel, Zbigniew; Moorhouse, Andy; Redel-Macías, María Dolores

2016-12-14

The aim of this paper is to determine what non-exposure factors influence the relationship between vibration and noise exposure from the construction of a Light Rapid Transit (LRT) system and the annoyance of nearby residents. Noise and vibration from construction sites are known to annoy residents, with annoyance increasing as a function of the magnitude of the vibration and noise. There is not a strong correlation between exposure and levels of annoyance suggesting that factors not directly related to the exposure may have an influence. A range of attitudinal, situational and demographic factors are investigated with the aim of understanding the wide variation in annoyance for a given vibration exposure. A face-to-face survey of residents ( n = 350) near three sites of LRT construction was conducted, and responses were compared to semi-empirical estimates of the internal vibration within the buildings. It was found that annoyance responses due to vibration were strongly influenced by two attitudinal variables, concern about property damage and sensitivity to vibration. Age, ownership of the property and the visibility of the construction site were also important factors. Gender, time at home and expectation of future levels of vibration had much less influence. Due to the measurement methods used, it was not possible to separate out the effects of noise and vibration on annoyance; as such, this paper focusses on annoyance due to vibration exposure. This work concludes that for the most cost-effective reduction of the impact of construction vibration and noise on the annoyance felt by a community, policies should consider attitudinal factors.

Effect of Attitudinal, Situational and Demographic Factors on Annoyance Due to Environmental Vibration and Noise from Construction of a Light Rapid Transit System

PubMed Central

Wong-McSweeney, Daniel; Woodcock, James; Waddington, David; Peris, Eulalia; Koziel, Zbigniew; Moorhouse, Andy; Redel-Macías, María Dolores

2016-01-01

The aim of this paper is to determine what non-exposure factors influence the relationship between vibration and noise exposure from the construction of a Light Rapid Transit (LRT) system and the annoyance of nearby residents. Noise and vibration from construction sites are known to annoy residents, with annoyance increasing as a function of the magnitude of the vibration and noise. There is not a strong correlation between exposure and levels of annoyance suggesting that factors not directly related to the exposure may have an influence. A range of attitudinal, situational and demographic factors are investigated with the aim of understanding the wide variation in annoyance for a given vibration exposure. A face-to-face survey of residents (n = 350) near three sites of LRT construction was conducted, and responses were compared to semi-empirical estimates of the internal vibration within the buildings. It was found that annoyance responses due to vibration were strongly influenced by two attitudinal variables, concern about property damage and sensitivity to vibration. Age, ownership of the property and the visibility of the construction site were also important factors. Gender, time at home and expectation of future levels of vibration had much less influence. Due to the measurement methods used, it was not possible to separate out the effects of noise and vibration on annoyance; as such, this paper focusses on annoyance due to vibration exposure. This work concludes that for the most cost-effective reduction of the impact of construction vibration and noise on the annoyance felt by a community, policies should consider attitudinal factors. PMID:27983662

Annoyance due to noise and air pollution to the residents of heavily frequented streets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wanner, H. U.; Wehrli, B.; Nemecek, J.; Turrian, V.

1980-01-01

The residents of different streets with varying traffic density and building density were questioned about annoyance due to traffic noise and air pollution. Results show that annoyance felt is dependent not only on the measured noise levels and/or air pollution concentrations, but that there do exist interactions between the residential quarters and annoyance. These interactions should be considered when fixing the limits and standards.

A first-principles model for estimating the prevalence of annoyance with aircraft noise exposure.

PubMed

Fidell, Sanford; Mestre, Vincent; Schomer, Paul; Berry, Bernard; Gjestland, Truls; Vallet, Michel; Reid, Timothy

2011-08-01

Numerous relationships between noise exposure and transportation noise-induced annoyance have been inferred by curve-fitting methods. The present paper develops a different approach. It derives a systematic relationship by applying an a priori, first-principles model to the findings of forty three studies of the annoyance of aviation noise. The rate of change of annoyance with day-night average sound level (DNL) due to aircraft noise exposure was found to closely resemble the rate of change of loudness with sound level. The agreement of model predictions with the findings of recent curve-fitting exercises (cf. Miedma and Vos, 1998) is noteworthy, considering that other analyses have relied on different analytic methods and disparate data sets. Even though annoyance prevalence rates within individual communities consistently grow in proportion to duration-adjusted loudness, variability in annoyance prevalence rates across communities remains great. The present analyses demonstrate that 1) community-specific differences in annoyance prevalence rates can be plausibly attributed to the joint effect of acoustic and non-DNL related factors and (2) a simple model can account for the aggregate influences of non-DNL related factors on annoyance prevalence rates in different communities in terms of a single parameter expressed in DNL units-a "community tolerance level."

Children's annoyance reactions to aircraft and road traffic noise.

PubMed

van Kempen, Elise E M M; van Kamp, Irene; Stellato, Rebecca K; Lopez-Barrio, Isabel; Haines, Mary M; Nilsson, Mats E; Clark, Charlotte; Houthuijs, Danny; Brunekreef, Bert; Berglund, Birgitta; Stansfeld, Stephen A

2009-02-01

Since annoyance reactions of children to environmental noise have rarely been investigated, no source specific exposure-response relations are available. The aim of this paper is to investigate children's reactions to aircraft and road traffic noise and to derive exposure-response relations. To this end, children's annoyance reactions to aircraft and road traffic noise in both the home and the school setting were investigated using the data gathered in a cross-sectional multicenter study, carried out among 2844 children (age 9-11 years) attending 89 primary schools around three European airports. An exposure-response relation was demonstrated between exposure to aircraft noise at school (L(Aeq,7-23 h)) and severe annoyance in children: after adjustment for confounders, the percentage severely annoyed children was predicted to increase from about 5.1% at 50 dB to about 12.1% at 60 dB. The findings were consistent across the three samples. Aircraft noise at home (L(Aeq,7-23 h)) demonstrated a similar relation with severe annoyance. Children attending schools with higher road traffic noise (L(Aeq,7-23 h)) were more annoyed. Although children were less annoyed at levels above 55 dB, the shapes of the exposure-response relations found among children were comparable to those found in their parents.

Annoyance by transportation noise: The effects of source identity and tonal components.

PubMed

White, Kim; Bronkhorst, Adelbert W; Meeter, Martijn

2017-05-01

Aircraft noise is consistently rated as more annoying than noise from other sources with similar intensity. In three experiments, it was investigated whether this penalty is due to the source identity of the noise. In the first experiment, four samples were played to participants engaged in a working memory task: road traffic noise, an Airbus 320 flyover, and unidentifiable, transformed versions of these samples containing the same spectral content and envelope. Original, identifiable samples were rated as more annoying than the transformed samples. A second experiment tested whether these results were due to the absence of tonal components in the transformed samples. This was partly the case: an additional sample, created from the A320 flyover by filtering out major tonal components, was rated as less annoying than the original A320 sample, but as more annoying than the transformed sample. In a third experiment, participants either received full disclosure of the generation of the samples or no information to identify the transformed samples. The transformed sample was rated as most annoying when the A320 identity was disclosed, but as least annoying when it was not. Therefore, it was concluded that annoyance is influenced by both identifiability and the presence of tonal components.

Annoyance Caused by Noise and Air Pollution during Pregnancy: Associated Factors and Correlation with Outdoor NO2 and Benzene Estimations.

PubMed

Fernández-Somoano, Ana; Llop, Sabrina; Aguilera, Inmaculada; Tamayo-Uria, Ibon; Martínez, María Dolores; Foraster, Maria; Ballester, Ferran; Tardón, Adonina

2015-06-18

This study aimed to describe the degree of annoyance among pregnant women in a Spanish cohort and to examine associations with proximity to traffic, NO2 and benzene exposure. We included 2457 participants from the Spanish Childhood and Environment study. Individual exposures to outdoor NO2 and benzene were estimated, temporally adjusted for pregnancy. Interviews about sociodemographic variables, noise and air pollution were carried out. Levels of annoyance were assessed using a scale from 0 (none) to 10 (strong and unbearable); a level of 8 to 10 was considered high. The reported prevalence of high annoyance levels from air pollution was 11.2% and 15.0% from noise; the two variables were moderately correlated (0.606). Significant correlations between NO2 and annoyance from air pollution (0.154) and that from noise (0.181) were observed. Annoyance owing to noise and air pollution had a low prevalence in our Spanish population compared with other European populations. Both factors were associated with proximity to traffic. In multivariate models, annoyance from air pollution was related to NO2, building age, and country of birth; annoyance from noise was only related to the first two. The health burden of these exposures can be increased by stress caused by the perception of pollution sources.

Effects of Different Spectral Shapes and Amplitude Modulation of Broadband Noise on Annoyance Reactions in a Controlled Listening Experiment.

PubMed

Schäffer, Beat; Pieren, Reto; Schlittmeier, Sabine J; Brink, Mark

2018-05-19

Environmental noise from transportation or industrial infrastructure typically has a broad frequency range. Different sources may have disparate acoustical characteristics, which may in turn affect noise annoyance. However, knowledge of the relative contribution of the different acoustical characteristics of broadband noise to annoyance is still scarce. In this study, the subjectively perceived short-term (acute) annoyance reactions to different broadband sounds (namely, realistic outdoor wind turbine and artificial, generic sounds) at 40 dBA were investigated in a controlled laboratory listening experiment. Combined with the factorial design of the experiment, the sounds allowed for separation of the effects of three acoustical characteristics on annoyance, namely, spectral shape, depth of periodic amplitude modulation (AM), and occurrence (or absence) of random AM. Fifty-two participants rated their annoyance with the sounds. Annoyance increased with increasing energy content in the low-frequency range as well as with depth of periodic AM, and was higher in situations with random AM than without. Similar annoyance changes would be evoked by sound pressure level changes of up to 8 dB. The results suggest that besides standard sound pressure level metrics, other acoustical characteristics of (broadband) noise should also be considered in environmental impact assessments, e.g., in the context of wind turbine installations.

Speech privacy and annoyance considerations in the acoustic environment of passenger cars of high-speed trains.

PubMed

Jeon, Jin Yong; Hong, Joo Young; Jang, Hyung Suk; Kim, Jae Hyeon

2015-12-01

It is necessary to consider not only annoyance of interior noises but also speech privacy to achieve acoustic comfort in a passenger car of a high-speed train because speech from other passengers can be annoying. This study aimed to explore an optimal acoustic environment to satisfy speech privacy and reduce annoyance in a passenger car. Two experiments were conducted using speech sources and compartment noise of a high speed train with varying speech-to-noise ratios (SNRA) and background noise levels (BNL). Speech intelligibility was tested in experiment I, and in experiment II, perceived speech privacy, annoyance, and acoustic comfort of combined sounds with speech and background noise were assessed. The results show that speech privacy and annoyance were significantly influenced by the SNRA. In particular, the acoustic comfort was evaluated as acceptable when the SNRA was less than -6 dB for both speech privacy and noise annoyance. In addition, annoyance increased significantly as the BNL exceeded 63 dBA, whereas the effect of the background-noise level on the speech privacy was not significant. These findings suggest that an optimal level of interior noise in a passenger car might exist between 59 and 63 dBA, taking normal speech levels into account.

Advanced turboprop aircraft flyover noise: Annoyance to counter-rotating-propeller configurations with an equal number of blades on each rotor, preliminary results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccurdy, David A.

1988-01-01

A laboratory experiment was conducted to quantify the annoyance of people to the flyover noise of advanced turboprop aircraft with counter-rotating propellers (CRP) having an equal number of blades on each rotor. The objectives were: to determine the effects of total content on annoyance; and compare annoyance to n x n CRP advanced turboprop aircraft with annoyance to conventional turboprop and jet aircraft. A computer synthesis system was used to generate 27 realistic, time-varying simulations of advanced turboprop takeoff noise in which the tonal content was systematically varied to represent the factorial combinations of nine fundamental frequencies and three tone-to-broadband noise ratios. These advanced turboprop simulations along with recordings of five conventional turboprop takeoffs and five conventional jet takeoffs were presented at three D-weighted sound pressure levels to 64 subjects in an anechoic chamber. Analyses of the subjects' annoyance judgments compare the three aircraft types and examined the effects of the differences in tonal content among the advanced turboprop noises. The annoyance prediction ability of various noise metrics is also examined.

Influence of the number of vehicles in the emergence of sound events on the annoyance expressed - experimental study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vallet, M.

1982-01-01

The acoustical index leg was studied to determine its accuracy in predicting annoyance from traffic noise. Annoyance was tested in experimental situations where the frequency of the number of heavy vehicles varied from 3 to 30 HV/30 min for different classes of the Leg level at 50, 55, 60 dB(A) of traffic noise. The results showed that: (1) for a constant Leg level the annoyance increases as a function of the number of HV up to a certain threshold at which the annoyance is stabilized; (2) for a constant frequency of passage of HV, the annoyance increases with the Leg level; (3) composite indexes of the type Leg + Log NHV, L1 + EMER or L1 + L10 give a predictive value greater than that of the Leg pr Log nHV taken alone.

Annoyance caused by advanced turboprop aircraft flyover noise: Comparison of different propeller configurations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccurdy, David A.

1991-01-01

A laboratory experiment was conducted to compare the annoyance of flyover noise from advanced turboprop aircraft having different propeller configurations with the annoyance of conventional turboprop and turbofan aircraft flyover noise. A computer synthesis system was used to generate 40 realistic, time varying simulations of advanced turboprop takeoff noise. Of the 40 noises, single-rotating propeller configurations (8) and counter-rotating propeller configurations with an equal (12) and unequal (20) number of blades on each rotor were represented. Analyses found that advanced turboprops with single-rotating propellers were, on average, slightly less annoying than the other aircraft. Fundamental frequency and tone-to-broadband noise ratio affected annoyance response to advanced turboprops, but the effects varied with propeller configuration and noise metric. The addition of duration corrections and corrections for tones above 500 Hz to the noise measurement procedures improved annoyance prediction ability.

Annoyance caused by advanced turboprop aircraft flyover noise: Comparison of different propeller configurations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCurdy, David A.

1991-10-01

A laboratory experiment was conducted to compare the annoyance of flyover noise from advanced turboprop aircraft having different propeller configurations with the annoyance of conventional turboprop and turbofan aircraft flyover noise. A computer synthesis system was used to generate 40 realistic, time varying simulations of advanced turboprop takeoff noise. Of the 40 noises, single-rotating propeller configurations (8) and counter-rotating propeller configurations with an equal (12) and unequal (20) number of blades on each rotor were represented. Analyses found that advanced turboprops with single-rotating propellers were, on average, slightly less annoying than the other aircraft. Fundamental frequency and tone-to-broadband noise ratio affected annoyance response to advanced turboprops, but the effects varied with propeller configuration and noise metric. The addition of duration corrections and corrections for tones above 500 Hz to the noise measurement procedures improved annoyance prediction ability.

A path model of aircraft noise annoyance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taylor, S. M.

1984-09-01

This paper describes the development and testing of a path model of aircraft noise annoyance by using noise and social survey data collected in the vicinity of Toronto International Airport. Path analysis is used to estimate the direct and indirect effects of seventeen independent variables on individual annoyance. The results show that the strongest direct effects are for speech interference, attitudes toward aircraft operations, sleep interruption and personal sensitivity to noise. The strongest indirect effects are for aircraft Leq(24) and sensitivity. Overall the model explains 41 percent of the variation in the annoyance reported by the 673 survey respondents. The findings both support and extend existing statements in the literature on the antecedents of annoyance.

Contribution of tonal components to the overall loudness, annoyance and noisiness of noise: Relation between single tones and noise spectral shape

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hellman, R. P.

1985-01-01

A large scale laboratory investigation of loudness, annoyance, and noisiness produced by single-tone-noise complexes was undertaken to establish a broader data base for quanitification and prediction of perceived annoyance of sounds containing tonal components. Loudness, annoyance, and noisiness were distinguished as separate, distinct, attributes of sound. Three different spectral patterns of broadband noise with and without added tones were studied: broadband-flat, low-pass, and high-pass. Judgments were obtained by absolute magnitude estimation supplement by loudness matching. The data were examined and evaluated to determine the potential effects of (1) the overall sound pressure level (SPL) of the noise-tone complex, (2) tone SPL, (3) noise SPL, (4) tone-to-noise ratio, (5) the frequency of the added tone, (6) noise spectral shape, and (7) subjective attribute judged on absolute magnitude of annoyance. Results showed that, in contrast to noisiness, loudness and annoyance growth behavior depends on the relationship between the frequency of the added tone and the spectral shape of the noise. The close correspondence between the frequency of the added tone and the spectral shape of the noise. The close correspondence between loundness and annoyance suggests that, to better understand perceived annoyance of sound mixtures, it is necessary to relate the results to basic auditory mechanisms governing loudness and masking.

Annoyance Caused by Noise and Air Pollution during Pregnancy: Associated Factors and Correlation with Outdoor NO2 and Benzene Estimations

PubMed Central

Fernández-Somoano, Ana; Llop, Sabrina; Aguilera, Inmaculada; Tamayo-Uria, Ibon; Martínez, María Dolores; Foraster, Maria; Ballester, Ferran; Tardón, Adonina

2015-01-01

This study aimed to describe the degree of annoyance among pregnant women in a Spanish cohort and to examine associations with proximity to traffic, NO2 and benzene exposure. We included 2457 participants from the Spanish Childhood and Environment study. Individual exposures to outdoor NO2 and benzene were estimated, temporally adjusted for pregnancy. Interviews about sociodemographic variables, noise and air pollution were carried out. Levels of annoyance were assessed using a scale from 0 (none) to 10 (strong and unbearable); a level of 8 to 10 was considered high. The reported prevalence of high annoyance levels from air pollution was 11.2% and 15.0% from noise; the two variables were moderately correlated (0.606). Significant correlations between NO2 and annoyance from air pollution (0.154) and that from noise (0.181) were observed. Annoyance owing to noise and air pollution had a low prevalence in our Spanish population compared with other European populations. Both factors were associated with proximity to traffic. In multivariate models, annoyance from air pollution was related to NO2, building age, and country of birth; annoyance from noise was only related to the first two. The health burden of these exposures can be increased by stress caused by the perception of pollution sources. PMID:26095869

Annoyance evaluation and the effect of noise on the health of bus drivers.

PubMed

Bruno, Portela S; Marcos, Queiroga R; Amanda, Constantini; Paulo, Zannin H T

2013-01-01

In the present study, we evaluated annoyance and the effects of noise on the health of bus drivers. For that, 200 bus drivers from a public transport company participated in a cross-sectional study. Annoyance and effects on health was measured with analog scale: Sleep quality, occurrence of tinnitus, headache, irritation, and annoyance from bus engine, traffic, and passengers. Data of age and working time of bus drivers also were obtained. For noise exposure, LA eq was evaluated in 80 buses. Statistical analysis consisted of mean, standard deviation, minimum, and maximum, Kruskal-Wallis test with post-hoc Dunn, one-way ANOVA with post-hoc Tukey and Spearman's correlation coefficient. Results indicate three groups of bus drivers (not annoyed: (N.A.), a little annoyed (L.A.) and highly annoyed (H.A.)). The group H.A. was younger and with less working time in relation to others, with a significant difference only for age. Regarding sleep quality, there was no significant difference. For results on the occurrence of tinnitus, headache and irritation after work, group H.A. had significantly higher means. Result of annoyance to the bus engine was significantly higher in H.A. than in L.A. and N.A. Annoyance to traffic and passengers, no significant differences were found, but the highest results were found for L.A., followed by H.A. and N.A. Equivalent sound pressure level in buses was above of the limit for occupational comfort. It was concluded that bus drivers has considerable level of noise annoyance and some health effects are perceived. The noise is a factor discomfort ergonomic that may cause effects on health of bus drivers. This study aims to evaluate annoyance and the effects of noise on the health of bus drivers. Cross-sectional study with buses and bus drivers. For that, 200 bus drivers from a public transport company participated in a cross-sectional study. Annoyance and effects on health was measured with analog scale: Sleep quality, occurrence of tinnitus, headache, irritation and annoyance from bus engine, traffic, and passengers. Data of age and working time of bus drivers also were obtained. For noise exposure, LA eq was evaluated in 80 buses. Statistical analysis consisted of mean, standard deviation, minimum and maximum, Kruskal-Wallis test with post-hoc Dunn, one-way ANOVA with post-hoc Tukey and Spearman's correlation coefficient. Results indicate three groups of bus drivers (N.A., a L.A. and H.A.). The group H.A. was younger and with less working time in relation to others, with a significant difference only for age. Regarding sleep quality, there was no significant difference. For results on the occurrence of tinnitus, headache and irritation after work, group H.A. had significantly higher means. Result of annoyance to the bus engine was significantly higher in H.A. than in L.A. and N.A. Annoyance to traffic and passengers, no significant differences were found, but the highest results were found for L.A., followed by H.A. and N.A. Equivalent sound pressure level in buses was above of the limit for occupational comfort. It was concluded that bus drivers has considerable level of noise annoyance and some health effects are perceived.

Annoyance from industrial noise: indicators for a wide variety of industrial sources.

PubMed

Alayrac, M; Marquis-Favre, C; Viollon, S; Morel, J; Le Nost, G

2010-09-01

In the study of noises generated by industrial sources, one issue is the variety of industrial noise sources and consequently the complexity of noises generated. Therefore, characterizing the environmental impact of an industrial plant requires better understanding of the noise annoyance caused by industrial noise sources. To deal with the variety of industrial sources, the proposed approach is set up by type of spectral features and based on a perceptive typology of steady and permanent industrial noises comprising six categories. For each perceptive category, listening tests based on acoustical factors are performed on noise annoyance. Various indicators are necessary to predict noise annoyance due to various industrial noise sources. Depending on the spectral features of the industrial noise sources, noise annoyance indicators are thus assessed. In case of industrial noise sources without main spectral features such as broadband noise, noise annoyance is predicted by the A-weighted sound pressure level L(Aeq) or the loudness level L(N). For industrial noises with spectral components such as low-frequency noises with a main component at 100 Hz or noises with spectral components in middle frequencies, indicators are proposed here that allow good prediction of noise annoyance by taking into account spectral features.

Noise Annoyance Produced by Commercial Vehicles Transit on Rumble Strips

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zaiton, Haron; Khairulzan, Yahya; Nadirah, Darus; Nordiana, Mashros; Azril, Hezmi Muhammad; Samah Rosiah, Abu; Mutalif, Abdul Hameed Abdul; Asyraf, Norudin Wan Mohammad; Habab, Abd Halil Muhammad; Zanariah, Jahya; Hanifi, Othman Mohd

2018-03-01

This paper reports on research examining the extent of noise annoyance affecting residents within the vicinity of installation of two types of transverse rumble strips (TRS), namely Middle Overlapped (MO) and Multilayer Overlapping (MLO). In order to assess the noise annoyance in the area, measurements were taken at 7.5m from centre of road with TRS installation using single vehicle test to determine the extent of changes of sound level indices and sound spectrum. Two light and two medium weight commercial vehicles were used. Indicators LAeq, LAFmax, LAImax, LAIeq, and LASmax were used to determine impulsivity that led to noise annoyance. The results showed that, at 30 km/h, all commercial vehicles considered in this study that transited on MO produced impulsive noise, while only light commercial vehicles caused noise annoyance when they transited on MLO. The research also analysed the extent of low-frequency noise and found a significant low-frequency component, which indicated that noise annoyance might arise from the hitting of MO and MLO by the commercial vehicles. For night-time related annoyance, it was suggested that an additional weighting factor could be added to the average A-weighted value during night-time.

Factors influencing tinnitus loudness and annoyance.

PubMed

Hiller, Wolfgang; Goebel, Gerhard

2006-12-01

To evaluate the 2 major components of tinnitus severity, loudness and annoyance, and their degree of dependence on characteristics of tinnitus manifestation, history, and etiology. Cross-sectional survey performed during the first months of 2004. Nonclinical population. A total of 4995 members of the German Tinnitus League. Comprehensive screening questionnaire, including the Klockhoff and Lindblom loudness grading system and the miniversion of the Tinnitus Questionnaire. A moderate correlation of 0.45 was found between tinnitus loudness and annoyance. Both factors were generally higher in men, those older than 50 years, those with binaural and centrally perceived tinnitus, those with increased noise sensitivity, and those who had continuous tinnitus without interruptions. Tinnitus that lasted 12 months or less had a stronger influence on annoyance (odds ratio [OR], 1.96) than on loudness (OR, 0.45), whereas the contrary was found for tinnitus of more than 5 years' duration (ORs, 0.72 and 2.11, respectively). Loudness and annoyance were increased in subjects with coexisting hearing loss, vertigo, and hyperacusis. The impact of hyperacusis on annoyance was clearly stronger than on loudness (ORs, 21.91 vs 9.47). Several clinical factors of tinnitus influence perceived loudness and annoyance. Both are distinguishable components of tinnitus severity.

The relationship between railway noise and community annoyance in Korea.

PubMed

Lim, Changwoo; Kim, Jaehwan; Hong, Jiyoung; Lee, Soogab

2006-10-01

A study of community annoyance caused by exposures to railway noise was carried out in 18 areas along railway lines to accumulate social survey data and assess the relationship between railway noise levels and annoyance responses in Korea. Railway noise levels were measured with portable sound-level meters. Social surveys were administered to people living within 50 m of noise measurement sites. A questionnaire contained demographic factors, degree of noise annoyance, interference with daily activities, and health-related symptoms. The question relating to noise annoyance was answered on an 11-point numerical scale. The randomly selected respondents, who were aged between 18 to 70 years of age, completed the questionnaire independently. In total, 726 respondents participated in social surveys. Taking into consideration the urban structure and layout of the residential areas of Korea, Japan, and Europe, one can assume that the annoyance responses caused by the railway noise in this study will be similar to those found in Japan, which are considerably more severe than those found in European countries. This study showed that one of the most important factors contributing to the difference in the annoyance responses between Korea and Europe is the distance between railways and houses.

Nocturnal air, road, and rail traffic noise and daytime cognitive performance and annoyance.

PubMed

Elmenhorst, Eva-Maria; Quehl, Julia; Müller, Uwe; Basner, Mathias

2014-01-01

Various studies indicate that at the same noise level and during the daytime, annoyance increases in the order of rail, road, and aircraft noise. The present study investigates if the same ranking can be found for annoyance to nocturnal exposure and next day cognitive performance. Annoyance ratings and performance change during combined noise exposure were also tested. In the laboratory 72 participants were exposed to air, road, or rail traffic noise and all combinations. The number of noise events and LAS,eq were kept constant. Each morning noise annoyance questionnaires and performance tasks were administered. Aircraft noise annoyance ranked first followed by railway and road noise. A possible explanation is the longer duration of aircraft noise events used in this study compared to road and railway noise events. In contrast to road and rail traffic, aircraft noise annoyance was higher after nights with combined exposure. Pooled noise exposure data showed small but significant impairments in reaction times (6 ms) compared to nights without noise. The noise sources did not have a differential impact on performance. Combined exposure to multiple traffic noise sources did not induce stronger impairments than a single noise source. This was reflected also in low workload ratings.

Impact of wind turbine sound on annoyance, self-reported sleep disturbance and psychological distress.

PubMed

Bakker, R H; Pedersen, E; van den Berg, G P; Stewart, R E; Lok, W; Bouma, J

2012-05-15

The present government in the Netherlands intends to realize a substantial growth of wind energy before 2020, both onshore and offshore. Wind turbines, when positioned in the neighborhood of residents may cause visual annoyance and noise annoyance. Studies on other environmental sound sources, such as railway, road traffic, industry and aircraft noise show that (long-term) exposure to sound can have negative effects other than annoyance from noise. This study aims to elucidate the relation between exposure to the sound of wind turbines and annoyance, self-reported sleep disturbance and psychological distress of people that live in their vicinity. Data were gathered by questionnaire that was sent by mail to a representative sample of residents of the Netherlands living in the vicinity of wind turbines A dose-response relationship was found between immission levels of wind turbine sound and selfreported noise annoyance. Sound exposure was also related to sleep disturbance and psychological distress among those who reported that they could hear the sound, however not directly but with noise annoyance acting as a mediator. Respondents living in areas with other background sounds were less affected than respondents in quiet areas. People living in the vicinity of wind turbines are at risk of being annoyed by the noise, an adverse effect in itself. Noise annoyance in turn could lead to sleep disturbance and psychological distress. No direct effects of wind turbine noise on sleep disturbance or psychological stress has been demonstrated, which means that residents, who do not hear the sound, or do not feel disturbed, are not adversely affected. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Occupational noise annoyance linked to depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation: a result from nationwide survey of Korea.

PubMed

Yoon, Jin-Ha; Won, Jong-Uk; Lee, Wanhyung; Jung, Pil Kyun; Roh, Jaehoon

2014-01-01

Noise, or undesirable sound, is one of the most common environmental stressors, and it can cause various health effects. Beyond the auditory consequences of occupational noise exposure, extra-auditory effects such as psychological problems have also been found. The aim of the current study is to elucidate the association between occupational noise annoyance and psychological symptoms, including symptoms of depression and suicidal ideation. A total of 10,020 participants (5,410 men and 4,610 women) were included in the current analysis, using data from the fourth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Self-report questionnaires were used to assess noise annoyance levels, depressive symptoms, and suicidal ideation. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for psychosocial symptoms were calculated using multiple logistic regression models. Compared to the no noise annoyance group, ORs (95% CI) of the severe annoyance groups were 1.58 (1.12-2.23) and 1.76 (1.29-2.40) in men and 1.49 (1.05-2.11) and 1.41 (1.01-1.97) in women for depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation, respectively. The ORs (95% CI) for severe noise annoyance in those with less than five hours of sleep were 2.95 (1.46-5.96) and 2.05 (1.01-4.16) in men and women, respectively, compared with those with no noise annoyance and a sleep time of more than five hours. Our study shows that occupational noise annoyance is significantly related to mental health, including depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation after controlling for individual and socio-demographic characteristics even with gender stratification. However, prospective studies with quantified noise exposure assessment were needed to elucidate the causality on the association between noise annoyance and psychological symptoms.

Comparing the relationships between noise level and annoyance in different surveys - A railway noise vs. aircraft and road traffic comparison

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fields, J. M.; Walker, J. G.

1982-01-01

Annoyance expressed in a railway noise survey is compared with that from two road traffic and three aircraft surveys in order to determine whether responses to various types of environmental noise are source-specific. Railway noise is found to be less annoying than other noises at any given high noise level. Railway noise annoyance rises less rapidly with increasing noise level. At high levels, this gap in reactions averages about 10 dB; it ranges from 4 dB to more than 20 dB. The methods used for comparing the surveys are examined. It is found that methodological uncertainties lead to imprecise comparisons and that different annoyance scales yield different estimates of intersurvey differences.

Laboratory study of annoyance to combined airplane and road-traffic noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Powell, C. A.

1979-01-01

The annoyance of noise, which consisted of both separate and combined airplane and road-traffic noises, was studied. The subjects judged each session as to how annoyed they were in the simulated living room laboratory environment and as to how annoyed they were if they heard the noise in their home during day, evening, and night periods. The airplane noises, for equal session levels were judged significantly more annoying than the road traffic noises for the separate sessions. For the combined sessions, an interaction was found between the airplane noise and traffic noise levels, which was not adequately assessed by the total energy concept. Significant differences were found between the projected home responses for the day, evening, and night periods.

Laboratory studies of scales for measuring helicopter noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ollerhead, J. B.

1982-01-01

The adequacy of the effective perceived noise level (EPNL) procedure for rating helicopter noise annoyance was investigated. Recordings of 89 helicopters and 30 fixed wing aircraft (CTOL) flyover sounds were rated with respect to annoyance by groups of approximately 40 subjects. The average annoyance scores were transformed to annoyance levels defined as the equally annoying sound levels of a fixed reference sound. The sound levels of the test sounds were measured on various scales, with and without corrections for duration, tones, and impulsiveness. On average, the helicopter sounds were judged equally annoying to CTOL sounds when their duration corrected levels are approximately 2 dB higher. Multiple regression analysis indicated that, provided the helicopter/CTOL difference of about 2 dB is taken into account, the particular linear combination of level, duration, and tone corrections inherent in EPNL is close to optimum. The results reveal no general requirement for special EPNL correction terms to penalize helicopter sounds which are particularly impulsive; impulsiveness causes spectral and temporal changes which themselves adequately amplify conventionally measured sound levels.

The Combined Effects of Aircraft and Road Traffic Noise and Aircraft and Railway Noise on Noise Annoyance-An Analysis in the Context of the Joint Research Initiative NORAH.

PubMed

Wothge, Jördis; Belke, Christin; Möhler, Ulrich; Guski, Rainer; Schreckenberg, Dirk

2017-08-02

The Noise Related Annoyance Cognition and Health (NORAH) research initiative is one of the most extensive studies on the physiological and psychological long-term effects of transportation noise in Europe. It includes research on the quality of life and annoyance as well as cardiovascular effects, sleep disturbance, breast cancer, blood pressure, depression and the cognitive development of children. Within the realm of the annoyance module of the study approximately 10,000 residents of the Rhine-Main district were surveyed on the combined effects of transportation noise. This included combined noise from aircraft and road traffic noise ( N = 4905), or aircraft and railway noise ( N = 4777). Results show that judgment of the total noise annoyance of participants was strongly determined by the sound source which was judged as more annoying (in this case aircraft noise). To a lesser extent, the average sound pressure level of the two present sources was also of relevance.

Environmental noise and annoyance in adults: research in Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe and Newly Independent States.

PubMed

Lekaviciute, Jurgita; Argalasova-Sobotova, Lubica

2013-01-01

Research work on the adverse effects of noise on annoyance in adults is well documented in Western Europe, but there is a knowledge gap concerning this type of research in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), South-East Europe (SEE), and Newly Independent States (NIS). The objective of this review was to present findings and to propose future research directions for the studies on the effects of environmental noise on annoyance in adults conducted in these countries. After systematic search in accessible databases, scientific journals, conference proceedings, international and national reports in English and other languages, the authors identified 29 papers to be included to this review: 24 papers related to annoyance due to road traffic noise and 5 papers related to annoyance from other noise sources. In most of the identified studies, a cross-sectional design prevailed and the evaluations were mainly performed subjectively. The lack of recent annoyance studies related to railway and aircraft traffic noise was identified. Only two studies from NIS countries used noise exposure data for the evaluation of population annoyance according to the European Environmental Noise Directive (END). Capacity building in CEE, SEE, and NIS countries is necessary to acquire the "know-how" on how to implement and use the different scenarios for evaluating population annoyance by environmental noise, depending on the availability and suitability of noise exposure data. Particular attention should be given to the possible use of END noise exposure data, where applicable.

Public perception of rural environmental quality: Moving towards a multi-pollutant approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cantuaria, Manuella Lech; Brandt, Jørgen; Løfstrøm, Per; Blanes-Vidal, Victoria

2017-12-01

Most environmental epidemiology studies have examined pollutants individually. Multi-pollutant approaches have been recognized recently, but to the extent of our knowledge, no study to date has specifically investigated exposures to multiple air pollutants in rural environments. In this paper we characterized and quantified residential exposures to air pollutant mixtures in rural populations, provided a better understanding of the relationships between air pollutant mixtures and annoyance responses to environmental stressors, particularly odor, and quantified their predictive abilities. We used validated and highly spatially resolved atmospheric modeling of 14 air pollutants for four rural areas of Denmark, and the annoyance responses considered were annoyance due to odor, noise, dust, smoke and vibrations. We found significant associations between odor annoyance and principal components predominantly described by nitrate (NO3-), ammonium (NH4+), particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) and NH3, which are usually related to agricultural emission sources. Among these components, NH3 showed the lowest error when comparing observed population data and predicted probabilities. The combination of these compounds in a predictive model resulted in the most accurate model, being able to correctly predict 66% of odor annoyance responses. Furthermore, noise annoyance was found to be significantly associated with traffic-related air pollutants. In general terms, our results suggest that emissions from the agricultural and livestock production sectors are the main contributors to environmental annoyance, but also identify traffic and biomass burning as potential sources of annoyance.

Nature of the annoyance and noise annoyance relation around airports

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Francois, J.

1981-01-01

A survey of 5,000 individuals living around Orly Airport is described. The psobic index was used as the noise index which indicated the intensity of the annoyance experienced by people living around the airport. The results indicate that sensitivity to noise is related to certain personal factors.

A Study in a New Test Facility on Indoor Annoyance Caused by Sonic Booms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rathsam, Jonathan; Loubeau, Alexandra; Klos, Jacob

2012-01-01

A sonic-boom simulator at NASA Langley Research Center has been constructed to research the indoor human response to low-amplitude sonic booms. The research goal is the development of a psychoacoustic model for individual sonic booms to be validated by future community studies. The study in this report assessed the suitability of existing noise metrics for predicting indoor human annoyance. The test signals included a wide range of synthesized and recorded sonic-boom waveforms. Results indicated that no noise metric predicts indoor annoyance to sonic-boom sounds better than Perceived Level, PL. During the study it became apparent that structural vibrations induced by the test signals were contributing to annoyance, so the relationship between sound and vibration at levels of equivalent annoyance has been quantified.

Noise Annoyance in Urban Children: A Cross-Sectional Population-Based Study.

PubMed

Grelat, Natacha; Houot, Hélène; Pujol, Sophie; Levain, Jean-Pierre; Defrance, Jérôme; Mariet, Anne-Sophie; Mauny, Frédéric

2016-10-28

Acoustical and non-acoustical factors influencing noise annoyance in adults have been well-documented in recent years; however, similar knowledge is lacking in children. The aim of this study was to quantify the annoyance caused by chronic ambient noise at home in children and to assess the relationship between these children's noise annoyance level and individual and contextual factors in the surrounding urban area. A cross sectional population-based study was conducted including 517 children attending primary school in a European city. Noise annoyance was measured using a self-report questionnaire adapted for children. Six noise exposure level indicators were built at different locations at increasing distances from the child's bedroom window using a validated strategic noise map. Multilevel logistic models were constructed to investigate factors associated with noise annoyance in children. Noise indicators in front of the child's bedroom ( p ≤ 0.01), family residential satisfaction ( p ≤ 0.03) and socioeconomic characteristics of the individuals and their neighbourhood ( p ≤ 0.05) remained associated with child annoyance. These findings illustrate the complex relationships between our environment, how we may perceive it, social factors and health. Better understanding of these relationships will undoubtedly allow us to more effectively quantify the actual effect of noise on human health.

Assessment of annoyance due to urban road traffic noise combined with tramway noise.

PubMed

Klein, A; Marquis-Favre, C; Champelovier, P

2017-01-01

Due to the expansion of urban areas, an increasing number of residents are exposed to combined community noise sources. Studies show that the exposure to transportation noise significantly affects health and well-being. Noise annoyance is one of these adverse health effects. Up to now, annoyance due to transportation noise is mostly assessed considering single noise exposure situations neglecting the effects of potential interactions between noise sources. In this study, perceptual phenomena involved in noise annoyance due to combined urban road traffic and tramway noises are assessed in laboratory conditions with imaginary and simulated contexts. The urban road traffic was composed of light vehicles, heavy vehicles, buses, and powered-two-wheelers in different driving conditions. The tramway traffic corresponded to tramways in in-curve operating configurations. It could be shown that the road traffic and tramway traffic partial annoyance responses were influenced by each other. Throughout the experiments the strongest component effect prevailed but secondary phenomena could also be observed. Considering the perceptual phenomena highlighted in the analysis, it is shown that total noise annoyance due to the combined noises can be most adequately predicted by the strongest component model. This result was obtained by calculating partial annoyance responses due to urban road and tramway traffic.

Noise Annoyance in Urban Children: A Cross-Sectional Population-Based Study

PubMed Central

Grelat, Natacha; Houot, Hélène; Pujol, Sophie; Levain, Jean-Pierre; Defrance, Jérôme; Mariet, Anne-Sophie; Mauny, Frédéric

2016-01-01

Acoustical and non-acoustical factors influencing noise annoyance in adults have been well-documented in recent years; however, similar knowledge is lacking in children. The aim of this study was to quantify the annoyance caused by chronic ambient noise at home in children and to assess the relationship between these children′s noise annoyance level and individual and contextual factors in the surrounding urban area. A cross sectional population-based study was conducted including 517 children attending primary school in a European city. Noise annoyance was measured using a self-report questionnaire adapted for children. Six noise exposure level indicators were built at different locations at increasing distances from the child′s bedroom window using a validated strategic noise map. Multilevel logistic models were constructed to investigate factors associated with noise annoyance in children. Noise indicators in front of the child′s bedroom (p ≤ 0.01), family residential satisfaction (p ≤ 0.03) and socioeconomic characteristics of the individuals and their neighbourhood (p ≤ 0.05) remained associated with child annoyance. These findings illustrate the complex relationships between our environment, how we may perceive it, social factors and health. Better understanding of these relationships will undoubtedly allow us to more effectively quantify the actual effect of noise on human health. PMID:27801858

On the study of the effects of sea views, greenery views and personal characteristics on noise annoyance perception at homes.

PubMed

Li, Hak Nang; Chau, Chi Kwan; Tse, Man Sze; Tang, Shiu Keung

2012-03-01

Noise annoyance has caused significant adverse impacts on human beings and numerous efforts have been spent on mitigating annoyance problems. Natural greenery has been shown to be able to moderate annoyance problems at home but this conclusion was drawn without properly controlling the potential confounding factors. Furthermore, few have explored the moderation effect of a sea view. Accordingly, this study formulated a multivariate model to examine the impacts of natural views as well as personal characteristics on annoyance perception. A housing estate was selected in Hong Kong as the survey site for which some of the residents were exposed to greenery views, sea views, or both from their homes. Eight hundred and sixty-one responses were collected via questionnaire surveys and analyzed using an ordered logit model. The results suggest that both a greenery view and a sea view can moderate annoyance responses. Several individual's personal characteristics are found to affect individuals' annoyance perception. The duration of time spent daily at home is shown to have an influence on the moderation impact exerted by a greenery view, while the age of an individual is shown to have an influence on noise moderation effect exerted by a sea view. © 2012 Acoustical Society of America

On the outdoor annoyance from scooter and motorbike noise in the urban environment.

PubMed

Paviotti, Marco; Vogiatzis, Konstantinos

2012-07-15

The health impacts of environmental noise are a growing concern amongst both the general public and policy-makers in Europe. Environmental noise - especially from road transportation - is widely accepted as an important environmental impact factor that can be taken as a start for the process of evaluating the impact of annoyance on the exposed urban population. Extensive urbanisation and the increase of road transport define the main driving forces for the environmental noise exposure of the population. In urban conditions, it is rather common, regarding road transportation noise, to hear from people that, especially, PTW (Powered Two Wheelers) are annoying, and many times are actually the most annoying environmental noise sources introducing a degradation of the urban environment. In this research, in Athens city centre, both scooters and motorbikes operation patterns are analysed, in the basis of their environmental impact through ad-hoc tests to establish if specific features of their emitted noise are annoying and affect the quality of life. It resulted that PTW are a relevant cause of specific environmental annoyance on pedestrians when low background noise levels and sparse traffic flow allow identifying the PTW. Based on the results of a measurement campaign, both L(max) and roughness indices are identified as characteristic noise signatures of the PTW. Results are compared to laboratory studies on annoyance found in literature and to a specific set of interviews with a large number of pedestrians in selected sites. Annoyance caused by scooters and motorbikes is analysed in the findings and conclusions. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Wind turbine noise, annoyance and self‐reported health and well‐being in different living environments

PubMed Central

Pedersen, Eja

2007-01-01

Objectives To evaluate the prevalence of perception and annoyance due to wind turbine noise among people living near the turbines, and to study relations between noise and perception/annoyance, with focus on differences between living environments. Methods A cross‐sectional study was carried out in seven areas in Sweden across dissimilar terrain and different degrees of urbanisation. A postal questionnaire regarding living conditions including response to wind turbine noise was completed by 754 subjects. Outdoor A‐weighted sound pressure levels (SPLs) were calculated for each respondent. Perception and annoyance due to wind turbine noise in relation to SPLs was analysed with regard to dissimilarities between the areas. Results The odds of perceiving wind turbine noise increased with increasing SPL (OR 1.3; 95% CI 1.25 to 1.40). The odds of being annoyed by wind turbine noise also increased with increasing SPLs (OR 1.1; 95% CI 1.01 to 1.25). Perception and annoyance were associated with terrain and urbanisation: (1) a rural area increased the risk of perception and annoyance in comparison with a suburban area; and (2) in a rural setting, complex ground (hilly or rocky terrain) increased the risk compared with flat ground. Annoyance was associated with both objective and subjective factors of wind turbine visibility, and was further associated with lowered sleep quality and negative emotions. Conclusion There is a need to take the unique environment into account when planning a new wind farm so that adverse health effects are avoided. The influence of area‐related factors should also be considered in future community noise research. PMID:17332136

Wind turbine noise, annoyance and self-reported health and well-being in different living environments.

PubMed

Pedersen, Eja; Persson Waye, Kerstin

2007-07-01

To evaluate the prevalence of perception and annoyance due to wind turbine noise among people living near the turbines, and to study relations between noise and perception/annoyance, with focus on differences between living environments. A cross-sectional study was carried out in seven areas in Sweden across dissimilar terrain and different degrees of urbanisation. A postal questionnaire regarding living conditions including response to wind turbine noise was completed by 754 subjects. Outdoor A-weighted sound pressure levels (SPLs) were calculated for each respondent. Perception and annoyance due to wind turbine noise in relation to SPLs was analysed with regard to dissimilarities between the areas. The odds of perceiving wind turbine noise increased with increasing SPL (OR 1.3; 95% CI 1.25 to 1.40). The odds of being annoyed by wind turbine noise also increased with increasing SPLs (OR 1.1; 95% CI 1.01 to 1.25). Perception and annoyance were associated with terrain and urbanisation: (1) a rural area increased the risk of perception and annoyance in comparison with a suburban area; and (2) in a rural setting, complex ground (hilly or rocky terrain) increased the risk compared with flat ground. Annoyance was associated with both objective and subjective factors of wind turbine visibility, and was further associated with lowered sleep quality and negative emotions. There is a need to take the unique environment into account when planning a new wind farm so that adverse health effects are avoided. The influence of area-related factors should also be considered in future community noise research.

Development of an Acoustic Rating Scale for Assessing Annoyance Caused by Wheel/Rail Noise in Urban Mass Transit

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1974-02-01

A number of recent studies of the impact of train noise on the community are reviewed. From this information and the results of other noise-annoyance studies, a scale for rating the annoyance of urban transit system operators and patrons, as well as ...

Subjective assessment of simulated helicopter blade-slap noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lawton, B. W.

1976-01-01

The effects of several characteristics of helicopter blade slap upon human annoyance are examined. Blade slap noise was simulated by using continuous and impulsive noises characterized by five parameters: The number of sine waves in a single impulse; the frequency of the sine waves; the impulse repetition frequency; the sound pressure level (SPL) of the continuous noise; and the idealized crest factor of the impulses. Ten second samples of noise were synthesized with each of the five parameters at representative levels. The annoyance of each noise was judged by 40 human subjects. Analysis of the subjective data indicated that each of the five parameters had a statistically significant effect upon the annoyance judgments. The impulse crest factor and SPL of the continuous noise had very strong positive relationships with annoyance. The other parameters had smaller, but still significant, effects upon the annoyance judgments.

Occupational Noise Annoyance Linked to Depressive Symptoms and Suicidal Ideation: A Result from Nationwide Survey of Korea

PubMed Central

Yoon, Jin-Ha; Won, Jong-Uk; Lee, Wanhyung; Jung, Pil Kyun; Roh, Jaehoon

2014-01-01

Background Noise, or undesirable sound, is one of the most common environmental stressors, and it can cause various health effects. Beyond the auditory consequences of occupational noise exposure, extra-auditory effects such as psychological problems have also been found. The aim of the current study is to elucidate the association between occupational noise annoyance and psychological symptoms, including symptoms of depression and suicidal ideation. Methods A total of 10,020 participants (5,410 men and 4,610 women) were included in the current analysis, using data from the fourth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Self-report questionnaires were used to assess noise annoyance levels, depressive symptoms, and suicidal ideation. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for psychosocial symptoms were calculated using multiple logistic regression models. Results Compared to the no noise annoyance group, ORs (95% CI) of the severe annoyance groups were 1.58 (1.12–2.23) and 1.76 (1.29–2.40) in men and 1.49 (1.05–2.11) and 1.41 (1.01–1.97) in women for depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation, respectively. The ORs (95% CI) for severe noise annoyance in those with less than five hours of sleep were 2.95 (1.46–5.96) and 2.05 (1.01–4.16) in men and women, respectively, compared with those with no noise annoyance and a sleep time of more than five hours. Conclusion Our study shows that occupational noise annoyance is significantly related to mental health, including depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation after controlling for individual and socio-demographic characteristics even with gender stratification. However, prospective studies with quantified noise exposure assessment were needed to elucidate the causality on the association between noise annoyance and psychological symptoms. PMID:25144292

Analysis of the effect of numbers of aircraft operations on community annoyance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Connor, W. K.; Patterson, H. P.

1976-01-01

The general validity of the equivalent-energy concept as applied to community annoyance to aircraft noise has been recently questioned by investigators using a peak-dBA concept. Using data previously gathered around nine U.S. airports, empirical tests of both concepts are presented. Results show that annoyance response follows neither concept, that annoyance increases steadily with energy-mean level for constant daily operations and with numbers of operations up to 100-199 per day (then decreases for higher numbers), and that the behavior of certain response descriptors is dependent upon the statistical distributions of numbers and levels.

The Development of a Multiple-Item Annoyance Scale (MIAS) for Transportation Noise Annoyance

PubMed Central

Belke, Christin; Spilski, Jan

2018-01-01

In 2001, Team#6 of the International Commission on Biological Effects of Noise (ICBEN) recommended the use of two single international standardised questions and response scales. This recommendation has been widely accepted in the scientific community. Nevertheless, annoyance can be regarded as a multidimensional construct comprising the three elements: (1) experience of an often repeated noise-related disturbance and the behavioural response to cope with it, (2) an emotional/attitudinal response to the sound and its disturbing impact, and (3) the perceived control or coping capacity with regard to the noise situation. The psychometric properties of items reflecting these three elements have been explored for aircraft noise annoyance. Analyses were conducted using data of the NORAH-Study (Noise-Related Annoyance, Cognition, and Health), and a multi-item noise annoyance scale (MIAS) has been developed and tested post hoc by using a stepwise process (exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses). Preliminary results were presented to the 12th ICBEN Congress in 2017. In this study, the validation of MIAS is done for aircraft noise and extended to railway and road traffic noise. The results largely confirm the concept of MIAS as a second-order construct of annoyance for all of the investigated transportation noise sources; however, improvements can be made, in particular with regard to items addressing the perceived coping capacity. PMID:29757228

Incidences from modifications of the computational methods of the psophic index

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Francois, J.

1981-01-01

In France, the level of annoyance in areas around airports is represented by the psyphic index N. Various modifications were proposed in the method of calculating this indexing order to improve the index as an annoyance indicator. The quality of the modified N index as a prognosis index for annoyance caused by aircraft noise is included.

Advanced turboprop aircraft flyover noise: Annoyance to counter-rotating-propeller configurations with a different number of blades on each rotor: Preliminary results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccurdy, David A.

1988-01-01

A laboratory experiment was conducted to quantify the annoyance of people to the flyover noise of advanced turboprop aircraft with counter-rotating propellers (CRP) having a different number of blades on each rotor (nxm, e.g., 10 x 8, 12 x 11). The objectives were: (1) compare annoyance to nxm CRP advanced turboprop aircraft with annoyance to conventional turboprop and jet aircraft; (2) determine the effects of tonal content on annoyance; and (3) determine the ability of aircraft noise measurement procedures and corrections to predict annoyance for this new class of aircraft. A computer synthesis system was used to generate 35 realistic, time-varying simulations of advanced turboprop takeoff noise in which the tonal content was systematically varied to represent combinations of 15 fundamental frequency (blade passage frequency) combinations and three tone-to-broadband noise ratios. The fundamental frequencies, which represented blade number combinations from 6 x 5 to 13 x 12 and 7 x 5 to 13 x 11, ranged from 112.5 to 292.5 Hz. The three tone-to-broadband noise ratios were 0, 15, and 30 dB. These advanced turboprop simulations along with recordings of five conventional turboprop takeoffs and five conventional jet takeoffs were presented at D-weighted sound pressure levels of 70, 80, and 90 dB to 64 subjects in an anechoic chamber. Analyses of the subjects' annoyance judgments compare the three categories of aircraft and examine the effects of the differences in tonal content among the advanced turboprop noises. The annoyance prediction ability of various noise measurement procedures and corrections is also examined.

Effect of Wind Farm Noise on Local Residents' Decision to Adopt Mitigation Measures.

PubMed

Botelho, Anabela; Arezes, Pedro; Bernardo, Carlos; Dias, Hernâni; Pinto, Lígia M Costa

2017-07-11

Wind turbines' noise is frequently pointed out as the reason for local communities' objection to the installation of wind farms. The literature suggests that local residents feel annoyed by such noise and that, in many instances, this is significant enough to make them adopt noise-abatement interventions on their homes. Aiming at characterizing the relationship between wind turbine noise, annoyance, and mitigating actions, we propose a novel conceptual framework. The proposed framework posits that actual sound pressure levels of wind turbines determine individual homes' noise-abatement decisions; in addition, the framework analyzes the role that self-reported annoyance, and perception of noise levels, plays on the relationship between actual noise pressure levels and those decisions. The application of this framework to a particular case study shows that noise perception and annoyance constitutes a link between the two. Importantly, however, noise also directly affects people's decision to adopt mitigating measures, independently of the reported annoyance.

Evaluation of the effects of one year's operation of the dynamic preferential runway system. [human reactions to overflight air traffic pattern

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Borsky, P. N.

1974-01-01

The FAA introduced an experimental aircraft operations program at JFK Airport called the Dynamic Preferential Runway System (DPRS) in the summer of 1971. The program is designed to distribute air traffic as equally as possible over the surrounding communities, to limit periods of continuous overflight and to vary the same hours of overflight from day to day. After a full year's operation, an evaluation was made of the system's effectiveness. All of the operation's goals were moderately achieved with the greatest relief in reduced overflight afforded the most heavily impacted areas. Few residents, however, were aware of DPRS or felt that it had greatly reduced annoyance or represented a major effort by the aircraft authorities. Statistical analyses of reported annoyance obtained from two independent surveys in 1969 and 1972 reveal limited reductions in annoyance in 1972, with shifts from reported high annoyance to moderate annoyance.

Measuring subjective response to aircraft noise: the effects of survey context.

PubMed

Kroesen, Maarten; Molin, Eric J E; van Wee, Bert

2013-01-01

In applied research, noise annoyance is often used as indicator of subjective reaction to aircraft noise in residential areas. The present study aims to show that the meaning which respondents attach to the concept of aircraft noise annoyance is partly a function of survey context. To this purpose a survey is conducted among residents living near Schiphol Airport, the largest airport in the Netherlands. In line with the formulated hypotheses it is shown that different sets of preceding questionnaire items influence the response distribution of aircraft noise annoyance as well as the correlational patterns between aircraft noise annoyance and other relevant scales.

A study of the effect of flight density and background noise on V/STOL acceptability. [effective perceived noise level as measure of annoyance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sternfeld, H., Jr.; Hinterkeuser, E. G.; Hackman, R. B.; Davis, J.

1974-01-01

A study was conducted in which test subjects evaluated the sounds of a helicopter, a turbofan STOL and a turbojet airplane while engaged in work and leisure activities. Exposure to a high repetitive density of the aircraft sounds did not make the individual sounds more annoying but did create an unacceptable environment. The application of a time duration term to db(A) resulted in a measure which compared favorably with EPNL as a predictor of annoyance. Temporal variations in background noise level had no significant effect on the rated annoyance.

A Simulated Environment Experiment on Annoyance Due to Combined Road Traffic and Industrial Noises.

PubMed

Marquis-Favre, Catherine; Morel, Julien

2015-07-21

Total annoyance due to combined noises is still difficult to predict adequately. This scientific gap is an obstacle for noise action planning, especially in urban areas where inhabitants are usually exposed to high noise levels from multiple sources. In this context, this work aims to highlight potential to enhance the prediction of total annoyance. The work is based on a simulated environment experiment where participants performed activities in a living room while exposed to combined road traffic and industrial noises. The first objective of the experiment presented in this paper was to gain further understanding of the effects on annoyance of some acoustical factors, non-acoustical factors and potential interactions between the combined noise sources. The second one was to assess total annoyance models constructed from the data collected during the experiment and tested using data gathered in situ. The results obtained in this work highlighted the superiority of perceptual models. In particular, perceptual models with an interaction term seemed to be the best predictors for the two combined noise sources under study, even with high differences in sound pressure level. Thus, these results reinforced the need to focus on perceptual models and to improve the prediction of partial annoyances.

Testing a theory of aircraft noise annoyance: a structural equation analysis.

PubMed

Kroesen, Maarten; Molin, Eric J E; van Wee, Bert

2008-06-01

Previous research has stressed the relevance of nonacoustical factors in the perception of aircraft noise. However, it is largely empirically driven and lacks a sound theoretical basis. In this paper, a theoretical model which explains noise annoyance based on the psychological stress theory is empirically tested. The model is estimated by applying structural equation modeling based on data from residents living in the vicinity of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in The Netherlands. The model provides a good model fit and indicates that concern about the negative health effects of noise and pollution, perceived disturbance, and perceived control and coping capacity are the most important variables that explain noise annoyance. Furthermore, the model provides evidence for the existence of two reciprocal relationships between (1) perceived disturbance and noise annoyance and (2) perceived control and coping capacity and noise annoyance. Lastly, the model yielded two unexpected results. Firstly, the variables noise sensitivity and fear related to the noise source were unable to explain additional variance in the endogenous variables of the model and were therefore excluded from the model. And secondly, the size of the total effect of noise exposure on noise annoyance was relatively small. The paper concludes with some recommended directions for further research.

Policy discourse, people's internal frames, and declared aircraft noise annoyance: an application of Q-methodology.

PubMed

Kroesen, Maarten; Bröer, Christian

2009-07-01

Aircraft noise annoyance is studied extensively, but often without an explicit theoretical framework. In this article, a social approach for noise annoyance is proposed. The idea that aircraft noise is meaningful to people within a socially produced discourse is assumed and tested. More particularly, it is expected that the noise policy discourse influences people's assessment of aircraft noise. To this end, Q-methodology is used, which, to the best of the authors' knowledge, has not been used for aircraft noise annoyance so far. Through factor analysis five distinct frames are revealed: "Long live aviation!," "aviation: an ecological threat," "aviation and the environment: a solvable problem," "aircraft noise: not a problem," and "aviation: a local problem." It is shown that the former three frames are clearly related to the policy discourse. Based on this observation it is argued that policy making is a possible mechanism through which the sound of aircraft is turned into annoyance. In addition, it is concluded that the experience of aircraft noise and, in particular, noise annoyance is part of coherent frames of mind, which consist of mutually reinforcing positions and include non-acoustical factors.

The Association between Road Traffic Noise Exposure, Annoyance and Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL)

PubMed Central

Héritier, Harris; Vienneau, Danielle; Frei, Patrizia; Eze, Ikenna C.; Brink, Mark; Probst-Hensch, Nicole; Röösli, Martin

2014-01-01

The aim of this study is to investigate the relationships between road traffic noise exposure, annoyance caused by different noise sources and validated health indicators in a cohort of 1375 adults from the region of Basel, Switzerland. Road traffic noise exposure for each study participant was determined using modelling, and annoyance from various noise sources was inquired by means of a four-point Likert scale. Regression parameters from multivariable regression models for the von Zerssen score of somatic symptoms (point symptom score increase per annoyance category) showed strongest associations with annoyance from industry noise (2.36, 95% CI: 1.54, 3.17), neighbour noise (1.62, 95% CI: 1.17, 2.06) and road traffic noise (1.53, 95% CI: 1.09, 1.96). Increase in modelled noise exposure by 10 dB(A) resulted in a von Zerssen symptom score increase of 0.47 (95% CI: −0.01, 0.95) units. Subsequent structural equation modelling revealed that the association between physical noise exposure and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is strongly mediated by annoyance and sleep disturbance. This study elucidates the complex interplay of different factors for the association between physical noise exposure and HRQOL. PMID:25489999

Laboratory Headphone Studies of Human Response to Low-Amplitude Sonic Booms and Rattle Heard Indoors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Loubeau, Alexandra; Sullivan, Brenda M.; Klos, Jacob; Rathsam, Jonathan; Gavin, Joseph R.

2013-01-01

Human response to sonic booms heard indoors is affected by the generation of contact-induced rattle noise. The annoyance caused by sonic boom-induced rattle noise was studied in a series of psychoacoustics tests. Stimuli were divided into three categories and presented in three different studies: isolated rattles at the same calculated Perceived Level (PL), sonic booms combined with rattles with the mixed sound at a single PL, and sonic booms combined with rattles with the mixed sound at three different PL. Subjects listened to sounds over headphones and were asked to report their annoyance. Annoyance to different rattles was shown to vary significantly according to rattle object size. In addition, the combination of low-amplitude sonic booms and rattles can be more annoying than the sonic boom alone. Correlations and regression analyses for the combined sonic boom and rattle sounds identified the Moore and Glasberg Stationary Loudness (MGSL) metric as a primary predictor of annoyance for the tested sounds. Multiple linear regression models were developed to describe annoyance to the tested sounds, and simplifications for applicability to a wider range of sounds are presented.

Annoyance by aircraft noise and fear of overflying aircraft in relation to attitudes toward the environment and community

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Loeb, M.; Moran, S. V.

1977-01-01

It has been suggested that expressions of annoyance attributable to aircraft noise may reflect in part fear of aircraft overflights and possible crashes. If this is true, then residents of areas where crashes have occurred should express more annoyance. To test this hypothesis, 50 residents of an Albany, New York area where an aircraft crash producing fatalities recently occurred and 50 residents of a comparable nearby area without such a history, were asked to respond to a 'Quality of Life Questionnaire.' Among the items were some designed to test annoyance by noise and fear of aircraft overflights. It was predicted that those in the crash area would express more fear and would more often identify aircraft as a noise source. These hypotheses were sustained. A near-replication was carried out in Louisville, Kentucky; results were much the same. Analyses indicated that for the crash-area groups, there was associating of aircraft fear and noise annoyance responses; this was true to an apparently lesser extent for non-crash groups. The greater annoyance of crash groups by aircraft community noise apparently does not carry over to situations in which aircraft noise is assessed in the laboratory.

Relative effectiveness of several simulated jet engine noise spectral treatments in reducing annoyance in a TV-viewing situation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gunn, W. J.; Shigehisa, T.; Shepherd, W. T.

1976-01-01

An experiment was conducted in order to determine the relative effectiveness of several hypothetical jet engine noise treatments and to test hypothesis that speech interference, at least in part, mediates annoyance in a TV-viewing situation. Twenty-four subjects watched television in a simulated living room. Recorded jet flyover noises were presented in such a way as to create the illusion that aircraft were actually flying overhead. There were 27 stimuli (nine spectra at three overall levels) presented at an average rate of approximately one flight every 2 minutes. Subjects judged the annoyance value of individual stimuli using either a category rating method or magnitude estimation method in each of two 1-hour sessions. The spectral treatments most effective in reducing annoyance were at 1.6 Khz and 800 Hz, in that order. The degree of annoyance reduction resulting from all treatments was affected by the overall sound level of the stimuli, with the greatest reduction at the intermediate overall sound level, about 88 to 89 db(A), peak value. The results are interpreted as supporting the hypothesis that speech interference, at least in part, mediates annoyance with aircraft noise in a TV-viewing situation.

Noise annoyance caused by magnetic levitation train passbys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vos, Joos

2004-05-01

In a laboratory study, the annoyance caused by the passby sounds from a magnetic levitation (maglev) train was investigated. The outdoor A-weighted sound exposure level (ASEL) of the maglev sounds varied from 65 to 90 dB. The driving speed of the maglev train varied from 100 to 400 km/h. Four important results were obtained. Provided that the outdoor ASELs were the same, (1) the annoyance was independent of the driving speed of the maglev train, (2) the annoyance caused by the maglev train was considerably higher than that caused by intercity trains, (3) the annoyance caused by the maglev train was hardly different from that caused by road traffic (passenger cars and trucks), and (4) the results (1)-(3) held true both for open or closed windows. On the basis of the present results, it might be expected that the sounds are equally annoying if the ASELs of the maglev-train passbys are at least 5 dB lower than those of the intercity train passbys. Consequently, the results of the present experiment do not support application of a railway bonus to the maglev-train sounds. Issues for future research, such as exploring further contributions of nonacoustic factors, will be discussed.

Variability of annoyance response due to aircraft noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dempsey, T. K.; Cawthorn, J. M.

1979-01-01

An investigation was conducted to study the variability in the response of subjects participating in noise experiments. This paper presents a description of a model developed to include this variability which incorporates an aircraft-noise adaptation level or an annoyance calibration for each individual. The results indicate that the use of an aircraft-noise adaption level improved prediction accuracy of annoyance responses (and simultaneously reduced response variation).

Transportation noise and annoyance related to road traffic in the French RECORD study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Road traffic and related noise is a major source of annoyance and impairment to health in urban areas. Many areas exposed to road traffic noise are also exposed to rail and air traffic noise. The resulting annoyance may depend on individual/neighborhood socio-demographic factors. Nevertheless, few studies have taken into account the confounding or modifying factors in the relationship between transportation noise and annoyance due to road traffic. In this study, we address these issues by combining Geographic Information Systems and epidemiologic methods. Street network buffers with a radius of 500 m were defined around the place of residence of the 7290 participants of the RECORD Cohort in Ile-de-France. Estimated outdoor traffic noise levels (road, rail, and air separately) were assessed at each place of residence and in each of these buffers. Higher levels of exposure to noise were documented in low educated neighborhoods. Multilevel logistic regression models documented positive associations between road traffic noise and annoyance due to road traffic, after adjusting for individual/neighborhood socioeconomic conditions. There was no evidence that the association was of different magnitude when noise was measured at the place of residence or in the residential neighborhood. However, the strength of the association between neighborhood noise exposure and annoyance increased when considering a higher percentile in the distribution of noise in each neighborhood. Road traffic noise estimated at the place of residence and road traffic noise in the residential neighborhood (75th percentile) were independently associated with annoyance, when adjusted for each other. Interactions of effects indicated that the relationship between road traffic noise exposure in the residential neighborhood and annoyance was stronger in affluent and high educated neighborhoods. Overall, our findings suggest that it is useful to take into account (i) the exposure to transportation noise in the residential neighborhood rather than only at the residence, (ii) different percentiles of noise exposure in the residential neighborhood, and (iii) the socioeconomic characteristics of the residential neighborhood to explain variations in annoyance due to road traffic in the neighborhood. PMID:24088229

Annoyance and acceptability judgements of noise produced by three types of aircraft by residents living near JFK Airport

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Borsky, P. N.

1974-01-01

A random sample of selected communities near JFK Airport were interviewed. Subsamples, with differing feelings of fear of aircraft crashes and different locations of residence were invited to participate in a laboratory experiment. The subjects were exposed to tape recordings of simulated flyovers of aircraft in approach and departure operations at nominal distances from the airport. The subjects judged the extent of noise annoyance and acceptability of the aircraft noises. Results indicate that level of noise is most significant in affecting annoyance judgements. Subjects with feelings of high fear report significantly more annoyance and less acceptability of aircraft noise than subjects with feelings of low fear.

Annoyance to Noise Produced by a Distributed Electric Propulsion High-Lift System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rizzi, Stephen A.; Palumbo, Daniel L.; Rathsam, Jonathan; Christian, Andrew; Rafaelof, Menachem

2017-01-01

A psychoacoustic test was performed using simulated sounds from a distributed electric propulsion aircraft concept to help understand factors associated with human annoyance. A design space spanning the number of high-lift leading edge propellers and their relative operating speeds, inclusive of time varying effects associated with motor controller error and atmospheric turbulence, was considered. It was found that the mean annoyance response varies in a statistically significant manner with the number of propellers and with the inclusion of time varying effects, but does not differ significantly with the relative RPM between propellers. An annoyance model was developed, inclusive of confidence intervals, using the noise metrics of loudness, roughness, and tonality as predictors.

Effect of Wind Farm Noise on Local Residents’ Decision to Adopt Mitigation Measures

PubMed Central

Botelho, Anabela; Bernardo, Carlos; Dias, Hernâni; Pinto, Lígia M. Costa

2017-01-01

Wind turbines’ noise is frequently pointed out as the reason for local communities’ objection to the installation of wind farms. The literature suggests that local residents feel annoyed by such noise and that, in many instances, this is significant enough to make them adopt noise-abatement interventions on their homes. Aiming at characterizing the relationship between wind turbine noise, annoyance, and mitigating actions, we propose a novel conceptual framework. The proposed framework posits that actual sound pressure levels of wind turbines determine individual homes’ noise-abatement decisions; in addition, the framework analyzes the role that self-reported annoyance, and perception of noise levels, plays on the relationship between actual noise pressure levels and those decisions. The application of this framework to a particular case study shows that noise perception and annoyance constitutes a link between the two. Importantly, however, noise also directly affects people’s decision to adopt mitigating measures, independently of the reported annoyance. PMID:28696404

Human annoyance and reactions to hotel room specific noises

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Everhard, Ian L.

2004-05-01

A new formula is presented where multiple annoyance sources and transmission loss values of any partition are combined to produce a new single number rating of annoyance. The explanation of the formula is based on theoretical psychoacoustics and survey testing used to create variables used to weight the results. An imaginary hotel room is processed through the new formula and is rated based on theoretical survey results that would be taken by guests of the hotel. The new single number rating compares the multiple sources of annoyance to a single imaginary unbiased source where absolute level is the only factor in stimulating a linear rise in annoyance [Fidell et al., J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 66, 1427 (1979); D. M. Jones and D. E. Broadbent, ``Human performance and noise,'' in Handbook of Noise Control, 3rd ed., edited by C. M. Harris (ASA, New York, 1998), Chap. 24; J. P. Conroy and J. S. Roland, ``STC Field Testing and Results,'' in Sound and Vibration Magazine, Acoustical Publications, pp. 10-15 (July 2003)].

The Combined Effects of Aircraft and Road Traffic Noise and Aircraft and Railway Noise on Noise Annoyance—An Analysis in the Context of the Joint Research Initiative NORAH

PubMed Central

Wothge, Jördis; Belke, Christin; Möhler, Ulrich; Guski, Rainer; Schreckenberg, Dirk

2017-01-01

The Noise Related Annoyance Cognition and Health (NORAH) research initiative is one of the most extensive studies on the physiological and psychological long-term effects of transportation noise in Europe. It includes research on the quality of life and annoyance as well as cardiovascular effects, sleep disturbance, breast cancer, blood pressure, depression and the cognitive development of children. Within the realm of the annoyance module of the study approximately 10,000 residents of the Rhine-Main district were surveyed on the combined effects of transportation noise. This included combined noise from aircraft and road traffic noise (N = 4905), or aircraft and railway noise (N = 4777). Results show that judgment of the total noise annoyance of participants was strongly determined by the sound source which was judged as more annoying (in this case aircraft noise). To a lesser extent, the average sound pressure level of the two present sources was also of relevance. PMID:28767095

Human Response to Low-Intensity Sonic Booms Heard Indoors and Outdoors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sullivan, Brenda M.; Klos, Jacob; Buehrle, Ralph D.; McCurdy, David A.; Haering, Edward A., Jr.

2010-01-01

Test subjects seated inside and outside a house were exposed to low-intensity N-wave sonic booms during a 3-week test period in June 2006- The house was instrumented to measure the booms both inside and out. F-18 aircraft were flown to achieve a variety of boom overpressures from approximately .1 to .6 psf During four test days, seventy-seven test subjects heard the booms while seated inside and outside the house. Using the Magnitude Estimation methodology and artificial reference sounds ; the subjects rated the annoyance of the booms. Since the same subjects heard similar booms both inside and outside the house, comparative ratings of indoor and outdoor annoyance were obtained. For a given metric level, indoor subjects gave higher annoyance scores than outdoor subjects. For a given boom; annoyance scores inside were on average the same as those outside. In a post-test questionnaire, the majority of subjects rated the indoor booms as more annoying than the outdoor ones. These results are discussed in this paper.

Effects of aircraft overflights on wilderness recreationists.

PubMed

Fidell, S; Silvati, L; Howe, R; Pearsons, K S; Tabachnick, B; Knopf, R C; Gramann, J; Buchanan, T

1996-11-01

On-site and telephone opinion surveys were conducted to assess outdoor recreationists' annoyance with aircraft overflights of wilderness areas. Although current technology for measuring noise exposure does not yet permit accurate and cost-effective estimates of dosage-response relationships in outdoor recreational settings, it was nonetheless possible to construct a rough relationship between estimated aircraft noise exposure and annoyance from the data of the on-site study. In the second survey, telephone interviews were administered to another sample of outdoor recreationists within 2 weeks of their return from visits to 12 wilderness areas. The prevalence of aircraft noise-induced annoyance (in any degree) among respondents in all wilderness areas ranged from 5% to 32%. The prevalence of a consequential degree of aircraft noise-induced annoyance among respondents was less than 5% in all wilderness areas combined. Noise-induced annoyance proved to be a more direct measure of the effects of aircraft overflights on recreationists than more global measures such as visit satisfaction or intent to revisit.

Perceived Annoyance to Noise Produced by a Distributed Electric Propulsion High Lift System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Palumbo, Dan; Rathsam, Jonathan; Christian, Andrew; Rafaelof, Menachem

2016-01-01

Results of a psychoacoustic test performed to understand the relative annoyance to noise produced by several configurations of a distributed electric propulsion high lift system are given. It is found that the number of propellers in the system is a major factor in annoyance perception. This is an intuitive result as annoyance increases, in general, with frequency, and, the blade passage frequency of the propellers increases with the number of propellers. Additionally, the data indicate that having some variation in the blade passage frequency from propeller-to-propeller is beneficial as it reduces the high tonality generated when all the propellers are spinning in synchrony at the same speed. The propellers can be set to spin at different speeds, but it was found that allowing the motor controllers to drift within 1% of nominal settings produced the best results (lowest overall annoyance). The methodology employed has been demonstrated to be effective in providing timely feedback to designers in the early stages of design development.

Note on the development of a Brazilian version of a noise annoyance scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Günther, Hartmut; Iglesias, Fabio; de Sousa, Juliana Moraes

2007-11-01

In order to compare community responses to environmental noise across cultures and languages, international standardized annoyance scales are necessary. ICBEN Team 6 has organized the development of scales for eight European languages and for Japanese. More recently, scales for three other Asian languages were added. The present study reports on the use of the ICBEN method to construct an annoyance scale for Brazilian Portuguese.

A Simulated Environment Experiment on Annoyance Due to Combined Road Traffic and Industrial Noises

PubMed Central

Marquis-Favre, Catherine; Morel, Julien

2015-01-01

Total annoyance due to combined noises is still difficult to predict adequately. This scientific gap is an obstacle for noise action planning, especially in urban areas where inhabitants are usually exposed to high noise levels from multiple sources. In this context, this work aims to highlight potential to enhance the prediction of total annoyance. The work is based on a simulated environment experiment where participants performed activities in a living room while exposed to combined road traffic and industrial noises. The first objective of the experiment presented in this paper was to gain further understanding of the effects on annoyance of some acoustical factors, non-acoustical factors and potential interactions between the combined noise sources. The second one was to assess total annoyance models constructed from the data collected during the experiment and tested using data gathered in situ. The results obtained in this work highlighted the superiority of perceptual models. In particular, perceptual models with an interaction term seemed to be the best predictors for the two combined noise sources under study, even with high differences in sound pressure level. Thus, these results reinforced the need to focus on perceptual models and to improve the prediction of partial annoyances. PMID:26197326

The role of noise sensitivity in the noise-response relation: A comparison of three international airport studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Kamp, Irene; Job, R. F. Soames; Hatfield, Julie; Haines, Mary; Stellato, Rebecca K.; Stansfeld, Stephen A.

2004-12-01

In order to examine the role of noise sensitivity in response to environmental noise, this paper presents detailed comparisons of socio-acoustic studies conducted around international airports in Amsterdam, Sydney, and London. Earlier findings that noise sensitivity moderates the effect of noise on annoyance were examined to see if they could be replicated in each of the datasets, independent of the technique of measuring noise sensitivity. The relation between exposure to aircraft noise and noise annoyance was studied separately for groups of individuals with low, medium, and high noise sensitivity, with statistical adjustment for relevant confounders. Results support the previous findings that noise sensitivity is an independent predictor of annoyance and adds to the prediction of noise annoyance afforded by noise exposure level by up to 26% of explained variance. There is no evidence of a moderating effect, whereby the covariation between noise exposure level and annoyance is weak for people who score at the extreme high or low end of the sensitivity scale, and strong for people who score in the middle of the sensitivity scale. Generally, noise sensitivity appears to increase annoyance independently of the level of noise exposure after adjustment for relevant confounders. These findings were consistent across the three datasets. .

The Prevalence of Annoyance and Effects after Long-Term Exposure to Low-Frequency Noise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

PERSSON WAYE, K.; RYLANDER, R.

2001-02-01

A cross-sectional questionnaire and noise measurement survey was undertaken among 279 randomly chosen persons exposed to noise from heat pump/ventilation installations in their homes. The aim was to evaluate the prevalence of annoyance, disturbance of rest and concentration and the presence of psycho-social and medical symptoms in relation to noise exposure. Of the sample, 108 persons were exposed to a noise classified as of a low-frequency character (low-frequency noise exposed). As controls were chosen 171 persons living in similar residential areas, but exposed to a noise classified as of a mid-frequency character. The results showed that the prevalence of annoyance and disturbed concentration and rest was significantly higher among the persons exposed to low-frequency noise as compared to controls. Annoyance was suggested to be related to the sound pressure levels of the dominant low frequencies. The dB (A) noise levels did not predict annoyance. No significant differences in medical or psycho-social symptoms were found between the low-frequency noise exposed persons and controls. Among persons reporting themselves to be “rather” or “very” annoyed by low-frequency noise due to the heat pump/ventilation installations, a higher extent of psycho-social symptoms, sleep disturbance and headaches was found.

Perceptual assessment of quality of urban soundscapes with combined noise sources and water sounds.

PubMed

Jeon, Jin Yong; Lee, Pyoung Jik; You, Jin; Kang, Jian

2010-03-01

In this study, urban soundscapes containing combined noise sources were evaluated through field surveys and laboratory experiments. The effect of water sounds on masking urban noises was then examined in order to enhance the soundscape perception. Field surveys in 16 urban spaces were conducted through soundwalking to evaluate the annoyance of combined noise sources. Synthesis curves were derived for the relationships between noise levels and the percentage of highly annoyed (%HA) and the percentage of annoyed (%A) for the combined noise sources. Qualitative analysis was also made using semantic scales for evaluating the quality of the soundscape, and it was shown that the perception of acoustic comfort and loudness was strongly related to the annoyance. A laboratory auditory experiment was then conducted in order to quantify the total annoyance caused by road traffic noise and four types of construction noise. It was shown that the annoyance ratings were related to the types of construction noise in combination with road traffic noise and the level of the road traffic noise. Finally, water sounds were determined to be the best sounds to use for enhancing the urban soundscape. The level of the water sounds should be similar to or not less than 3 dB below the level of the urban noises.

Human annoyance, acceptability and concern as responses to vibration from the construction of Light Rapid Transit lines in residential environments.

PubMed

Wong-McSweeney, D; Woodcock, J S; Peris, E; Waddington, D C; Moorhouse, A T; Redel-Macías, M D

2016-10-15

The aim of this paper is to investigate the use of different self-reported measures for assessing the human response to environmental vibration from the construction of an urban LRT (Light Rapid Transit) system. The human response to environmental stressors such as vibration and noise is often expressed in terms of exposure-response relationships that describe annoyance as a function of the magnitude of the vibration. These relationships are often the basis of noise and vibration policy and the setting of limit values. This paper examines measures other than annoyance by expressing exposure-response relationships for vibration in terms of self-reported concern about property damage and acceptability. The exposure-response relationships for concern about property damage and for acceptability are then compared with those for annoyance. It is shown that concern about property damage occurs at vibration levels well below those where there is any risk of damage. Earlier research indicated that concern for damage is an important moderator of the annoyance induced. Acceptability, on the other hand, might be influenced by both annoyance and concern, as well as by other considerations. It is concluded that exposure-response relationships expressing acceptability as a function of vibration exposure could usefully complement existing relationships for annoyance in future policy decisions regarding environmental vibration. The results presented in this paper are derived from data collected through a socio-vibration survey (N=321) conducted for the construction of an urban LRT in the United Kingdom. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Assessment of the noise annoyance among subway train conductors in Tehran, Iran.

PubMed

Hamidi, Mansoureh; Kavousi, Amir; Zaheri, Somayeh; Hamadani, Abolfazl; Mirkazemi, Roksana

2014-01-01

Subway transportation system is a new phenomenon in Iran. Noise annoyance interferes with the individual's task performance, and the required alertness in the driving of subway trains. This is the first study conducted to measure the level of noise and noise annoyance among conductors of subway organization in Tehran, Iran. This cross sectional study was conducted among 167 randomly selected train conductors. Information related to noise annoyance was collected by using a self-administered questionnaire. The dosimetry and sound metering was done for the conductors and inside the cabins. There were 41 sound metering measuring samples inside the conductors' cabin, and there were 12 samples of conductors' noise exposure. The results of sound level meter showed that the mean Leq was 73.0 dBA ± 8.7 dBA and the dosimetry mean measured Leq was 82.1 dBA ± 6.8 dBA. 80% of conductors were very annoyed/annoyed by noise in their work place. 53.9% of conductors reported that noise affected their work performance and 63.5% reported that noise causes that they lose their concentration. The noise related to movement of train wheels on rail was reported as the worst by 83.2% followed by the noise of brakes (74.3%) and the ventilation noise (71.9%). 56.9% of conductors reported that they are suffering from sleeplessness, 40.1% from tinnitus and 80.2% feeling fatigue and sleepy. The study results showed the high level of noise and noise annoyance among train conductors and the poor health outcome of their exposure to this level of noise.

Assessment of noise metrics for application to rotorcraft

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McMullen, Andrew L.

It is anticipated that the use of rotorcraft passenger vehicles for shorter journeys will increase because their use can reduce the time between boarding and take-off. The characteristics of rotorcraft noise are very different to that of fixed wing aircraft. There can be strong tonal components, fluctuations that can also make the noise sound impulsive, and future rotorcraft may produce proportionally more low frequency noise content. Most metrics that are used today to predict noise impact on communities around airports (e.g., Ldn) are just functions of A-weighted sound pressure level. To build a better noise annoyance model that can be applied to assess impact of future and current rotorcraft, it is important to understand the perceived sound attributes and how they influence annoyance. A series of psychoacoustic tests were designed and performed to further our understanding of how rotorcraft sound characteristics affect annoyance as well as evaluate the applicability of existing noise metrics as predictors of annoyance due to rotorcraft noise. The effect of the method used to reproduce sounds in the psychoacoustics tests was also investigated, and so tests were conducted in the NASA Langley Exterior Effects Room using loudspeaker arrays to simulate flyovers and in a double walled sound booth using earphones for playback. A semantic differential test was performed, and analysis of subject responses showed the presence of several independent perceptual factors relating to: loudness, sharpness, roughness, tonality, and impulsiveness. A simulation method was developed to alter tonal components in existing rotorcraft flyover recordings to change the impulsiveness and tonality of the sounds. Flyover recordings and simulations with varied attributes were used as stimuli in an annoyance test. Results showed that EPNL and SELA performed well as predictors of annoyance, but outliers to generate trends have tonal related characteristics that could be contributing to annoyance. General trends in results were similar for both test environments, though differences were greater for the annoyance tests than the semantic differential tests.

Study of annoyance due to urban automobile traffic. Annex 5: Sociological study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aubree, D.; Auzou, S.; Rapin, J. M.

1984-01-01

The aim, method, description, and results of the study of the influence of traffic noise on the annoyance of persons living near points of measurement are discussed. A facsimile of the questionnaire used in the study is included. The essential themes were: the different dimensions of annoyance; the means of defense against noise; the criteria subjects use to describe the noise; attitudes regarding noise; and the functions of noises.

Annoyance due to railway vibration at different times of the day.

PubMed

Peris, Eulalia; Woodcock, James; Sica, Gennaro; Moorhouse, Andrew T; Waddington, David C

2012-02-01

The time of day when vibration occurs is considered as a factor influencing the human response to vibration. The aim of the present paper is to identify the times of day during which railway vibration causes the greatest annoyance, to measure the differences between annoyance responses for different time periods and to obtain estimates of the time of day penalties. This was achieved using data from case studies comprised of face-to-face interviews and internal vibration measurements (N=755). Results indicate that vibration annoyance differs with time of day and that separate time of day weights can be applied when considering exposure-response relationships from railway vibration in residential environments. © 2012 Acoustical Society of America

Evaluation of annoyance from the wind turbine noise: a pilot study.

PubMed

Pawlaczyk-Łuszczyńska, Małgorzata; Dudarewicz, Adam; Zaborowski, Kamil; Zamojska-Daniszewska, Małgorzata; Waszkowska, Małgorzata

2014-06-01

The overall aim of this study was to evaluate the perception of and annoyance due to the noise from wind turbines in populated areas of Poland. The study group comprised 156 subjects. All subjects were asked to fill in a questionnaire developed to enable evaluation of their living conditions, including prevalence of annoyance due to the noise from wind turbines and the self-assessment of physical health and well-being. In addition, current mental health status of the respondents was assessed using Goldberg General Health Questionnaire GHQ-12. For areas where the respondents lived, A-weighted sound pressure levels (SPLs) were calculated as the sum of the contributions from the wind power plants in the specific area. It has been shown that the wind turbine noise at the calculated A-weighted SPL of 30-48 dB was noticed outdoors by 60.3% of the respondents. This noise was perceived as annoying outdoors by 33.3% of the respondents, while indoors by 20.5% of them. The odds ratio of being annoyed outdoors by the wind turbine noise increased along with increasing SPLs (OR = 2.1; 95% CI: 1.22-3.62). The subjects' attitude to wind turbines in general and sensitivity to landscape littering was found to have significant impact on the perceived annoyance. About 63% of variance in outdoors annoyance assessment might be explained by the noise level, general attitude to wind turbines and sensitivity to landscape littering. Before firm conclusions can be drawn further studies are needed, including a larger number of respondents with different living environments (i.e., dissimilar terrain, different urbanization and road traffic intensity).

Annoyance caused by the sounds of a magnetic levitation train

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vos, Joos

2004-04-01

In a laboratory study, the annoyance caused by the passby sounds from a magnetic levitation (maglev) train was investigated. The listeners were presented with various sound fragments. The task of the listeners was to respond after each presentation to the question: ``How annoying would you find the sound in the preceding period if you were exposed to it at home on a regular basis?'' The independent variables were (a) the driving speed of the maglev train (varying from 100 to 400 km/h), (b) the outdoor A-weighted sound exposure level (ASEL) of the passbys (varying from 65 to 90 dB), and (c) the simulated outdoor-to-indoor reduction in sound level (windows open or windows closed). As references to the passby sounds from the maglev train (type Transrapid 08), sounds from road traffic (passenger cars and trucks) and more conventional railway (intercity trains) were included for rating also. Four important results were obtained. Provided that the outdoor ASELs were the same, (1) the annoyance was independent of the driving speed of the maglev train, (2) the annoyance caused by the maglev train was considerably higher than that caused by the intercity train, (3) the annoyance caused by the maglev train was hardly different from that caused by road traffic, and (4) the results (1)-(3) held true both for open or closed windows. On the basis of the present results, it might be expected that the sounds are equally annoying if the ASELs of the maglev-train passbys are at least 5 dB lower than those of the intercity train passbys. Consequently, the results of the present experiment do not support application of a railway bonus to the maglev-train sounds.

Perceived annoyance from environmental odors and association with atmospheric ammonia levels in non-urban residential communities: a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Objective Odor exposure is an environmental stressor that is responsible of many citizens complains about air pollution in non-urban areas. However, information about the exposure-response relation is scarce. One of the main challenges is to identify a measurable compound that can be related with odor annoyance responses. We investigated the association between regional and temporal variation of ammonia (NH3) concentrations in five Danish non-urban regions and environmental odor annoyance as perceived by the local residents. Methods A cross-sectional study where NH3 concentration was obtained from the national air quality monitoring program and from emission-dispersion modelling, and odor pollution perception from questionnaires. The exposure-response model was a sigmoid model. Linear regression analyses were used to estimate the model constants after equation transformations. The model was validated using leave-one-out cross validation (LOOCV) statistical method. Results About 45% of the respondents were annoyed by odor pollution at their residential areas. The perceived odor was characterized by all respondents as animal waste odor. The exposure-annoyance sigmoid model showed that the prevalence of odor annoyance was significantly associated with NH3 concentrations (measured and estimated) at the local air quality monitoring stations (p < 0.01,R2 = 0.99; and p < 0.05,R2 = 0.93; respectively). Prediction errors were below 5.1% and 20% respectively. The seasonal pattern of odor perception was associated with the seasonal variation in NH3 concentrations (p < 0.001, adjusted R2 = 0.68). Conclusion The results suggest that atmospheric NH3 levels at local air quality stations could be used as indicators of prevalence of odor annoyance in non-urban residential communities. PMID:22513250

Annoyance caused by the sounds of a magnetic levitation train.

PubMed

Vos, Joos

2004-04-01

In a laboratory study, the annoyance caused by the passby sounds from a magnetic levitation (maglev) train was investigated. The listeners were presented with various sound fragments. The task of the listeners was to respond after each presentation to the question: "How annoying would you find the sound in the preceding period if you were exposed to it at home on a regular basis?" The independent variables were (a) the driving speed of the maglev train (varying from 100 to 400 km/h), (b) the outdoor A-weighted sound exposure level (ASEL) of the passbys (varying from 65 to 90 dB), and (c) the simulated outdoor-to-indoor reduction in sound level (windows open or windows closed). As references to the passby sounds from the maglev train (type Transrapid 08), sounds from road traffic (passenger cars and trucks) and more conventional railway (intercity trains) were included for rating also. Four important results were obtained. Provided that the outdoor ASELs were the same, (1) the annoyance was independent of the driving speed of the maglev train, (2) the annoyance caused by the maglev train was considerably higher than that caused by the intercity train, (3) the annoyance caused by the maglev train was hardly different from that caused by road traffic, and (4) the results (1)-(3) held true both for open or closed windows. On the basis of the present results, it might be expected that the sounds are equally annoying if the ASELs of the maglev-train passbys are at least 5 dB lower than those of the intercity train passbys. Consequently, the results of the present experiment do not support application of a railway bonus to the maglev-train sounds.

Annoyance, Sleep and Concentration Problems due to Combined Traffic Noise and the Benefit of Quiet Side

PubMed Central

Bodin, Theo; Björk, Jonas; Ardö, Jonas; Albin, Maria

2015-01-01

Background: Access to a quiet side in one’s dwelling is thought to compensate for higher noise levels at the most exposed façade. It has also been indicated that noise from combined traffic sources causes more noise annoyance than equal average levels from either road traffic or railway noise separately. Methods: 2612 persons in Malmö, Sweden, answered to a residential environment survey including questions on outdoor environment, noise sensitivity, noise annoyance, sleep quality and concentration problems. Road traffic and railway noise was modeled using Geographic Information System. Results: Access to a quiet side, i.e., at least one window facing yard, water or green space, was associated with reduced risk of annoyance OR (95%CI) 0.47 (0.38–0.59), and concentration problems 0.76 (0.61–0.95). Bedroom window facing the same environment was associated to reduced risk of reporting of poor sleep quality 0.78 (0.64–1.00). Railway noise was associated with reduced risk of annoyance below 55 dB(A) but not at higher levels of exposure. Conclusions: Having a window facing a yard, water or green space was associated to a substantially reduced risk of noise annoyance and concentration problems. If this window was the bedroom window, sleeping problems were less likely. PMID:25642690

Influence of Chair Vibrations on Indoor Sonic Boom Annoyance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rathsam, Jonathan; Klos, Jacob; Loubeau, Alexandra

2015-01-01

One goal of NASA’s Commercial Supersonic Technology Project is to identify candidate noise metrics suitable for regulating quiet sonic boom aircraft. A suitable metric must consider the short duration and pronounced low frequency content of sonic booms. For indoor listeners, rattle and creaking sounds and floor and chair vibrations may also be important. The current study examined the effect of such vibrations on the annoyance of test subjects seated indoors. The study involved two chairs exposed to nearly identical acoustic levels: one placed directly on the floor, and the other isolated from floor vibrations by pneumatic elastomeric mounts. All subjects experienced both chairs, sitting in one chair for the first half of the experiment and the other chair for the remaining half. Each half of the experiment consisted of 80 impulsive noises played at the exterior of the sonic boom simulator. When all annoyance ratings were analyzed together there appeared to be no difference in mean annoyance with isolation condition. When the apparent effect of transfer bias was removed, a subtle but measurable effect of vibration on annoyance was identified.

Comparison of advanced turboprop and conventional jet and propeller aircraft flyover noise annoyance: Preliminary results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccurdy, D. A.

1985-01-01

A laboratory experiment was conducted to compare the flyover noise annoyance of proposed advanced turboprop aircraft with that of conventional turboprop and jet aircraft. The effects of fundamental frequency and tone-to-broadband noise ratio on advanced turboprop annoyance were also examined. A computer synthesis system is used to generate 18 realistic, time varying simulations of propeller aircraft takeoff noise in which the harmonic content is systematically varied to represent the factorial combinations of six fundamental frequencies ranging from 67.5 Hz to 292.5 Hz and three tone-to-broadband noise ratios of 0, 15, and 30 dB. These advanced turboprop simulations along with recordings of five conventional turboprop takeoffs and five conventional jet takeoffs are presented at D-weighted sound pressure levels of 70, 80, and 90 dB to 32 subjects in an anechoic chamber. Analyses of the subjects' annoyance judgments compare the three categories of aircraft and examine the effects of the differences in harmonic content among the advanced turboprop noises. The annoyance prediction ability of various noise measurement procedures and corrections is also examined.

Health Care Utilisation and Attitudes towards Health Care in Subjects Reporting Environmental Annoyance from Electricity and Chemicals

PubMed Central

Eek, Frida; Merlo, Juan; Gerdtham, Ulf; Lithman, Thor

2009-01-01

Environmentally intolerant persons report decreased self-rated health and daily functioning. However, it remains unclear whether this condition also results in increased health care costs. The aim of this study was to describe the health care consumption and attitudes towards health care in subjects presenting subjective environmental annoyance in relation to the general population, as well as to a group with a well-known disorder as treated hypertension (HT). Methods. Postal questionnaire (n = 13 604) and record linkage with population-based register on health care costs. Results. Despite significantly lower subjective well being and health than both the general population and HT group, the environmentally annoyed subjects had lower health care costs than the hypertension group. In contrast to the hypertension group, the environmentally annoyed subjects expressed more negative attitudes toward the health care than the general population. Conclusions. Despite their impaired subjective health and functional capacity, health care utilisation costs were not much increased for the environmentally annoyed group. This may partly depend on negative attitudes towards the health care in this group. PMID:19936124

Response to noise from modern wind farms in The Netherlands.

PubMed

Pedersen, Eja; van den Berg, Frits; Bakker, Roel; Bouma, Jelte

2009-08-01

The increasing number and size of wind farms call for more data on human response to wind turbine noise, so that a generalized dose-response relationship can be modeled and possible adverse health effects avoided. This paper reports the results of a 2007 field study in The Netherlands with 725 respondents. A dose-response relationship between calculated A-weighted sound pressure levels and reported perception and annoyance was found. Wind turbine noise was more annoying than transportation noise or industrial noise at comparable levels, possibly due to specific sound properties such as a "swishing" quality, temporal variability, and lack of nighttime abatement. High turbine visibility enhances negative response, and having wind turbines visible from the dwelling significantly increased the risk of annoyance. Annoyance was strongly correlated with a negative attitude toward the visual impact of wind turbines on the landscape. The study further demonstrates that people who benefit economically from wind turbines have a significantly decreased risk of annoyance, despite exposure to similar sound levels. Response to wind turbine noise was similar to that found in Sweden so the dose-response relationship should be generalizable.

Annoyance from environmental tobacco smoke and support for no-smoking policies at eight large Dutch workplaces

PubMed Central

Willemsen, M. C.; de Vries, H.; Genders, R.

1996-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To collect descriptive data on annoyance from environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), attitudes toward smoking at the workplace, and support for a no-smoking policy. DESIGN: Survey of eight large companies in four sectors of Dutch industry. SUBJECTS: A representative sample of smoking and non-smoking employees (n = 1480). RESULTS: Thirty- five per cent of non-smoking employees felt it was "annoying" to "very annoying" when their colleagues smoked during worktime, and 78% thought a smoky work environment was harmful to their health. About two-thirds of non-smokers "sometimes" to "often" experienced annoyance from ETS at their workplace. The individual solution approach (no explicit policy) is not only rejected by most nonsmokers but also by many smokers. In three sectors of industry, there was much support among employees for a smoking ban except for work areas designated for smoking. CONCLUSIONS: These results could encourage more companies to implement smoking restrictions and they may be used as reference data by companies wanting to develop effective no-smoking policies. 


 PMID:8910995

Comparison of advanced turboprop and conventional jet and propeller aircraft flyover noise annoyance - Preliminary results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccurdy, D. A.

1985-01-01

A laboratory experiment was conducted to compare the flyover noise annoyance of proposed advanced turboprop aircraft with that of conventional turboprop and jet aircraft. The effects of fundamental frequency and tone-to-broadband noise ratio on advanced turboprop annoyance were also examined. A computer synthesis system was used to generate 18 realistic, time varyring simulations of propeller aircraft takeoff noise in which the harmonic content was systematically varied to represent the factorial combinations of six fundamental frequencies ranging from 67.5 Hz to 292.5 Hz and three tone-to-broadband noise ratios of 0, 15, and 30 dB. These advanced turboprop simulations along with recordings of five conventional turboprop takeoffs and five conventional jet takeoffs were presented at D-weighted sound pressure levels of 70, 80, and 90 dB to 32 subjects in an anechoic chamber. Analyses of the subjects' annoyance judgments compare the three categories of aircraft and examine the effects of the differences in harmonic content among the advanced turboprop noises. The annoyance prediction ability of various noise measurement procedures and corrections is also examined.

Wind turbines and health: a critical review of the scientific literature.

PubMed

McCunney, Robert J; Mundt, Kenneth A; Colby, W David; Dobie, Robert; Kaliski, Kenneth; Blais, Mark

2014-11-01

This review examines the literature related to health effects of wind turbines. We reviewed literature related to sound measurements near turbines, epidemiological and experimental studies, and factors associated with annoyance. (1) Infrasound sound near wind turbines does not exceed audibility thresholds. (2) Epidemiological studies have shown associations between living near wind turbines and annoyance. (3) Infrasound and low-frequency sound do not present unique health risks. (4) Annoyance seems more strongly related to individual characteristics than noise from turbines. Further areas of inquiry include enhanced noise characterization, analysis of predicted noise values contrasted with measured levels postinstallation, longitudinal assessments of health pre- and postinstallation, experimental studies in which subjects are "blinded" to the presence or absence of infrasound, and enhanced measurement techniques to evaluate annoyance.

Model of aircraft noise adaptation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dempsey, T. K.; Coates, G. D.; Cawthorn, J. M.

1977-01-01

Development of an aircraft noise adaptation model, which would account for much of the variability in the responses of subjects participating in human response to noise experiments, was studied. A description of the model development is presented. The principal concept of the model, was the determination of an aircraft adaptation level which represents an annoyance calibration for each individual. Results showed a direct correlation between noise level of the stimuli and annoyance reactions. Attitude-personality variables were found to account for varying annoyance judgements.

Activity interference and noise annoyance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hall, F. L.; Taylor, S. M.; Birnie, S. E.

1985-11-01

Debate continues over differences in the dose-response functions used to predict the annoyance at different sources of transportation noise. This debate reflects the lack of an accepted model of noise annoyance in residential communities. In this paper a model is proposed which is focussed on activity interference as a central component mediating the relationship between noise exposure and annoyance. This model represents a departure from earlier models in two important respects. First, single event noise levels (e.g., maximum levels, sound exposure level) constitute the noise exposure variables in place of long-term energy equivalent measures (e.g., 24-hour Leq or Ldn). Second, the relationships within the model are expressed as probabilistic rather than deterministic equations. The model has been tested by using acoustical and social survey data collected at 57 sites in the Toronto region exposed to aircraft, road traffic or train noise. Logit analysis was used to estimate two sets of equations. The first predicts the probability of activity interference as a function of event noise level. Four types of interference are included: indoor speech, outdoor speech, difficulty getting to sleep and awakening. The second set predicts the probability of annoyance as a function of the combination of activity interferences. From the first set of equations, it was possible to estimate a function for indoor speech interference only. In this case, the maximum event level was the strongest predictor. The lack of significant results for the other types of interference is explained by the limitations of the data. The same function predicts indoor speech interference for all three sources—road, rail and aircraft noise. The results for the second set of equations show strong relationships between activity interference and the probability of annoyance. Again, the parameters of the logit equations are similar for the three sources. A trial application of the model predicts a higher probability of annoyance for aircraft than for road traffic situations with the same 24-hour Leq. This result suggests that the model may account for previously reported source differences in annoyance.

Special analysis of community annoyance with aircraft noise reported by residents in the vicinity of JFK Airport, 1972

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Borsky, P. N.

1975-01-01

During the summer of 1972, about 1500 residents were interviewed twice in 11 communities near JFK airport. Detailed aircraft operations reports were also collected for this period, and an effort has been made to analyze recorded human response data in relation to a number of physical exposure parameters. A series of exposure indexes, based on an arithmetic integration of aircraft operations, were correlated with summated aircraft noise annoyance responses. None of these correlations were as good as the CNR index which assumes a logrithmetic integration of numbers of aircraft exposures and includes a day-night differential weighting of 10:1. There were substantial variations in average annoyance responses among communities with similar CNR exposures, substantiating previous findings that attitudinal and other personal variables also play an important role in determining annoyance differences.

Confidence Intervals for Laboratory Sonic Boom Annoyance Tests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rathsam, Jonathan; Christian, Andrew

2016-01-01

Commercial supersonic flight is currently forbidden over land because sonic booms have historically caused unacceptable annoyance levels in overflown communities. NASA is providing data and expertise to noise regulators as they consider relaxing the ban for future quiet supersonic aircraft. One deliverable NASA will provide is a predictive model for indoor annoyance to aid in setting an acceptable quiet sonic boom threshold. A laboratory study was conducted to determine how indoor vibrations caused by sonic booms affect annoyance judgments. The test method required finding the point of subjective equality (PSE) between sonic boom signals that cause vibrations and signals not causing vibrations played at various amplitudes. This presentation focuses on a few statistical techniques for estimating the interval around the PSE. The techniques examined are the Delta Method, Parametric and Nonparametric Bootstrapping, and Bayesian Posterior Estimation.

Development of a noise annoyance sensitivity scale

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bregman, H. L.; Pearson, R. G.

1972-01-01

Examining the problem of noise pollution from the psychological rather than the engineering view, a test of human sensitivity to noise was developed against the criterion of noise annoyance. Test development evolved from a previous study in which biographical, attitudinal, and personality data was collected on a sample of 166 subjects drawn from the adult community of Raleigh. Analysis revealed that only a small subset of the data collected was predictive of noise annoyance. Item analysis yielded 74 predictive items that composed the preliminary noise sensitivity test. This was administered to a sample of 80 adults who later rate the annoyance value of six sounds (equated in terms of peak sound pressure level) presented in a simulated home, living-room environment. A predictive model involving 20 test items was developed using multiple regression techniques, and an item weighting scheme was evaluated.

The relation between self-reported worry and annoyance from air and road traffic.

PubMed

van den Berg, Frits; Verhagen, Claudia; Uitenbroek, Daan

2015-02-25

Negative perceptions such as fear or worry are known to be an important determinant of annoyance. Annoyance caused by noise and odour has been analysed in relation to worry about safety or health due to environmental hazards, using responses to a health survey. In the survey area high environmental impacts come from air and road traffic. The survey results show a correlation between worry due to the airport or passing aircraft and noise and odour annoyance from aircraft (correlation coefficient (c.c.) close to 0.6). For the relation between worry about a busy street and annoyance from road traffic the correlation is lower (c.c. 0.4-0.5). Worries about different situations, such as living below sea level, close to an airport, busy street or chemical industry, are highly correlated (c.c. 0.5-0.9), also for situations that are not obviously related. Personal factors can also lead to more worry: being female, above 35 years of age, having a high risk for anxiety/depression and being in bad health increase the odds for being worried. The results thus suggest that worry about safety or health is correlated to both personal and environmental factors.

Determination of the Level of Noise in Nurseries and Pre-schools and the Teachers’ Level of Annoyance

PubMed Central

Gokdogan, Ozan; Gokdogan, Cagil

2016-01-01

Objective: The aim of this article is to determine the level of noise in nurseries and pre-schools and also to compare measured levels with standard levels and evaluate the teachers’ level of annoyance. Materials and Methods: The level of noise was measured in three different schools. A total of 162 students, whose ages were between 3 and 6 years, and 12 teachers were included the study. Every age groups’ level of noise was measured during sleeping, gaming, and eating activity. In addition, teachers’ annoyance was assessed in different age groups. Results: The 4- to 6-year-old groups were found to have higher level of sounds than 3-year-old group. Eating period was found to be the highest level of sound whereas sleeping was found the lowest. Furthermore, teachers’ annoyance was found higher as the age decreased. Conclusion: Nurseries and pre-schools have noisy environment both for the students and the teachers. High level of noise, which has bad effects on health, is a public health problem. Both the students’ families and teachers must be aware of this annoying situation. PMID:27762254

Annoyance caused by aircraft en route noise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCurdy, David A.

1992-03-01

A laboratory experiment was conducted to quantify the annoyance response of people on the ground to enroute noise generated by aircraft at cruise conditions. The en route noises were ground level recordings of eight advanced turboprop aircraft flyovers and six conventional turbofan flyovers. The eight advanced turboprop enroute noises represented the NASA Propfan Test Assessment aircraft operating at different combinations of altitude, aircraft Mach number, and propeller tip speed. The conventional turbofan en route noises represented six different commercial airliners. The overall durations of the en route noises varied from approximately 40 to 160 sec. In the experiment, 32 subjects judged the annoyance of the en route noises as well as recordings of the takeoff and landing noises of each of 5 conventional turboprop and 5 conventional turbofan aircraft. Each of the noises was presented at three sound pressure levels to the subjects in an anechoic listening room. Analysis of the judgments found small differences in annoyance between three combinations of aircraft type and operation. Current tone and corrections did not significantly improve en route annoyance prediction. The optimum duration-correction magnitude for en route noise was approximately 1 dB per doubling of effective duration.

Annoyance caused by aircraft en route noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccurdy, David A.

1992-01-01

A laboratory experiment was conducted to quantify the annoyance response of people on the ground to enroute noise generated by aircraft at cruise conditions. The en route noises were ground level recordings of eight advanced turboprop aircraft flyovers and six conventional turbofan flyovers. The eight advanced turboprop enroute noises represented the NASA Propfan Test Assessment aircraft operating at different combinations of altitude, aircraft Mach number, and propeller tip speed. The conventional turbofan en route noises represented six different commercial airliners. The overall durations of the en route noises varied from approximately 40 to 160 sec. In the experiment, 32 subjects judged the annoyance of the en route noises as well as recordings of the takeoff and landing noises of each of 5 conventional turboprop and 5 conventional turbofan aircraft. Each of the noises was presented at three sound pressure levels to the subjects in an anechoic listening room. Analysis of the judgments found small differences in annoyance between three combinations of aircraft type and operation. Current tone and corrections did not significantly improve en route annoyance prediction. The optimum duration-correction magnitude for en route noise was approximately 1 dB per doubling of effective duration.

The Relation between Self-Reported Worry and Annoyance from Air and Road Traffic

PubMed Central

van den Berg, Frits; Verhagen, Claudia; Uitenbroek, Daan

2015-01-01

Negative perceptions such as fear or worry are known to be an important determinant of annoyance. Annoyance caused by noise and odour has been analysed in relation to worry about safety or health due to environmental hazards, using responses to a health survey. In the survey area high environmental impacts come from air and road traffic. The survey results show a correlation between worry due to the airport or passing aircraft and noise and odour annoyance from aircraft (correlation coefficient (c.c.) close to 0.6). For the relation between worry about a busy street and annoyance from road traffic the correlation is lower (c.c. 0.4–0.5). Worries about different situations, such as living below sea level, close to an airport, busy street or chemical industry, are highly correlated (c.c. 0.5–0.9), also for situations that are not obviously related. Personal factors can also lead to more worry: being female, above 35 years of age, having a high risk for anxiety/depression and being in bad health increase the odds for being worried. The results thus suggest that worry about safety or health is correlated to both personal and environmental factors. PMID:25723645

Vibration Penalty Estimates for Indoor Annoyance Caused by Sonic Boom

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rathsam, Jonathan; Klos, Jacob

2016-01-01

Commercial supersonic flight is currently forbidden over land because sonic booms have historically caused unacceptable annoyance levels in overflown communities. NASA is providing data and expertise to noise regulators as they consider relaxing the ban for future quiet supersonic aircraft. One key objective is a predictive model for indoor annoyance based on factors such as noise and indoor vibration levels. The current study quantified the increment in indoor sonic boom annoyance when sonic booms can be felt directly through structural vibrations in addition to being heard. A shaker mounted below each chair in the sonic boom simulator emulated vibrations transmitting through the structure to that chair. The vibration amplitudes were determined from numeric models of a large range of residential structures excited by the same sonic boom waveforms used in the experiment. The analysis yielded vibration penalties, which are the increments in sound level needed to increase annoyance as much as the vibration does. For sonic booms at acoustic levels from 75 to 84 dB Perceived Level, vibration signals with lower amplitudes (+1 sigma) yielded penalties from 0 to 5 dB, and vibration signals with higher amplitudes (+3 sigma) yielded penalties from 6 to 10 dB.

Human response to vibration in residential environments.

PubMed

Waddington, David C; Woodcock, James; Peris, Eulalia; Condie, Jenna; Sica, Gennaro; Moorhouse, Andrew T; Steele, Andy

2014-01-01

This paper presents the main findings of a field survey conducted in the United Kingdom into the human response to vibration in residential environments. The main aim of this study was to derive exposure-response relationships for annoyance due to vibration from environmental sources. The sources of vibration considered in this paper are railway and construction activity. Annoyance data were collected using questionnaires conducted face-to-face with residents in their own homes. Questionnaires were completed with residents exposed to railway induced vibration (N = 931) and vibration from the construction of a light rail system (N = 350). Measurements of vibration were conducted at internal and external positions from which estimates of 24-h vibration exposure were derived for 1073 of the case studies. Sixty different vibration exposure descriptors along with 6 different frequency weightings were assessed as potential predictors of annoyance. Of the exposure descriptors considered, none were found to be a better predictor of annoyance than any other. However, use of relevant frequency weightings was found to improve correlation between vibration exposure and annoyance. A unified exposure-response relationship could not be derived due to differences in response to the two sources so separate relationships are presented for each source.

Cumulative Airport Noise Exposure Metrics: An Assessment of Evidence for Time-of-Day Weightings. Revision

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-11-01

Q. . could you tell me how much the noise from airplanes bothers or annoys you during the day [evening/ night]? {Source: 1972 JFK Airport Noise Survey...survey around JFK airport in New York it was found t.tat the ratio was equal to 2 (Borsky, 1976: p. 21). In a US Army survey of annoyance with several...0600 0800 1200 1500 1800 2100 2400 (d) 1972 JFK Airport Noise Survey d Mean rating annoy 3- of aircraft noise In each 2 . period (weekdays) 1. 0700 1900

Examining nocturnal railway noise and aircraft noise in the field: sleep, psychomotor performance, and annoyance.

PubMed

Elmenhorst, Eva-Maria; Pennig, Sibylle; Rolny, Vinzent; Quehl, Julia; Mueller, Uwe; Maaß, Hartmut; Basner, Mathias

2012-05-01

Traffic noise is interfering during day- and nighttime causing distress and adverse physiological reactions in large parts of the population. Railway noise proved less annoying than aircraft noise in surveys which were the bases for a so called 5 dB railway bonus regarding noise protection in many European countries. The present field study investigated railway noise-induced awakenings during sleep, nighttime annoyance and the impact on performance the following day. Comparing these results with those from a field study on aircraft noise allowed for a ranking of traffic modes concerning physiological and psychological reactions. 33 participants (mean age 36.2 years ± 10.3 (SD); 22 females) living alongside railway tracks around Cologne/Bonn (Germany) were polysomnographically investigated. These data were pooled with data from a field study on aircraft noise (61 subjects) directly comparing the effects of railway and aircraft noise in one random subject effects logistic regression model. Annoyance was rated in the morning evaluating the previous night. Probability of sleep stage changes to wake/S1 from railway noise increased significantly from 6.5% at 35 dB(A) to 20.5% at 80 dB(A) LAFmax. Rise time of noise events had a significant impact on awakening probability. Nocturnal railway noise led to significantly higher awakening probabilities than aircraft noise, partly explained by the different rise times, whereas the order was inversed for annoyance. Freight train noise compared to passenger train noise proved to have the most impact on awakening probability. Nocturnal railway noise had no effect on psychomotor vigilance. Nocturnal freight train noise exposure in Germany was associated with increased awakening probabilities exceeding those for aircraft noise and contrasting the findings of many annoyance surveys and annoyance ratings of our study. During nighttime a bonus for railway noise seems not appropriate. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Relationship of Transportation Noise and Annoyance for Two Metropolitan Cities in Korea: Population Based Study

PubMed Central

Sung, Joo Hyun; Lee, Jiho; Park, Sang Jin; Sim, Chang Sun

2016-01-01

Transportation noise is known to have negative impact on both public health and life quality. This study evaluated the relationship between transportation noise and annoyance levels, and also the difference of annoyance levels in two metropolitan cities based on epidemiologic surveys. Two thousand adult subjects living in Seoul and Ulsan were enrolled by stratified random sampling on the basis of noise maps from July 2015 to January 2016. Individual annoyance in accordance with transportation noise levels in two metropolitan cities were surveyed using an 11-point visual analog scale questionnaire. The results show that transportation noise level was significantly correlated with annoyance in both cities. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the risk of being ‘highly annoyed’ increased with noise level (Ldn, day-night average sound level) in both cities. After adjusting for age, residence period, sociodemographic factors (sex, education, marriage, income, alcohol, smoking, and exercise) and noise sensitivity, the risk of being ‘highly annoyed’ was increased with noise levels in both cities. In comparison to those of areas with noise levels below 55 dBA, the adjusted odds ratios of ‘highly annoyed’ for areas with 55–65 dBA and over 65 dBA were 2.056 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.225–3.450), 3.519 (95% CI 1.982–6.246) in Seoul and 1.022 (95% CI 0.585–1.785), 1.704 (95% CI 1.005–2.889) in Ulsan, respectively. Based on the results of a population study, we showed that transportation noise levels were significantly associated with annoyance in adults. However, there were some differences between the two cities. In this study, there were differences in transportation noise between the two cities. Seoul has complex noise (traffic and aircraft), compared to single road traffic noise in Ulsan. Therefore, single and complex transportation noise may have different effects on annoyance levels. PMID:28005976

Annoyance caused by propeller airplane flyover noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccurdy, D. A.; Powell, C. A.

1984-01-01

Laboratory experiments were conducted to provide information on quantifying the annoyance response of people to propeller airplane noise. The items of interest were current noise metrics, tone corrections, duration corrections, critical band corrections, and the effects of engine type, operation type, maximum takeoff weight, blade passage frequency, and blade tip speed. In each experiment, 64 subjects judged the annoyance of recordings of propeller and jet airplane operations presented at d-weighted sound pressure levels of 70, 80, and 90 dB in a testing room which simulates the outdoor acoustic environment. The first experiment examined 11 propeller airplanes with maximum takeoff weights greater than or equal to 5700 kg. The second experiment examined 14 propeller airplanes weighting 5700 kg or less. Five jet airplanes were included in each experiment. For both the heavy and light propeller airplanes, perceived noise level and perceived level (Stevens Mark VII procedure) predicted annoyance better than other current noise metrics.

Effects of activity interference on annoyance due to aircraft noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Willshire, K. F.; Powell, C. A.

1981-01-01

The effects of aircraft flyover noise on annoyance were compared for face to face conversation, reverie, and television viewing. Eighteen 5 minute sessions, each composed of three flyovers, were presented on each of 2 days to subjects in a simulated living room. Twelve pairs of females and 12 pairs of males were tested, once before and once after work. Flyovers varied in peak noise level from 53 to 83 dB, A weighted. On each day, subjects engaged in 18 sessions, six of conversation, six of television viewing, and six of reverie. The subjects completed subjective ratings of annoyance and acceptability following every session. Annoyance and unacceptability rating scores were significantly higher for the activity of television viewing compared to conversation or reverie. There was no difference between judgments during the latter two activities. No differences were found in the judgments when compared on the basis of "fatigue" (before/after work) or sex of the subject.

The cost of noise reduction in commercial tilt rotor aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Faulkner, H. B.

1974-01-01

The relationship between direct operating cost (DOC) and departure noise annoyance was developed for commercial tilt rotor aircraft. This was accomplished by generating a series of tilt rotor aircraft designs to meet various noise goals at minimum DOC. These vehicles were spaced across the spectrum of possible noise levels from completely unconstrained to the quietest vehicle that could be designed within the study ground rules. A group of optimization parameters were varied to find the minimum DOC while other inputs were held constant and some external constraints were met. This basic variation was then extended to different aircraft sizes and technology time frames. It was concluded that reducing noise annoyance by designing for lower rotor tip speeds is a very promising avenue for future research and development. It appears that the cost of halving the annoyance compared to an unconstrained design is insignificant and the cost of halving the annoyance again is small.

Effect of Synthesized Propeller Vibration on Passenger Annoyance in a Turboprop Interior Noise Environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clevenson, S. A.

1982-01-01

The effect of synthesized propeller vibration on passenger annoyance to aircraft noise was investigated in passenger ride quality apparatus. Passenger reactions of annoyance to a wide range of potential turboprop interior noise environments were obtained under three simulated vibration conditions: no vibration, armrest vibration, and armrest plus cabin vibration. The noises, ranging from 71 to 95 dB(A) consisted of a turbulent boundary layer with a factorial combination of five blade passage frequencies (50 to 200 Hz), two harmonic roll offs, and three tone to noise ratios. Results indicate that passenger annoyance to noise in the presence of armrest vibration did not significantly change. However, those passengers exposed to cabin plus armrest vibration while being exposed to noise lower rating for the combined cabin vibration and noise environment compared with the rating for the noise along environment. This result is predicted by the ride quality model.

Cumulative annoyance due to multiple aircraft flyover with differing peak noise levels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shepherd, K. P.

1981-01-01

A laboratory study in which 160 subjects judged the annoyance of 30 minute sessions of aircraft noise is described. Each session contained nine flyovers consisting of various combinations of three takeoff recordings of Boeing 727. The subjects were asked to judge their annoyance in the simulated living room environment of the laboratory and also to assess how annoyed they would be if they heard the noise in their home during the day, evening, and night periods. The standard deviation of the sound level did not improve the predictive ability of L sub eq (equivalent continuous sound level) which performed as well or better than other noise measured. Differences were found between the projected home responses for the day, evening, and nighttime periods. Time of day penalties derived from these results showed reasonable agreement with those currently used in community noise indices.

Effects of conversation interference on annoyance due to aircraft noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Key, K. F.; Powell, C. A.

1980-01-01

The annoyance and interference effects of aircraft flyover noise on face to face conversation were investigated. Twenty 5 minute sessions, each composed of three flyovers, were presented to each of 20 pairs of female subjects in a simulated living room. Flyovers varied in peak noise level (55-79 dB, A-weighted) and spectrum (low or high frequency components). Subjects engaged in conversation for 10 sessions and in reverie for the other 10 sessions, and completed subjective ratings following every session. Annoyance was affected by noise level, but was not significantly different for the two activities of reverie and conversation. A noise level of 77 db was found unacceptable for conversation by 50 percent of the subjects. Conversation interference was assessed by incidence of increased vocal effort and/or interruption of conversation during flyovers. Although conversation interference increased with noise level, the conversation interference measures did not improve prediction of individual annoyance judgments.

Laboratory Study of the Noticeability and Annoyance of Sounds of Low Signal-to-Noise Ratio

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sneddon, Matthew; Howe, Richard; Pearsons, Karl; Fidell, Sanford

1996-01-01

This report describes a study of the noticeability and annoyance of intruding noises to test participants who were engaged in a distracting foreground task. Ten test participants read material of their own choosing while seated individually in front of a loudspeaker in an anechoic chamber. One of three specially constructed masking noise environments with limited dynamic range was heard at all times. A laboratory computer produced sounds of aircraft and ground vehicles as heard at varying distances at unpredictable intervals and carefully controlled levels. Test participants were instructed to click a computer mouse at any time that a noise distinct from the background noise environment came to their attention, and then to indicate their degree of annoyance with the noise that they had noticed. The results confirmed that both the noticeability of noise intrusions and their annoyance were closely related to their audibility.

A laboratory study of the perceived benefit of additional noise attenuation by houses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Flindell, I. H.

1983-01-01

Two Experiments were conducted to investigate the perceived benefit of additional house attenuation against aircraft flyover noise. First, subjects made annoyance judgments in a simulated living room while an operative window with real and dummy storm windows was manipulated in full view of those subjects. Second, subjects made annoyance judgments in an anechoic audiometric test chamber of frequency shaped noise signals having spectra closely matched to those of the aircraft flyover noises reproduced in the first experiment. These stimuli represented the aircraft flyover noises in levels and spectra but without the situational and visual cues present in the simulated living room. Perceptual constancy theory implies that annoyance tends to remain constant despite reductions in noise level caused by additional attenuation of which the subjects are fully aware. This theory was supported when account was taken for a reported annoyance overestimation for certain spectra and for a simulated condition cue overreaction.

Comparison of the Performance of Noise Metrics as Predictions of the Annoyance of Stage 2 and Stage 3 Aircraft Overflights

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pearsons, Karl S.; Howe, Richard R.; Sneddon, Matthew D.; Fidell, Sanford

1996-01-01

Thirty audiometrically screened test participants judged the relative annoyance of two comparison (variable level) and thirty-four standard (fixed level) signals in an adaptive paired comparison psychoacoustic study. The signal ensemble included both FAR Part 36 Stage 2 and 3 aircraft overflights, as well as synthesized aircraft noise signatures and other non-aircraft signals. All test signals were presented for judgment as heard indoors, in the presence of continuous background noise, under free-field listening conditions in an anechoic chamber. Analyses of the performance of 30 noise metrics as predictors of these annoyance judgments confirmed that the more complex metrics were generally more accurate and precise predictors than the simpler methods. EPNL was somewhat less accurate and precise as a predictor of the annoyance judgments than a duration-adjusted variant of Zwicker's Loudness Level.

Quantification of the effects of audible rattle and source type on the human response to environmental vibration.

PubMed

Woodcock, J; Sica, G; Peris, E; Sharp, C; Moorhouse, A T; Waddington, D C

2016-03-01

The present research quantifies the influence of source type and the presence of audible vibration-induced rattle on annoyance caused by vibration in residential environments. The sources of vibration considered are railway and the construction of a light rail system. Data were measured in the United Kingdom using a socio-vibration survey (N = 1281). These data are analyzed using ordinal logit models to produce exposure-response relationships describing community annoyance as a function of vibration exposure. The influence of source type and the presence of audible vibration-induced rattle on annoyance are investigated using dummy variable analysis, and quantified using odds-ratios and community tolerance levels. It is concluded that the sample population is more likely to express higher levels of annoyance if the vibration source is construction compared to railway, and if vibration-induced rattle is audible.

Annoyance, detection and recognition of wind turbine noise.

PubMed

Van Renterghem, Timothy; Bockstael, Annelies; De Weirt, Valentine; Botteldooren, Dick

2013-07-01

Annoyance, recognition and detection of noise from a single wind turbine were studied by means of a two-stage listening experiment with 50 participants with normal hearing abilities. In-situ recordings made at close distance from a 1.8-MW wind turbine operating at 22 rpm were mixed with road traffic noise, and processed to simulate indoor sound pressure levels at LAeq 40 dBA. In a first part, where people were unaware of the true purpose of the experiment, samples were played during a quiet leisure activity. Under these conditions, pure wind turbine noise gave very similar annoyance ratings as unmixed highway noise at the same equivalent level, while annoyance by local road traffic noise was significantly higher. In a second experiment, listeners were asked to identify the sample containing wind turbine noise in a paired comparison test. The detection limit of wind turbine noise in presence of highway noise was estimated to be as low as a signal-to-noise ratio of -23 dBA. When mixed with local road traffic, such a detection limit could not be determined. These findings support that noticing the sound could be an important aspect of wind turbine noise annoyance at the low equivalent levels typically observed indoors in practice. Participants that easily recognized wind-turbine(-like) sounds could detect wind turbine noise better when submersed in road traffic noise. Recognition of wind turbine sounds is also linked to higher annoyance. Awareness of the source is therefore a relevant aspect of wind turbine noise perception which is consistent with previous research. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Annoyance from Road Traffic, Trains, Airplanes and from Total Environmental Noise Levels.

PubMed

Ragettli, Martina S; Goudreau, Sophie; Plante, Céline; Perron, Stéphane; Fournier, Michel; Smargiassi, Audrey

2015-12-29

There is a lack of studies assessing the exposure-response relationship between transportation noise and annoyance in North America. Our aims were to investigate the prevalence of noise annoyance induced by road traffic, trains and airplanes in relation to distance to transportation noise sources, and to total environmental noise levels in Montreal, Canada; annoyance was assessed as noise-induced disturbance. A telephone-based survey among 4336 persons aged >18 years was conducted. Exposure to total environmental noise (A-weighted outdoor noise levels-LAeq24h and day-evening-night equivalent noise levels-Lden) for each study participant was determined using a statistical noise model (land use regression-LUR) that is based on actual outdoor noise measurements. The proportion of the population annoyed by road traffic, airplane and train noise was 20.1%, 13.0% and 6.1%, respectively. As the distance to major roads, railways and the Montreal International Airport increased, the percentage of people disturbed and highly disturbed due to the corresponding traffic noise significantly decreased. When applying the statistical noise model we found a relationship between noise levels and disturbance from road traffic and total environmental noise, with Prevalence Proportion Ratios (PPR) for highly disturbed people of 1.10 (95% CI: 1.07-1.13) and 1.04 (1.02-1.06) per 1 dB(A) Lden, respectively. Our study provides the first comprehensive information on the relationship between transportation noise levels and disturbance in a Canadian city. LUR models are still in development and further studies on transportation noise induced annoyance are consequently needed, especially for sources other than road traffic.

Spatial distribution of traffic induced noise exposures in a US city: an analytic tool for assessing the health impacts of urban planning decisions

PubMed Central

Seto, Edmund Yet Wah; Holt, Ashley; Rivard, Tom; Bhatia, Rajiv

2007-01-01

Background: Vehicle traffic is the major source of noise in urban environments, which in turn has multiple impacts on health. In this paper we investigate the spatial distribution of community noise exposures and annoyance. Traffic data from the City of San Francisco were used to model noise exposure by neighborhood and road type. Remote sensing data were used in the model to estimate neighborhood-specific percentages of cars, trucks, and buses on arterial versus non-arterial streets. The model was validated on 235 streets. Finally, an exposure-response relationship was used to predict the prevalence of high annoyance for different neighborhoods. Results: Urban noise was found to increase 6.7 dB (p < 0.001) with 10-fold increased street traffic, with important contributors to noise being bus and heavy truck traffic. Living along arterial streets also increased risk of annoyance by 40%. The relative risk of annoyance in one of the City's fastest growing neighborhoods, the South of Market Area, was found to be 2.1 times that of lowest noise neighborhood. However, higher densities of exposed individuals were found in Chinatown and Downtown/Civic Center. Overall, we estimated that 17% of the city's population was at risk of high annoyance from traffic noise. Conclusion: The risk of annoyance from urban noise is large, and varies considerably between neighborhoods. Such risk should be considered in urban areas undergoing rapid growth. We present a relatively simple GIS-based noise model that may be used for routinely evaluating the health impacts of environmental noise. PMID:17584947

Research perspective: Time-of-day effects on noise annoyance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fields, J. M.

1980-01-01

Some of the complications encountered in researching time-of-day effects on noise annoyance are reported. A conceptual framework for further research is provided. Some of the implications for the research methods that should be used are suggested.

Stability of sonic boom metrics regarding signature distortions from atmospheric turbulence

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-06-19

The degree of insensitivity to atmospheric turbulence was evaluated for five metrics (A-, B-, E-weighted sound exposure level, Stevens Mark VII Perceived Level, and NASA's Indoor Sonic Boom Annoyance Predictor) that correlate to human annoyance from ...

Automated Collection of Real-Time Alerts of Citizens as a Useful Tool to Continuously Monitor Malodorous Emissions.

PubMed

Brattoli, Magda; Mazzone, Antonio; Giua, Roberto; Assennato, Giorgio; de Gennaro, Gianluigi

2016-02-26

The evaluation of odor emissions and dispersion is a very arduous topic to face; the real-time monitoring of odor emissions, the identification of chemical components and, with proper certainty, the source of annoyance represent a challenge for stakeholders such as local authorities. The complaints of people, often not systematic and variously distributed, in general do not allow us to quantify the perceived annoyance. Experimental research has been performed to detect and evaluate olfactory annoyance, based on field testing of an innovative monitoring methodology grounded in automatic recording of citizen alerts. It has been applied in Taranto, in the south of Italy where a relevant industrial area is located, by using Odortel(®) for automated collection of citizen alerts. To evaluate its reliability, the collection system has been integrated with automated samplers, able to sample odorous air in real time, according to the citizen alerts of annoyance and, moreover, with meteorological data (especially the wind direction) and trends in odor marker compounds, recorded by air quality monitoring stations. The results have allowed us, for the first time, to manage annoyance complaints, test their reliability, and obtain information about the distribution and entity of the odor phenomena, such that we were able to identify, with supporting evidence, the source as an oil refinery plant.

Wind turbines and human health.

PubMed

Knopper, Loren D; Ollson, Christopher A; McCallum, Lindsay C; Whitfield Aslund, Melissa L; Berger, Robert G; Souweine, Kathleen; McDaniel, Mary

2014-01-01

The association between wind turbines and health effects is highly debated. Some argue that reported health effects are related to wind turbine operation [electromagnetic fields (EMF), shadow flicker, audible noise, low-frequency noise, infrasound]. Others suggest that when turbines are sited correctly, effects are more likely attributable to a number of subjective variables that result in an annoyed/stressed state. In this review, we provide a bibliographic-like summary and analysis of the science around this issue specifically in terms of noise (including audible, low-frequency noise, and infrasound), EMF, and shadow flicker. Now there are roughly 60 scientific peer-reviewed articles on this issue. The available scientific evidence suggests that EMF, shadow flicker, low-frequency noise, and infrasound from wind turbines are not likely to affect human health; some studies have found that audible noise from wind turbines can be annoying to some. Annoyance may be associated with some self-reported health effects (e.g., sleep disturbance) especially at sound pressure levels >40 dB(A). Because environmental noise above certain levels is a recognized factor in a number of health issues, siting restrictions have been implemented in many jurisdictions to limit noise exposure. These setbacks should help alleviate annoyance from noise. Subjective variables (attitudes and expectations) are also linked to annoyance and have the potential to facilitate other health complaints via the nocebo effect. Therefore, it is possible that a segment of the population may remain annoyed (or report other health impacts) even when noise limits are enforced. Based on the findings and scientific merit of the available studies, the weight of evidence suggests that when sited properly, wind turbines are not related to adverse health. Stemming from this review, we provide a number of recommended best practices for wind turbine development in the context of human health.

Wind Turbines and Human Health

PubMed Central

Knopper, Loren D.; Ollson, Christopher A.; McCallum, Lindsay C.; Whitfield Aslund, Melissa L.; Berger, Robert G.; Souweine, Kathleen; McDaniel, Mary

2014-01-01

The association between wind turbines and health effects is highly debated. Some argue that reported health effects are related to wind turbine operation [electromagnetic fields (EMF), shadow flicker, audible noise, low-frequency noise, infrasound]. Others suggest that when turbines are sited correctly, effects are more likely attributable to a number of subjective variables that result in an annoyed/stressed state. In this review, we provide a bibliographic-like summary and analysis of the science around this issue specifically in terms of noise (including audible, low-frequency noise, and infrasound), EMF, and shadow flicker. Now there are roughly 60 scientific peer-reviewed articles on this issue. The available scientific evidence suggests that EMF, shadow flicker, low-frequency noise, and infrasound from wind turbines are not likely to affect human health; some studies have found that audible noise from wind turbines can be annoying to some. Annoyance may be associated with some self-reported health effects (e.g., sleep disturbance) especially at sound pressure levels >40 dB(A). Because environmental noise above certain levels is a recognized factor in a number of health issues, siting restrictions have been implemented in many jurisdictions to limit noise exposure. These setbacks should help alleviate annoyance from noise. Subjective variables (attitudes and expectations) are also linked to annoyance and have the potential to facilitate other health complaints via the nocebo effect. Therefore, it is possible that a segment of the population may remain annoyed (or report other health impacts) even when noise limits are enforced. Based on the findings and scientific merit of the available studies, the weight of evidence suggests that when sited properly, wind turbines are not related to adverse health. Stemming from this review, we provide a number of recommended best practices for wind turbine development in the context of human health. PMID:24995266

Impact of wind turbine sound on general health, sleep disturbance and annoyance of workers: a pilot- study in Manjil wind farm, Iran.

PubMed

Abbasi, Milad; Monazzam, Mohammad Reza; Akbarzadeh, Arash; Zakerian, Seyyed Abolfazl; Ebrahimi, Mohammad Hossein

2015-01-01

The wind turbine's sound seems to have a proportional effect on health of people living near to wind farms. This study aimed to investigate the effect of noise emitted from wind turbines on general health, sleep and annoyance among workers of manjil wind farm, Iran. A total number of 53 workers took part in this study. Based on the type of job, they were categorized into three groups of maintenance, security and office staff. The persons' exposure at each job-related group was measured by eight-hour equivalent sound level (LAeq, 8 h). A Noise annoyance scale, Epworth sleepiness scale and 28-item general health questionnaire was used for gathering data from workers. The data were analyzed through Multivariate Analysis of variance (MANOVA) test, Pillai's Trace test, Paired comparisons analysis and Multivariate regression test were used in the R software. The results showed that, response variables (annoyance, sleep disturbance and health) were significantly different between job groups. The results also indicated that sleep disturbance as well as noise exposure had a significant effect on general health. Noise annoyance and distance from wind turbines could significantly explain about 44.5 and 34.2 % of the variance in sleep disturbance and worker's general health, respectively. General health was significantly different in different age groups while age had no significant impact on sleep disturbance. The results were reverse for distance because it had no significant impact on health, but sleep disturbance was significantly affected. We came to this conclusion that wind turbines noise can directly impact on annoyance, sleep and health. This type of energy generation can have potential health risks for wind farm workers. However, further research is needed to confirm the results of this study.

Annoyance from Road Traffic, Trains, Airplanes and from Total Environmental Noise Levels

PubMed Central

Ragettli, Martina S.; Goudreau, Sophie; Plante, Céline; Perron, Stéphane; Fournier, Michel; Smargiassi, Audrey

2015-01-01

There is a lack of studies assessing the exposure-response relationship between transportation noise and annoyance in North America. Our aims were to investigate the prevalence of noise annoyance induced by road traffic, trains and airplanes in relation to distance to transportation noise sources, and to total environmental noise levels in Montreal, Canada; annoyance was assessed as noise-induced disturbance. A telephone-based survey among 4336 persons aged >18 years was conducted. Exposure to total environmental noise (A-weighted outdoor noise levels—LAeq24h and day-evening-night equivalent noise levels—Lden) for each study participant was determined using a statistical noise model (land use regression—LUR) that is based on actual outdoor noise measurements. The proportion of the population annoyed by road traffic, airplane and train noise was 20.1%, 13.0% and 6.1%, respectively. As the distance to major roads, railways and the Montreal International Airport increased, the percentage of people disturbed and highly disturbed due to the corresponding traffic noise significantly decreased. When applying the statistical noise model we found a relationship between noise levels and disturbance from road traffic and total environmental noise, with Prevalence Proportion Ratios (PPR) for highly disturbed people of 1.10 (95% CI: 1.07–1.13) and 1.04 (1.02–1.06) per 1 dB(A) Lden, respectively. Our study provides the first comprehensive information on the relationship between transportation noise levels and disturbance in a Canadian city. LUR models are still in development and further studies on transportation noise induced annoyance are consequently needed, especially for sources other than road traffic. PMID:26729143

Railway noise annoyance and the importance of number of trains, ground vibration, and building situational factors.

PubMed

Gidlöf-Gunnarsson, Anita; Ögren, Mikael; Jerson, Tomas; Öhrström, Evy

2012-01-01

Internationally accepted exposure-response relationships show that railway noise causes less annoyance than road traffic and aircraft noise. Railway transport, both passenger and freight transport, is increasing, and new railway lines are planned for environmental reasons. The combination of more frequent railway traffic and faster and heavier trains will, most probably, lead to more disturbances from railway traffic in the near future. To effectively plan for mitigations against noise and vibration from railway traffic, new studies are needed to obtain a better basis of knowledge. The main objectives of the present study was to investigate how the relationship between noise levels from railway traffic and general annoyance is influenced by (i) number of trains, (ii) the presence of ground borne vibrations, and (iii) building situational factors, such as orientation of balcony/patio and bedroom window. Socio-acoustic field studies were executed in residential areas; (1) with relatively intense railway traffic; (2) with strong vibrations, and; (3) with the most intense railway traffic in the country. Data was obtained for 1695 respondents exposed to sound levels ranging from L(Aeq,24h) 45 to 65 dB. Both number of trains and presence of ground-borne vibrations, and not just the noise level per se, are of relevance for how annoying railway noise is perceived. The results imply that, for the proportion annoyed to be equal, a 5 - 7 dB lower noise level is needed in areas where the railway traffic causes strong ground-borne vibrations and in areas with a very large number of trains. General noise annoyance was twice as high among residents in dwellings with balcony / patio oriented towards the railway and about 1.5 times higher among residents with bedroom windows facing the railway.

Aspects of annoyance due to noise of road traffic. Survey results at 10 sites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1981-01-01

Results of surveys per highway site are given. A discussion is given of factors studied such as contribution of various noise sources, variation of noise levels at different sites, times and activities disturbed, and noise level and annoyance.

Industrial wind turbines and adverse health effects.

PubMed

Jeffery, Roy D; Krogh, Carmen M E; Horner, Brett

2014-01-01

Some people living in the environs of industrial wind turbines (IWTs) report experiencing adverse health and socioeconomic effects. This review considers the hypothesis that annoyance from audible IWTs is the cause of these adverse health effects. We searched PubMed and Google Scholar for articles published since 2000 that included the terms "wind turbine health," "wind turbine infrasound," "wind turbine annoyance," "noise annoyance" or "low frequency noise" in the title or abstract. Industrial wind turbines produce sound that is perceived to be more annoying than other sources of sound. Reported effects from exposure to IWTs are consistent with well-known stress effects from persistent unwanted sound. If placed too close to residents, IWTs can negatively affect the physical, mental and social well-being of people. There is sufficient evidence to support the conclusion that noise from audible IWTs is a potential cause of health effects. Inaudible low-frequency noise and infrasound from IWTs cannot be ruled out as plausible causes of health effects.

Combined Effects of High-Speed Railway Noise and Ground Vibrations on Annoyance.

PubMed

Yokoshima, Shigenori; Morihara, Takashi; Sato, Tetsumi; Yano, Takashi

2017-07-27

The Shinkansen super-express railway system in Japan has greatly increased its capacity and has expanded nationwide. However, many inhabitants in areas along the railways have been disturbed by noise and ground vibration from the trains. Additionally, the Shinkansen railway emits a higher level of ground vibration than conventional railways at the same noise level. These findings imply that building vibrations affect living environments as significantly as the associated noise. Therefore, it is imperative to quantify the effects of noise and vibration exposures on each annoyance under simultaneous exposure. We performed a secondary analysis using individual datasets of exposure and community response associated with Shinkansen railway noise and vibration. The data consisted of six socio-acoustic surveys, which were conducted separately over the last 20 years in Japan. Applying a logistic regression analysis to the datasets, we confirmed the combined effects of vibration/noise exposure on noise/vibration annoyance. Moreover, we proposed a representative relationship between noise and vibration exposures, and the prevalence of each annoyance associated with the Shinkansen railway.

Reactions to railway noise in Denmark

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andersen, T. V.; Kühl, K.; Relster, E.

1983-03-01

People's reactions to railway noise were studied along seven Danish railway lines with traffic intensities from 30 to about 300 trains per 24 hours. The calculated sound levels varied between 43 and 71 dB(A) for LAeq,24h and between 78 and 102 sB(A) for LAmax . 615 persons were interviewed. One third of these felt strongly or somewhat annoyed by the railway noise. The relations between the noise level and the extent of annoyance or various kinds of behaviour (telephone conversation, TV-listening, opening of windows, sleep, etc.) were found. The relations were found for both LAeq,24h and LAmax , but the correlation for LAmax is generally bad. Noise in the evenings was found to be more annoying than noise in other daytime periods. More than half of the interviewees answered that goods trains especially were a problem. People exposed to noise at their place of work seem to feel more annoyed by railway noise than other people.

Disturbance caused by aircraft noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Josse, R.

1980-01-01

Noise pollution caused by the presence of airfields adjacent to residential areas is studied. Noise effects on the sleep of residents near airports and the degree of the residents noise tolerance are evaluated. What aircraft noises are annoying and to what extent the annoyance varies with sound level are discussed.

Prevalence and associated factors of tinnitus: data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2009-2011.

PubMed

Park, Kyoung Ho; Lee, Seung Hwan; Koo, Ja-Won; Park, Hun Yi; Lee, Kyu Yup; Choi, Young Seok; Oh, Kyung Won; Lee, Ari; Yang, Ji-Eun; Woo, Sook-Young; Kim, Seon Woo; Cho, Yang-Sun

2014-01-01

Tinnitus is a common condition and frequently can be annoying to affected individuals. We investigated the prevalence and associated factors for tinnitus in South Korea using the data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (KNHANES) during 2009-2011. KNHANES is a cross-sectional survey of the civilian, non-institutionalized population of South Korea (n = 21 893). A field survey team that included an otolaryngologist moved with a mobile examination unit and performed interviews and physical examinations. Among the population over 12 years of age, the prevalence of any tinnitus was 19.7% (95% CI 18.8%-20.6%). Tinnitus was more prevalent in women, and the prevalence rate increased with age (P < 0.001). Among those with any tinnitus, 29.3% (95% CI 27.3%-31.3%) experienced annoying tinnitus that affected daily life. Annoying tinnitus also increased with age (P < 0.001), but no sex difference was demonstrated (P = 0.25). In participants aged 40 years or older, age, quality of life, depressive mood, hearing loss, feeling of dizziness, and rhinitis were associated with any tinnitus (P < 0.05). Age, hearing loss, history of cardiovascular disease, and stress were associated with annoying tinnitus (P < 0.05). Tinnitus is a common condition, and a large population suffers from annoying tinnitus in South Korea. Public understanding of associated factors might contribute to better management of tinnitus.

Evaluating standard airborne sound insulation measures in terms of annoyance, loudness, and audibility ratings.

PubMed

Park, H K; Bradley, J S

2009-07-01

This paper reports the results of an evaluation of the merits of standard airborne sound insulation measures with respect to subjective ratings of the annoyance and loudness of transmitted sounds. Subjects listened to speech and music sounds modified to represent transmission through 20 different walls with sound transmission class (STC) ratings from 34 to 58. A number of variations in the standard measures were also considered. These included variations in the 8-dB rule for the maximum allowed deficiency in the STC measure as well as variations in the standard 32-dB total allowed deficiency. Several spectrum adaptation terms were considered in combination with weighted sound reduction index (R(w)) values as well as modifications to the range of included frequencies in the standard rating contour. A STC measure without an 8-dB rule and an R(w) rating with a new spectrum adaptation term were better predictors of annoyance and loudness ratings of speech sounds. R(w) ratings with one of two modified C(tr) spectrum adaptation terms were better predictors of annoyance and loudness ratings of transmitted music sounds. Although some measures were much better predictors of responses to one type of sound than were the standard STC and R(w) values, no measure was remarkably improved for predicting annoyance and loudness ratings of both music and speech sounds.

Community response to blasting.

PubMed

Fidell, S; Horonjeff, R; Schultz, T; Teffeteller, S

1983-09-01

Annoyance due to chronic exposure to blast noise and vibration was assessed in residential areas near two surface mines and a quarry. It was found possible to base useful prediction of the prevalence of high annoyance on a metric of outdoor ground vibration related to high centiles of the long term distribution of exposure levels.

Windmill Noise Annoyance, Visual Aesthetics, and Attitudes towards Renewable Energy Sources.

PubMed

Klæboe, Ronny; Sundfør, Hanne Beate

2016-07-23

A small focused socio-acoustic after-study of annoyance from a windmill park was undertaken after local health officials demanded a health impact study to look into neighborhood complaints. The windmill park consists of 31 turbines and is located in the South of Norway where it affects 179 dwellings. Simple exposure-effect relationships indicate stronger reactions to windmills and wind turbine noise than shown internationally, with the caveat that the sample size is small (n = 90) and responses are colored by the existing local conflict. Pulsating swishing sounds and turbine engine hum are the main causes of noise annoyance. About 60 per cent of those who participated in the survey were of the opinion that windmills degrade the landscape aesthetically, and were far from convinced that land-based windmills are desirable as a renewable energy source (hydropower is an important alternative source of renewables in Norway). Attitudes play an important role in addition to visual aesthetics in determining the acceptance of windmills and the resulting noise annoyance. To compare results from different wind turbine noise studies it seems necessary to assess the impact of important modifying factors.

Combined Effects of High-Speed Railway Noise and Ground Vibrations on Annoyance

PubMed Central

Yokoshima, Shigenori; Morihara, Takashi; Sato, Tetsumi; Yano, Takashi

2017-01-01

The Shinkansen super-express railway system in Japan has greatly increased its capacity and has expanded nationwide. However, many inhabitants in areas along the railways have been disturbed by noise and ground vibration from the trains. Additionally, the Shinkansen railway emits a higher level of ground vibration than conventional railways at the same noise level. These findings imply that building vibrations affect living environments as significantly as the associated noise. Therefore, it is imperative to quantify the effects of noise and vibration exposures on each annoyance under simultaneous exposure. We performed a secondary analysis using individual datasets of exposure and community response associated with Shinkansen railway noise and vibration. The data consisted of six socio-acoustic surveys, which were conducted separately over the last 20 years in Japan. Applying a logistic regression analysis to the datasets, we confirmed the combined effects of vibration/noise exposure on noise/vibration annoyance. Moreover, we proposed a representative relationship between noise and vibration exposures, and the prevalence of each annoyance associated with the Shinkansen railway. PMID:28749452

A subjective evaluation of synthesized STOL airplane noises

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Powell, C. A., Jr.

1973-01-01

A magnitude-estimation experiment was conducted to evaluate the subjective annoyance of the noise generated by possible future turbofan STOL aircraft as compared to that of several current CTOL aircraft. In addition, some of the units used to scale the magnitude of aircraft noise were evaluated with respect to their applicability to STOL noise. Twenty test subjects rated their annoyance to a total of 119 noises over a range of 75 PNdb to 105 PNdb. Their subjective ratings were compared with acoustical analysis of the noises in terms of 28 rating scale units. The synthesized STOL noises of this experiment were found to be slightly more annoying than the conventional CTOL noises at equal levels of PNL and EPNL. Over the range of levels investigated the scaling units, with a few exceptions, were capable of predicting the points of equal annoyance for all of the noises with plus or minus 3 dB. The inclusion of duration corrections, in general, improved the predictive capabilities of the various scaling units; however, tone corrections reduced their predictive capabilities.

A pilot study of human response to general aviation aircraft noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stearns, J.; Brown, R.; Neiswander, P.

1983-01-01

A pilot study, conducted to evaluate procedures for measuring the noise impact and community response to general aviation aircraft around Torrance Municipal Airport, a typical large GA airport, employed Torrance Airport's computer-based aircraft noise monitoring system, which includes nine permanent monitor stations surrounding the airport. Some 18 residences near these monitor stations were equipped with digital noise level recorders to measure indoor noise levels. Residents were instructed to fill out annoyance diaries for periods of 5-6 days, logging the time of each annoying aircraft overflight noise event and judging its degree of annoyance on a seven-point scale. Among the noise metrics studied, the differential between outdoor maximum A-weighted noise level of the aircraft and the outdoor background level showed the best correlation with annoyance; this correlation was clearly seen at only high noise levels, And was only slightly better than that using outdoor aircraft noise level alone. The results indicate that, on a national basis, a telephone survey coupled with outdoor noise measurements would provide an efficient and practical means of assessing the noise impact of general aviation aircraft.

Simulator Study of Indoor Annoyance Caused by Shaped Sonic Boom Stimuli With and Without Rattle Augmentation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rathsam, Jonathan; Loubeau, Alexandra; Klos, Jacob

2013-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's High Speed Project is developing a predictive capability for annoyance caused by shaped sonic booms transmitted indoors. The predictive capability is intended for use by aircraft designers as well as by aircraft noise regulators who are considering lifting the current prohibition on overland civil supersonic flight. The goal of the current study is to use an indoor simulator to validate two models developed using headphone tests for annoyance caused by sonic booms with and without rattle augmentation. The predictors in the proposed models include Moore and Glasberg's Stationary Loudness Level, the time derivative of Moore and Glasberg's time-varying short-term Loudness Level, and the difference between two weighted sound exposure levels, CSEL-ASEL. The indoor simulator provides a more realistic listening environment than headphones due to lowfrequency sound reproduction down to 6 Hz, which also causes perceptible tactile vibration. The results of this study show that a model consisting of {PL + (CSEL-ASEL)} is a reliable predictor of annoyance caused by shaped sonic booms alone, rattle sounds alone, and shaped sonic booms and rattle sounds together.

Women experience greater heat pain adaptation and habituation than men.

PubMed

Hashmi, Javeria A; Davis, Karen D

2009-10-01

It is not clear how males and females cope with pain over time and how sensory and emotional qualities fluctuate from moment to moment, although studies of pain at discrete time points suggest that women are more pain sensitive than men. Therefore, we developed a new broader-based pain model that incorporates a temporally continuous assessment of multiple pain dimensions across sensory and affective dimensions, and normalized peak pain intensity to unmask sex differences that may otherwise be confounded by inter-individual variability in pain sensitivity. We obtained continuous ratings of pain, burning, sharp, stinging, cutting, and annoyance evoked by repeated prolonged noxious heat stimuli in 32 subjects. Strikingly, females reported more pain than males at the outset of the first exposure to pain, but then experienced less pain and annoyance than males as a painful stimulus was sustained and with repeated stimulation. Patterns of pain and annoyance attenuation in women resembled the attenuation of sharp, stinging and cutting sensations, whereas patterns of pain and annoyance in men resembled burning sensations. Taken together, these data demonstrate a prominent sex difference in the time course of pain. Notably only females demonstrate adaptation and habituation that allow them to experience less pain over time. These findings suggest a sexual dichotomy in mechanisms underlying pain intensity and annoyance that could involve specific quality-linked mechanisms. Importantly, temporal processing of pain differs between males and females when adjusted for sex differences in pain sensitivity. Our findings provide insight into sex differences in tonic and possibly chronic pains.

Opportunities for Environmental Noise Mapping in Saudi Arabia: A Case of Traffic Noise Annoyance in an Urban Area in Jeddah City.

PubMed

Zytoon, Mohamed A

2016-05-13

As the traffic and other environmental noise generating activities are growing in The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), adverse health and other impacts are expected to develop. The management of such problem involves many actions, of which noise mapping has been proven to be a helpful approach. The objective of the current study was to test the adequacy of the available data in KSA municipalities for generating urban noise maps and to verify the applicability of available environmental noise mapping and noise annoyance models for KSA. Therefore, noise maps were produced for Al-Fayha District in Jeddah City, KSA using commercially available noise mapping software and applying the French national computation method "NMPB" for traffic noise. Most of the data required for traffic noise prediction and annoyance analysis were available, either in the Municipality GIS department or in other governmental authorities. The predicted noise levels during the three time periods, i.e., daytime, evening, and nighttime, were found higher than the maximum recommended levels established in KSA environmental noise standards. Annoyance analysis revealed that high percentages of the District inhabitants were highly annoyed, depending on the type of planning zone and period of interest. These results reflect the urgent need to consider environmental noise reduction in KSA national plans. The accuracy of the predicted noise levels and the availability of most of the necessary data should encourage further studies on the use of noise mapping as part of noise reduction plans.

An Epidemiological Prospective Study of Children’s Health and Annoyance Reactions to Aircraft Noise Exposure in South Africa

PubMed Central

Seabi, Joseph

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate health and annoyance reactions to change in chronic exposure to aircraft noise on a sample of South African children. It was the intention of this study to examine if effects of noise on health and annoyance can be demonstrated. If so, whether such effects persist over time, or whether such effects are reversible after the cessation of exposure to noise. A cohort of 732 children with a mean age of 11.1 (range = 8–14) participated at baseline measurements in Wave 1 (2009), and 649 (mean age = 12.3; range = 9–15) and 174 (mean age = 13.3; range = 10–16) children were reassessed in Wave 2 (2010) and Wave 3 (2011) after the relocation of the airport, respectively. The findings revealed that the children who were exposed to chronic aircraft noise continued to experience significantly higher annoyance than their counterparts in all the waves at school, and only in Wave 1 and Wave 2 at home. Aircraft noise exposure did not have adverse effects on the children’s self-reported health outcomes. Taken together, these findings suggest that chronic exposure to aircraft noise may have a lasting impact on children’s annoyance, but not on their subjective health rating. This is one of the first longitudinal studies of this nature in the African continent to make use of an opportunity resulting from the relocation of airport. PMID:23823713

Soft-computing base analyses of the relationship between annoyance and coping with noise and odor.

PubMed

Botteldooren, Dick; Lercher, Peter

2004-06-01

The majority of research on annoyance as an important impact of noise, odor, and other stressors on man, has regarded the person as a passive receptor. It was however recognized that this person is an active participant trying to alter a troubled person-environment relationship or to sustain a desirable one. Coping has to be incorporated. This is of particular importance in changing exposure situations. For large populations a lot of insight can be gained by looking at average effects only. To investigate changes in annoyance and effects of coping, the individual or small group has to be studied. Then it becomes imperative to recognize the inherent vagueness in perception and human behavior. Fortunately, tools have been developed over the past decades that allow doing this in a mathematically precise way. These tools are sometimes referred to by the common label: soft-computing, hence the title of this paper. This work revealed different styles of coping both by blind clustering and by (fuzzy) logical aggregation of different actions reported in a survey. The relationship between annoyance and the intensity of coping it generates was quantified after it was recognized that the possibility for coping is created by the presence of the stressor rather than the actual fact of coping. It was further proven that refinement of this relationship is possible if a person can be identified as a coper. This personal factor can be extracted from a known reaction to one stressor and be used for predicting coping intensity and style in another situation. The effect of coping on a perceived change in annoyance is quantified by a set of fuzzy linguistic rules. This closes the loop that is responsible for at least some of the dynamics of the response to a stressor. This work thus provides all essential building blocks for designing models for annoyance in changing environments.

Annoyance rate evaluation method on ride comfort of vehicle suspension system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Chuanyin; Zhang, Yimin; Zhao, Guangyao; Ma, Yan

2014-03-01

The existing researches of the evaluation method of ride comfort of vehicle mainly focus on the level of human feelings to vibration. The level of human feelings to vibration is influenced by many factors, however, the ride comfort according to the common principle of probability and statistics and simple binary logic is unable to reflect these uncertainties. The random fuzzy evaluation model from people subjective response to vibration is adopted in the paper, these uncertainties are analyzed from the angle of psychological physics. Discussing the traditional evaluation of ride comfort during vehicle vibration, a fuzzily random evaluation model on the basis of annoyance rate is proposed for the human body's subjective response to vibration, with relevant fuzzy membership function and probability distribution given. A half-car four degrees of freedom suspension vibration model is described, subject to irregular excitations from the road surface, with the aid of software Matlab/Simulink. A new kind of evaluation method for ride comfort of vehicles is proposed in the paper, i.e., the annoyance rate evaluation method. The genetic algorithm and neural network control theory are used to control the system. Simulation results are obtained, such as the comparison of comfort reaction to vibration environments between before and after control, relationship of annoyance rate to vibration frequency and weighted acceleration, based on ISO 2631/1(1982), ISO 2631-1(1997) and annoyance rate evaluation method, respectively. Simulated assessment results indicate that the proposed active suspension systems prove to be effective in the vibration isolation of the suspension system, and the subjective response of human being can be promoted from very uncomfortable to a little uncomfortable. Furthermore, the novel evaluation method based on annoyance rate can further estimate quantitatively the number of passengers who feel discomfort due to vibration. A new analysis method of vehicle comfort is presented.

Residential road traffic noise and general mental health in youth: The role of noise annoyance, neighborhood restorative quality, physical activity, and social cohesion as potential mediators.

PubMed

Dzhambov, Angel; Tilov, Boris; Markevych, Iana; Dimitrova, Donka

2017-12-01

Given the ubiquitous nature of both noise pollution and mental disorders, their alleged association has not escaped the spotlight of public health research. The effect of traffic noise on mental health is probably mediated by other factors, which have not been elucidated sufficiently. Herein, we aimed to disentangle the pathways linking road traffic noise to general mental health in Bulgarian youth, with a focus on several candidate mediators - noise annoyance, perceived restorative quality of the living environment, physical activity, and neighborhood social cohesion. A cross-sectional sample was collected in October - December 2016 in the city of Plovdiv, Bulgaria. It consisted of 399 students aged 15-25years, recruited from two high schools and three universities. Road traffic noise exposure (L den ) was derived from the strategic noise map of Plovdiv. Mental health was measured with the 12-item form of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). Noise annoyance, perceived restorative quality of the living environment, commuting and leisure time physical activity, and neighborhood social cohesion were assessed using validated questionnaires. Analyses were based on linear regression mediation models and a structural equation modeling (SEM) to account for the hypothesized interdependencies between candidate mediators. Results showed that higher noise exposure was associated with worse mental health only indirectly. More specifically, tests of the single and parallel mediation models indicated independent indirect paths through noise annoyance, social cohesion, and physical activity. In addition, the SEM revealed that more noise annoyance was associated with less social cohesion, and in turn with worse mental health; noise annoyance was also associated with lower neighborhood restorative quality, thereby with less social cohesion and physical activity, and in turn with worse mental health. However, causality could not be established. Further research is warranted to expand our still limited understanding of these person-environment interactions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Significant characteristics of social response to noise and vibration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nishinomiya, G.

1979-01-01

Several surveys made since 1971 to investigate annoyance resulting from noise and vibration, from various sources were studied in order to quantify the relation between annoyance response to noise or vibration and properties of the respondent including factors such as noise exposure, etc. Samples collected by the social surveys and physical measurements were analyzed by multi-dimensional analysis.

Specific and combined subjective responses to noise and their association with cardiovascular diseases.

PubMed

Vandasova, Zdenka; Vencálek, Ondřej; Puklová, Vladimíra

2016-01-01

Noise is one of the most extensive environmental factors affecting the general population. The present study is focused on the association between discomfort caused by noise and the incidence of certain diseases (ischaemic heart disease, stroke and hypertension). This cross-sectional questionnaire study, conducted in 10 cities in the Czech Republic, comprises two stages with 3592 obtained questionnaires in the first phase and 762 in the second phase. Twelve variables describe subjective responses to noise from different sources at different times of day. The intensity of the associations between variables was measured by correlation coefficient. Logistic regression was used for fitting models of morbidity, and confounders such as age and socio-economic status were included. The hypotheses from the first phase were independently validated using data from the second phase. The general rates of noise annoyance/sleep disturbance had greater correlation with traffic noise variables than with neighbourhood noise variables. Factors significantly associated with diseases are: for hypertension - annoyance by traffic noise (the elderly, odds ratio (OR) 1.4) and sleep disturbance by traffic and neighbourhood noise (the elderly, OR 1.6); for ischaemic heart disease - the general rate of noise annoyance (all respondents, OR 1.5 and the adults 30-60 years, OR 1.8) and the general rate of annoyance and sleep disturbance (all respondents, OR 1.3); for stroke - annoyance and sleep disturbance by traffic and neighbourhood noise (all respondents, OR 1.8). Factors that include multiple sources of noise or non-specific noise are associated with the studied diseases more frequently than the source-specific factors.

Opportunities for Environmental Noise Mapping in Saudi Arabia: A Case of Traffic Noise Annoyance in an Urban Area in Jeddah City

PubMed Central

Zytoon, Mohamed A.

2016-01-01

As the traffic and other environmental noise generating activities are growing in The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), adverse health and other impacts are expected to develop. The management of such problem involves many actions, of which noise mapping has been proven to be a helpful approach. The objective of the current study was to test the adequacy of the available data in KSA municipalities for generating urban noise maps and to verify the applicability of available environmental noise mapping and noise annoyance models for KSA. Therefore, noise maps were produced for Al-Fayha District in Jeddah City, KSA using commercially available noise mapping software and applying the French national computation method “NMPB” for traffic noise. Most of the data required for traffic noise prediction and annoyance analysis were available, either in the Municipality GIS department or in other governmental authorities. The predicted noise levels during the three time periods, i.e., daytime, evening, and nighttime, were found higher than the maximum recommended levels established in KSA environmental noise standards. Annoyance analysis revealed that high percentages of the District inhabitants were highly annoyed, depending on the type of planning zone and period of interest. These results reflect the urgent need to consider environmental noise reduction in KSA national plans. The accuracy of the predicted noise levels and the availability of most of the necessary data should encourage further studies on the use of noise mapping as part of noise reduction plans. PMID:27187438

The effect of airplane noise on the inhabitants of areas near Okecie Airport in Warsaw

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koszarny, Z.; Maziarka, S.; Szata, W.

1981-01-01

The state of health and noise annoyance among persons living in areas near Okecie airport exposed to various intensities of noise was evaluated. Very high annoyance effects of airplane noise of intensities over 100 dB (A) were established. A connection between the airplane noise and certain ailments complained about by the inhabitants was demonstrated.

Effects of duration and other noise characteristics on the annoyance caused by aircraft-flyover noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccurdy, D. A.; Powell, C. A.

1979-01-01

A laboratory experiment was conducted to determine the effects of duration and other noise characteristics on the annoyance caused by aircraft-flyover noise. Duration, doppler shift, and spectra were individually controlled by specifying aircraft operational factors, such as velocity, altitude, and spectrum, in a computer synthesis of the aircraft-noise stimuli. This control allowed the separation of the effects of duration from the other main factors in the experimental design: velocity, tonal content, and sound pressure level. The annoyance of a set of noise stimuli which were comprised of factorial combinations of a 3 durations, 3 velocities, 3 sound pressure levels, and 2 tone conditions were judged. The judgements were made by using a graphical scale procedure similar to numerical category scaling. Each of the main factors except velocity was found to affect the judged annoyance significantly. The interaction of tonal content with sound pressure level was also found to be significant. The duration correction used in the effective-perceived-noise-level procedure, 3 dB per doubling of effective duration, was found to account most accurately for the effect of duration. No significant effect doppler shift was found.

The effects of neighborhood views containing multiple environmental features on road traffic noise perception at dwellings.

PubMed

Leung, T M; Xu, J M; Chau, C K; Tang, S K; Pun-Cheng, L S C

2017-04-01

The importance of non-acoustical factors including the type of visual environment on human noise perception becomes increasingly recognized. In order to reveal the relationships between long-term noise annoyance and different types of neighborhood views, 2033 questionnaire responses were collected for studying the effect of perceptions of different combinations of views of sea, urban river, greenery, and/or noise barrier on the annoyance responses from residents living in high-rise apartments in Hong Kong. The collected responses were employed to formulate a multivariate model to predict the probability of invoking a high annoyance response from residents. Results showed that views of sea, urban river, or greenery could lower the probability, while views of noise barrier could increase the probability. Views of greenery had a stronger noise moderation capability than views of sea or urban river. The presence of an interaction effect between views of water and views of noise barrier exerted a negative influence on the noise annoyance moderation capability. The probability due to exposure to an environment containing views of noise barriers and urban rivers would be even higher than that due to exposure to an environment containing views of noise barriers alone.

Windmill Noise Annoyance, Visual Aesthetics, and Attitudes towards Renewable Energy Sources

PubMed Central

Klæboe, Ronny; Sundfør, Hanne Beate

2016-01-01

A small focused socio-acoustic after-study of annoyance from a windmill park was undertaken after local health officials demanded a health impact study to look into neighborhood complaints. The windmill park consists of 31 turbines and is located in the South of Norway where it affects 179 dwellings. Simple exposure-effect relationships indicate stronger reactions to windmills and wind turbine noise than shown internationally, with the caveat that the sample size is small (n = 90) and responses are colored by the existing local conflict. Pulsating swishing sounds and turbine engine hum are the main causes of noise annoyance. About 60 per cent of those who participated in the survey were of the opinion that windmills degrade the landscape aesthetically, and were far from convinced that land-based windmills are desirable as a renewable energy source (hydropower is an important alternative source of renewables in Norway). Attitudes play an important role in addition to visual aesthetics in determining the acceptance of windmills and the resulting noise annoyance. To compare results from different wind turbine noise studies it seems necessary to assess the impact of important modifying factors. PMID:27455301

Subjective response of people to simulated sonic booms in their homes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McCurdy, David A.; Brown, Sherilyn A.; Hilliard, R. David

2004-01-01

In order to determine the effect of the number of sonic boom occurrences on annoyance, a computer-based system was developed for studying the subjective response of people to the occurrence of simulated sonic booms in their homes. The system provided a degree of control over the noise exposure not found in community surveys and a degree of situational realism not available in the laboratory. A system was deployed for eight weeks in each of 33 homes. Each day from 4 to 63 sonic booms were played as the test subject went about his or her normal activities. At the end of the day, the test subjects rated their annoyance to the sonic booms heard during the day. The sonic booms consisted of different combinations of waveforms, levels, and occurrence rates. The experiment confirmed that the increase in annoyance resulting from multiple occurrences can be modeled by the addition of the term "10 * log(number of occurrences)" to the sonic boom level. Of several noise metrics considered, perceived level was the best annoyance predictor. Comparisons of the subjective responses to the different sonic boom waveforms found no differences that were not accounted for by the noise metrics.

Assessing the Impacts of Reduced Noise Operations of Wind Turbines on Neighbor Annoyance: A Preliminary Analysis in Vinalhaven, Maine

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hoen, Ben; Wiser, Ryan; Eckholdt, Haftan

2010-06-23

Neighbors living near the 3 turbine, 4.5 MW Vinalhaven, Maine wind power facility, which began operations in late 2009, have complained that the noise from the turbines is unwelcome and annoying. Fox Islands Wind, the owner of the facility, hypothesized that implementing a Noise Reduced Operation (NRO) for the turbines, which effectively limits the turbines maximum rpm and power output, would reduce the sound levels produced by the turbines, and therefore might also reduce the degree to which the neighbors report being annoyed by those sounds. To test this hypothesis in a preliminary fashion, a pilot study was conducted inmore » early 2010, the results of which are the subject of this brief report. The study included asking near-by residents - those within roughly 3000 feet - to rate the sounds and the degree to which they were annoyed by them using logs which they filled out at multiple times during the day on as many days as were possible in the 35 day study period in February and March, 2010. Meanwhile, FIW adjusted the NRO settings of the turbines in a random fashion in the evenings during the same period, but in a pattern that the respondents were not made aware of. Ultimately, nine individuals turned in roughly 200 log entries (i.e., responses), each of which was time coded to allow testing if the response was correlated with the wind facility operating conditions at that time. The analysis of these data found small, non-statistically-significant differences in self-reported turbine loudness and annoyance ratings between the periods when the NRO was enacted and when it was not, after controlling for many of the relationships that could independently influence perceived loudness and annoyance (e.g., wind direction, time of day). Possible explanations for these small differences in self-reported turbine loudness and annoyance ratings include: the relative difference in sound output from the turbines when NRO was engaged and when it was not was small; and/or that differences in turbine sound outputs that did exist might have been masked by higher (non-turbine) wind sound levels that were coincident with NRO periods. Because this preliminary test only included a small portion of the population surrounding the turbines, the sample of self-reported ratings was itself very small. In addition, the conditions varied greatly over the study period, as described in the report that follows. Consequently, the results presented here should be considered preliminary, and further data collection and analysis are warranted. The main findings of this preliminary study are: (1) As planned, periods in which the NRO was engaged were found to have noticeably lower turbine rotational speeds (rpm), based on turbine operational data. (2) 11% of responses overall indicated that the turbines were perceived as either 'very' or 'extremely' loud at the time they were logged, and roughly two thirds of those (7% overall) indicated the sounds to be 'very' or 'extremely' annoying. (3) Self-reported turbine loudness and annoyance ratings were higher during the night and when the wind was from the North (participants in the study were located to the east and south of the turbines). (4) Self-reported turbine loudness and annoyance ratings were generally found to be lower during the NRO periods, but these observed differences are relatively small in magnitude, and are not statistically significant. (5) There is some limited evidence that high-speed surface winds mask self-reported turbine loudness and annoyance ratings. Therefore, because NRO settings are only engaged during periods of high winds, the true effects of the NRO adjustments might be diluted to some degree. (6) The results of this preliminary assessment should not be applied to the full population of homeowners near the turbines in Vinalhaven, Maine because the potentially most-sensitive individuals (those most vocal of their dislike of the turbine sounds) opted not to participate in the study, and because the study did not include the relatively large number of individuals who primarily visit the island during the summer months.« less

Response to actual and simulated recordings of conventional takeoff and landing jet aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mabry, J. E.; Sullivan, B. M.

1978-01-01

Comparability between noise characteristics of synthesized recordings of aircraft in flight and actual recordings were investigated. Although the synthesized recordings were more smoothly time-varying than the actual recordings and the synthesizer could not produce a comb-filter effect that was present in the actual recordings, results supported the conclusion that annoyance response is comparable to the synthesized and actual recordings. A correction for duration markedly improved the validity of engineering calculation procedures designed to measure noise annoyance. Results led to the conclusion that the magnitude estimation psychophysical method was a highly reliable approach for evaluating engineering calculation procedures designed to measure noise annoyance. For repeated presentations of pairs of actual recordings, differences between judgment results for identical signals ranged from 0.0 to 0.5 db.

Annoyance survey by means of social media.

PubMed

Silva, Bruno; Santos, Gustavo; Eller, Rogeria; Gjestland, Truls

2017-02-01

Social surveys have been the conventional means of evaluating the annoyance caused by transportation noise. Sampling and interviewing by telephone, mail, or in person are often costly and time consuming, however. Data collection by web-based survey methods are less costly and may be completed more quickly, and hence, could be conducted in countries with fewer resources. Such methods, however, raise issues about the generalizability and comparability of findings. These issues were investigated in a study of the annoyance of aircraft noise exposure around Brazil's Guarulhos Airport. The findings of 547 interviews obtained with the aid of Facebook advertisements and web-based forms were analysed with respect to estimated aircraft noise exposure levels at respondents' residences. The results were analysed to assess whether and how web-based surveys might yield generalizable noise dose-response relationships.

Airport-Noise Levels and Annoyance Model (ALAMO) system's reference manual

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deloach, R.; Donaldson, J. L.; Johnson, M. J.

1986-01-01

The airport-noise levels and annoyance model (ALAMO) is described in terms of the constituent modules, the execution of ALAMO procedure files, necessary for system execution, and the source code documentation associated with code development at Langley Research Center. The modules constituting ALAMO are presented both in flow graph form, and through a description of the subroutines and functions that comprise them.

Results of an Interdisciplinary Day Care Approach for Chronic Tinnitus Treatment: A Prospective Study Introducing the Jena Interdisciplinary Treatment for Tinnitus

PubMed Central

Ivansic, Daniela; Dobel, Christian; Volk, Gerd F.; Reinhardt, Daniel; Müller, Boris; Smolenski, Ulrich C.; Guntinas-Lichius, Orlando

2017-01-01

Objective: Considering the heterogeneity of the symptoms shown by patients suffering from chronic tinnitus, there are surprisingly few interdisciplinary treatments available, and mostly available only for inpatients. In order to provide an interdisciplinary treatment, we developed a day care concept in which each patient was treated by an ENT doctor, a cognitive behavioral therapist, a specialist for medical rehabilitation and an audiologist (Jena Interdisciplinary Treatment for Tinnitus, JITT). The aim of this study was to observe the changes of tinnitus related distress due to interdisciplinary day care treatment and to determine which factors mediate this change. Subjects and Methods: Tinnitus annoyance was measured using the Tinnitus Questionnaire on 308 patients with chronic tinnitus. They were treated in the day care unit over five consecutive days between July 2013 and December 2014. Data were collected before treatment when screened (T0), at the beginning (T1) and at the end of the 5 day treatment (T2), as well as 20 days (T3) and 6 months after treatment (T4). Results: Overall, tinnitus annoyance improved significantly from the screening day to the beginning of treatment, and to a much larger degree from the beginning to the end of treatment. The treatment outcome remained stable 6 months after treatment. Patients with the following symptoms displayed higher tinnitus annoyance at T0: dizziness at tinnitus onset, tinnitus sound could not be masked with background noise, tinnitus worsening during physical stress, comorbid psychiatric diagnosis, higher age and higher hearing loss. Loudness of tinnitus perceived in the right ear correlated with tinnitus annoyance significantly. Demographic, tinnitus and strain variables could only explain 12.8% of the variance of the change in tinnitus annoyance from T0 to T4. Out of 39 predictors, the only significant ones were “sick leave 6 months before treatment” and “tinnitus annoyance at T0.” Conclusion: The newly developed JITT represents a valuable treatment for chronic tinnitus patients with improvement remaining stable for at least 6 months after treatment. Using a large number of variables did not allow predicting treatment outcome which underlines the heterogeneity of tinnitus. PMID:28670275

The effects of low frequency noise on mental performance and annoyance.

PubMed

Alimohammadi, Iraj; Sandrock, Stephan; Gohari, Mahmoud Reza

2013-08-01

Low frequency noise (LFN) as background noise in urban and work environments is emitted from many artificial sources such as road vehicles, aircraft, and air movement machinery including wind turbines, compressors, and ventilation or air conditioning units. In addition to objective effects, LFN could also cause noise annoyance and influence mental performance; however, there are no homogenous findings regarding this issue. The purpose of this research was to study the effects of LFN on mental performance and annoyance, as well as to consider the role of extraversion and neuroticism on the issue. This study was conducted on 90 students of Iran University of Medical Sciences (54 males and 36 females). The mean age of the students was 23.46 years (SD = 1.97). Personality traits and noise annoyance were measured by using Eysenck Personality Inventory and a 12-scale self-reported questionnaire, respectively. Stroop and Cognitrone computerized tests measured mental performance of participants each exposed to 50 and 70 dBA of LFN and silence. LFNs were produced by Cool Edit Pro 2.1 software. There was no significant difference between mental performance parameters under 50 and 70 dBA of LFN, whereas there were significant differences between most mental performance parameters in quiet and under LFN (50 and 70 dBA). This research showed that LFN, compared to silence, increased the accuracy and the test performance speed (p < 0.01). There was no association between LFN and noise annoyance (p > 0.01). Introverts conducted the tests faster than extraverts (p < 0.05). This research showed that neuroticism does not influence mental performance. It seems that LFN has increased arousal level of participants, and extraversion has a considerable impact on mental performance.

Non-auditory effects of noise in industry. VI. A final field study in industry.

PubMed

van Dijk, F J; Souman, A M; de Vries, F F

1987-01-01

Non-auditory effects of noise were studied among 539 male workers from seven industries. The LAeq, assessed by personal noise dosimetry, has been used to study acute effects. Various indices of total noise exposure, involving level and duration, were developed for long-term effect studies. In the analysis close attention was paid to prevent confounding, e.g. by other adverse working conditions. As expected, hearing loss increased with total noise exposure. Tinnitus was related particularly to hearing loss. Dizziness and hoarseness, however, were not related with noise exposure in this study. Also no correlation could be demonstrated between blood pressure and total noise exposure after correction for age, relative weight and various confounding variables. Use of hearing protection, selection processes and incomplete analysis of interactions between independent variables are suggested for possible explanation. About two-thirds of the workers reported noise annoyance. Various aspects were mentioned, such as irritation, surprise and impairment of communication and perception. Mentally stressful tasks appeared to be the most noise-sensitive. Particularly annoying noise sources, mental work load and time pressure had a relatively large impact on noise annoyance in comparison with the influence of noise level (LAeq) itself. Stress responses were not simply related to the noise exposure level, although consistent positive relations could be demonstrated between symptoms of stress and noise annoyance. Various findings led to the conclusion that noise exposure together with stressful mental activities may lead to disturbed concentration, irritation and annoyance. Experienced stress in turn may render workers more susceptible to noise. To overcome some limitations of this study, cohort studies and studies designed to assess interaction-effects are recommended.

Community response to railway noise: A review of social surveys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moehler, U.

1988-01-01

The many studies on the effects of railway noise on the neighbourhood differ greatly in their design, acoustic and sociological measurement and in their evaluation methods. As the influence of these factors on the sometimes differing results is not quantifiable, only qualitative results can be summarized and commented on. There are only a few studies with special emphasis on the effects of shunting yards, high-speed trains and urban train systems, and therefore only the results concerning free-flow railway traffic are summarized. The LAeq measured outside was shown in almost all the studies to be the most suitable for predicting general annoyance and most of the disturbance reactions compared with other acoustic data, e.g., peak level, pass-by frequency, etc. It is not possible to deduce from the studies in question a limiting value beyond which railway noise is no longer tolerable. Compared to other areas of interference, it is generally agreed that railway noise is at its most annoying in the area of communication. Sleep interference, on the other hand, was only seldomly mentioned and was not considered to be so serious. In addition to the noise level, non-acoustic factors such as attitude towards the railway, neighbourhood environment, etc., obviously considerably affect the annoyance reaction to railway noise too. The question of habituation to railway noise cannot be conclusively answered from the studies analyzed. At the same LAeq, railway noise gives rise to less annoyance than does road-traffic noise. These differences vary according to whether the reference time is day or night, the noise level range is high or low, and according to which annoyance and disturbance reaction is considered.

Noise levels, noise annoyance, and hearing-related problems in a dental college.

PubMed

Ahmed, Hafiz Omer; Ali, Wesal Jasim

2017-05-04

Through a cross-sectional survey and integrated sound level meter, this research examined noise exposure and auditory- and nonauditory-related problems experienced by students of a dentistry college located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). A structured interview questionnaire was used to examine hearing-related problems, noise annoyance, and awareness of 114 students toward noise. The results showed that maximum noise levels were between 65 and 79 dB(A) with peak levels (high and low frequencies) ranging between 89 and 93 dB(A). Around 80% of the students experienced a certain degree of noise annoyance; 54% reported one of the hearing-related problems; and about 10% claimed to have hearing loss to a certain extent. It is recommended that sound-absorbent materials be used during the construction of dental clinics and laboratories to reduce the noise levels.

The effects of tones in noise on human annoyance and performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Joonhee

Building mechanical equipment often generates prominent tones because most systems include rotating parts like fans and pumps. These tonal noises can cause unpleasant user experiences in spaces and, in turn, lead to increased complaints by building occupants. Currently, architectural engineers can apply the noise criteria guidelines in standards or publications to achieve acceptable noise conditions for assorted types of spaces. However, these criteria do not apply well if the noise contains perceptible tones. The annoyance thresholds experienced by the general population with regards to the degree of tones in noise is a significant piece of knowledge that has not been well-established. Thus, this dissertation addresses the relationship between human perception and noises with tones in the built environment. Four phases of subjective testing were conducted in an indoor acoustic testing chamber at the University of Nebraska to achieve the research objective. The results indicate that even the least prominent tones in noises can significantly decrease the cognitive performance of participants on a mentally demanding task. Factorial repeated-measures analysis of variance of test results have proven that tonality has a crucial influence on working memory capacity of subjects, whereas loudness levels alone did not. A multidimensional annoyance model, incorporating psycho-acoustical attributes of noise in addition to loudness and tonality, has been proposed as a more accurate annoyance model.

Annoyance Judgment and Measurements of Environmental Noise: A Focus on Italian Secondary Schools

PubMed Central

Minichilli, Fabrizio; Gorini, Francesca; Bianchi, Fabrizio; Fredianelli, Luca; Licitra, Gaetano; Manzoli, Federica; Mezzasalma, Lorena; Cori, Liliana

2018-01-01

The effects of noise on students’ health, well-being, and learning are of growing concern among both the general public and policy-makers in Europe. Several studies have highlighted the consequences of noise on children’s learning and performance at school. This study investigates the relationship between noise judgment in school goers aged 11–18 and noise measurements aimed at evaluating their exposure at school. For this purpose, a questionnaire was administered to 521 individuals in 28 classrooms in eight schools of four cities in Italy, with different environmental characteristics. Using a Likert-type scale, a selected set of responses related to noise generated an Annoyance Index (AI) score for each student and a classroom median score (MAI). From the noise data acquired, a global noise score (GNS) was assigned to each classroom. A higher AI was found in industrialized areas and among younger students. No significant differences in noise judgment were found by gender. A significant inverse correlation was described between MAI and GNS, thus the better the acoustic quality of the classrooms, the less the perceived noise and annoyance. The results show that noise perception and consequent disturbance are highly correlated with classroom acoustics, and confirm that annoyance represents the most widespread subjective response to noise. PMID:29373506

An Investigation of Community Attitudes Toward Blast Noise: Complaint Survey Protocol

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-10-11

increase complaints (Hume et al., 2003a). If an individual is already stressed by other non-noise factors, the source noise many be more annoying than...protocol (lab staffing, sampling and locating records, callback schedules) focused on completing the data collection for any given noise event within...relationship (e.g., increased feelings of importance of the installation tend to be associated with decreased annoyance). Due to the limited sample size only

Annoyance resulting from intrusion of aircraft sounds upon various activities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gunn, W. J.; Shepherd, W. T.; Fletcher, J. L.

1975-01-01

An experiment was conducted in which subjects were engaged in TV viewing, telephone listening, or reverie (no activity) for a 1/2-hour session. During the session, they were exposed to a series of recorded aircraft sounds at the rate of one flight every 2 minutes. Within each session, four levels of flyover noise, separated by dB increments, were presented several times in a Latin Square balanced sequence. The peak level of the noisiest flyover in any session was fixed at 95, 90, 85, 75, or 70 dBA. At the end of the test session, subjects recorded their responses to the aircraft sounds, using a bipolar scale which covered the range from very pleasant to extremely annoying. Responses to aircraft noises were found to be significantly affected by the particular activity in which the subjects were engaged. Not all subjects found the aircraft sounds to be annoying.

Evaluation of the annoyance due to helicopter rotor noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sternfeld, H., Jr.; Doyle, L. B.

1978-01-01

A program was conducted in which 25 test subjects adjusted the levels of various helicopter rotor spectra until the combination of the harmonic noise and a broadband background noise was judged equally annoying as a higher level of the same broadband noise spectrum. The subjective measure of added harmonic noise was equated to the difference in the two levels of broadband noise. The test participants also made subjective evaluations of the rotor noise signatures which they created. The test stimuli consisted of three degrees of rotor impulsiveness, each presented at four blade passage rates. Each of these 12 harmonic sounds was combined with three broadband spectra and was adjusted to match the annoyance of three different sound pressure levels of broadband noise. Analysis of variance indicated that the important variables were level and impulsiveness. Regression analyses indicated that inclusion of crest factor improved correlation between the subjective measures and various objective or physical measures.

Phylogenetic perspectives on noise-induced fear and annoyance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bowles, Ann

2003-04-01

Negative human responses to noise are typically interpreted in terms of human psychological, cognitive, or social processes. However, it may be useful to frame hypotheses about human responses in terms of evolutionary history, during which negative responses have been part of a suite of adaptions to a variable sound environment. By comparing the responses of a range of nonhuman animals to various types of noise, it is possible to develop hypotheses about the ecology of human responses. Examples of noise-related phenomena that could be explained usefully from this perspective include the Schulz curve, noise-induced physical stress, acute fear responses induced by transient noise, and the relationship between temperament and noise-induced annoyance. Responses of animals from a range of taxa will be described and their behavior interpreted in terms of their life-history strategies. With this perspective, some testable hypotheses about noise-induced fear and annoyance will be suggested.

[Clinical aspects of coping with tinnitus].

PubMed

Nieschalk, M; Winter, B; Stoll, W

1995-10-01

Forty-two patients suffering form chronic tinnitus participated in our psychologically oriented treatment last year. The following study presents the results of the psychological management of chronic tinnitus combining counselling with relaxation training. Furthermore individual therapy is compared with group therapy. The therapeutical efficiency can be tested using visual analog scales. The individual estimated loudness and annoyance of tinnitus are registered. A quantitative assessment of complaints is made via questionnaires (adapted to Back Depression Inventory). In most cases a reduction of tinnitus loudness and annoyance after individual and group therapy is seen directly. But a constant therapeutical effect is only found is individual therapy. In group therapy, many of our patients reported an increase in the pretherapeutical estimation of tinnitus loudness and annoyance. We believe that permanent confrontation with the tinnitus problem may advance the psychological conflict in many cases. Therefore, psychological management of tinnitus should be concentrated on temporary limited support aimed at overcoming tinnitus sensation.

Aircraft Noise and Quality of Life around Frankfurt Airport

PubMed Central

Schreckenberg, Dirk; Meis, Markus; Kahl, Cara; Peschel, Christin; Eikmann, Thomas

2010-01-01

In a survey of 2,312 residents living near Frankfurt Airport aircraft noise annoyance and disturbances as well as environmental (EQoL) and health-related quality of life (HQoL) were assessed and compared with data on exposure due to aircraft, road traffic, and railway noise. Results indicate higher noise annoyance than predicted from general exposure-response curves. Beside aircraft sound levels source-related attitudes were associated with reactions to aircraft noise. Furthermore, aircraft noise affected EQoL in general, although to a much smaller extent. HQoL was associated with aircraft noise annoyance, noise sensitivity and partly with aircraft noise exposure, in particular in the subgroup of multimorbid residents. The results suggest a recursive relationship between noise and health, yet this cannot be tested in cross-sectional studies. Longitudinal studies would be recommendable to get more insight in the causal paths underlying the noise-health relationship. PMID:20948931

WHO Environmental Noise Guidelines for the European Region: A Systematic Review on Environmental Noise and Annoyance.

PubMed

Guski, Rainer; Schreckenberg, Dirk; Schuemer, Rudolf

2017-12-08

Background : This paper describes a systematic review and meta-analyses on effects of environmental noise on annoyance. The noise sources include aircraft, road, and rail transportation noise as well as wind turbines and noise source combinations. Objectives: Update knowledge about effects of environmental noise on people living in the vicinity of noise sources. Methods: Eligible were published studies (2000-2014) providing comparable acoustical and social survey data including exposure-response functions between standard indicators of noise exposure and standard annoyance responses. The systematic literature search in 20 data bases resulted in 62 studies, of which 57 were used for quantitative meta-analyses. By means of questionnaires sent to the study authors, additional study data were obtained. Risk of bias was assessed by means of study characteristics for individual studies and by funnel plots to assess the risk of publication bias. Main Results: Tentative exposure-response relations for percent highly annoyed residents (%HA) in relation to noise levels for aircraft, road, rail, wind turbine and noise source combinations are presented as well as meta-analyses of correlations between noise levels and annoyance raw scores, and the OR for increase of %HA with increasing noise levels. Quality of evidence was assessed using the GRADE terminology. The evidence of exposure-response relations between noise levels and %HA is moderate (aircraft and railway) or low (road traffic and wind turbines). The evidence of correlations between noise levels and annoyance raw scores is high (aircraft and railway) or moderate (road traffic and wind turbines). The evidence of ORs representing the %HA increase by a certain noise level increase is moderate (aircraft noise), moderate/high (road and railway traffic), and low (wind turbines). Strengths and Limitations: The strength of the evidence is seen in the large total sample size encompassing the included studies (e.g., 18,947 participants in aircraft noise studies). Main limitations are due to the variance in the definition of noise levels and %HA. Interpretation: The increase of %HA in newer studies of aircraft, road and railway noise at comparable L den levels of earlier studies point to the necessity of adjusting noise limit recommendations. Funding: The review was funded by WHO Europe.

WHO Environmental Noise Guidelines for the European Region: A Systematic Review on Environmental Noise and Annoyance

PubMed Central

Guski, Rainer; Schreckenberg, Dirk; Schuemer, Rudolf

2017-01-01

Background: This paper describes a systematic review and meta-analyses on effects of environmental noise on annoyance. The noise sources include aircraft, road, and rail transportation noise as well as wind turbines and noise source combinations. Objectives: Update knowledge about effects of environmental noise on people living in the vicinity of noise sources. Methods: Eligible were published studies (2000–2014) providing comparable acoustical and social survey data including exposure-response functions between standard indicators of noise exposure and standard annoyance responses. The systematic literature search in 20 data bases resulted in 62 studies, of which 57 were used for quantitative meta-analyses. By means of questionnaires sent to the study authors, additional study data were obtained. Risk of bias was assessed by means of study characteristics for individual studies and by funnel plots to assess the risk of publication bias. Main Results: Tentative exposure-response relations for percent highly annoyed residents (%HA) in relation to noise levels for aircraft, road, rail, wind turbine and noise source combinations are presented as well as meta-analyses of correlations between noise levels and annoyance raw scores, and the OR for increase of %HA with increasing noise levels. Quality of evidence was assessed using the GRADE terminology. The evidence of exposure-response relations between noise levels and %HA is moderate (aircraft and railway) or low (road traffic and wind turbines). The evidence of correlations between noise levels and annoyance raw scores is high (aircraft and railway) or moderate (road traffic and wind turbines). The evidence of ORs representing the %HA increase by a certain noise level increase is moderate (aircraft noise), moderate/high (road and railway traffic), and low (wind turbines). Strengths and Limitations: The strength of the evidence is seen in the large total sample size encompassing the included studies (e.g., 18,947 participants in aircraft noise studies). Main limitations are due to the variance in the definition of noise levels and %HA. Interpretation: The increase of %HA in newer studies of aircraft, road and railway noise at comparable Lden levels of earlier studies point to the necessity of adjusting noise limit recommendations. Funding: The review was funded by WHO Europe. PMID:29292769

Residents’ Self-Reported Health Effects and Annoyance in Relation to Air Pollution Exposure in an Industrial Area in Eastern-Estonia

PubMed Central

Idavain, Jane; Pindus, Mihkel; Orru, Kati; Kesanurm, Kaisa; Lang, Aavo; Tomasova, Jelena

2018-01-01

Eastern Estonia has large oil shale mines and industrial facilities mainly focused on electricity generation from oil shale and shale oil extraction, which produce high air pollution emissions. The “Study of the health impact of the oil shale sector—SOHOS” was aimed at identifying the impacts on residents’ health and annoyance due to the industrial processing. First, a population-wide survey about health effects and annoyance was carried out. Second, the total and oil shale sectors’ emitted concentrations of benzene, phenol, and PM2.5 were modelled. Third, the differences between groups were tested and relationships between health effects and environmental pollution studied using multiple regression analysis. Compared to the control groups from non-industrial areas in Tartu or Lääne-Viru, residents of Ida-Viru more frequently (p < 0.05) reported wheezing, chest tightness, shortness of breath, asthma attacks, a long-term cough, hypertension, heart diseases, myocardial infarction, stroke, and diabetes. All health effects except asthma were reported more frequently among non-Estonians. People living in regions with higher levels of PM2.5, had significantly higher odds (p < 0.05) of experiencing chest tightness (OR = 1.13, 95% CI 1.02–1.26), shortness of breath (1.16, 1.03–1.31) or an asthma attack (1.22, 1.04–1.42) during the previous year. People living in regions with higher levels of benzene had higher odds of experiencing myocardial infarction (1.98, 1.11–3.53) and with higher levels of phenol chest tightness (1.44, 1.03–2.00), long-term cough (1.48, 1.06–2.07) and myocardial infarction (2.17, 1.23–3.83). The prevalence of adverse health effects was also higher among those who had been working in the oil shale sector. Next to direct health effects, up to a quarter of the residents of Ida-Viru County were highly annoyed about air pollution. Perceived health risk from air pollution increased the odds of being annoyed. Annoyed people in Ida-Viru had significantly higher odds of experiencing respiratory symptoms during the last 12 months, e.g., wheezing (2.30, 1.31–4.04), chest tightness (2.88, 1.91–4.33 or attack of coughing (1.99, 1.34–2.95). PMID:29393920

Residents' Self-Reported Health Effects and Annoyance in Relation to Air Pollution Exposure in an Industrial Area in Eastern-Estonia.

PubMed

Orru, Hans; Idavain, Jane; Pindus, Mihkel; Orru, Kati; Kesanurm, Kaisa; Lang, Aavo; Tomasova, Jelena

2018-02-02

Eastern Estonia has large oil shale mines and industrial facilities mainly focused on electricity generation from oil shale and shale oil extraction, which produce high air pollution emissions. The "Study of the health impact of the oil shale sector-SOHOS" was aimed at identifying the impacts on residents' health and annoyance due to the industrial processing. First, a population-wide survey about health effects and annoyance was carried out. Second, the total and oil shale sectors' emitted concentrations of benzene, phenol, and PM 2.5 were modelled. Third, the differences between groups were tested and relationships between health effects and environmental pollution studied using multiple regression analysis. Compared to the control groups from non-industrial areas in Tartu or Lääne-Viru, residents of Ida-Viru more frequently ( p < 0.05) reported wheezing, chest tightness, shortness of breath, asthma attacks, a long-term cough, hypertension, heart diseases, myocardial infarction, stroke, and diabetes. All health effects except asthma were reported more frequently among non-Estonians. People living in regions with higher levels of PM 2.5 , had significantly higher odds ( p < 0.05) of experiencing chest tightness (OR = 1.13, 95% CI 1.02-1.26), shortness of breath (1.16, 1.03-1.31) or an asthma attack (1.22, 1.04-1.42) during the previous year. People living in regions with higher levels of benzene had higher odds of experiencing myocardial infarction (1.98, 1.11-3.53) and with higher levels of phenol chest tightness (1.44, 1.03-2.00), long-term cough (1.48, 1.06-2.07) and myocardial infarction (2.17, 1.23-3.83). The prevalence of adverse health effects was also higher among those who had been working in the oil shale sector. Next to direct health effects, up to a quarter of the residents of Ida-Viru County were highly annoyed about air pollution. Perceived health risk from air pollution increased the odds of being annoyed. Annoyed people in Ida-Viru had significantly higher odds of experiencing respiratory symptoms during the last 12 months, e.g., wheezing (2.30, 1.31-4.04), chest tightness (2.88, 1.91-4.33 or attack of coughing (1.99, 1.34-2.95).

The annoyance caused by noise around airports

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

JOSSE

1980-01-01

A comprehensive study of noise around selected airports in France was performed. By use of questionnaires, the degree of annoyance caused by aircraft noise was determined. Three approaches used in the study were: (1) analytical study on the influence of noise on sleep; (2) sociological study on the satisfaction of occupants of buildings which conform to laws which are supposed to guarantee sufficient comfort; and (3) statistical study of correlations between external noises and psychological and pathological disturbances in residences.

Personal Interview Protocol Report

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-11-01

Hatfield et al., 1998; Wirth et al., 2003) and increase complaints (Hume et al., 2003a). If an individual is already stressed by other non-noise factors...annoyed,” how would you rate your annoyance to <noise source>?” 9 To ensure that matched- sample of households were sampled from the same noise...calls to locate individuals within the same area who were home at the time of the event. Results and Discussion 7.1 Overview of data collection

Estimating annoyance to calculated wind turbine shadow flicker is improved when variables associated with wind turbine noise exposure are considered.

PubMed

Voicescu, Sonia A; Michaud, David S; Feder, Katya; Marro, Leonora; Than, John; Guay, Mireille; Denning, Allison; Bower, Tara; van den Berg, Frits; Broner, Norm; Lavigne, Eric

2016-03-01

The Community Noise and Health Study conducted by Health Canada included randomly selected participants aged 18-79 yrs (606 males, 632 females, response rate 78.9%), living between 0.25 and 11.22 km from operational wind turbines. Annoyance to wind turbine noise (WTN) and other features, including shadow flicker (SF) was assessed. The current analysis reports on the degree to which estimating high annoyance to wind turbine shadow flicker (HAWTSF) was improved when variables known to be related to WTN exposure were also considered. As SF exposure increased [calculated as maximum minutes per day (SFm)], HAWTSF increased from 3.8% at 0 ≤ SFm < 10 to 21.1% at SFm ≥ 30, p < 0.0001. For each unit increase in SFm the odds ratio was 2.02 [95% confidence interval: (1.68,2.43)]. Stepwise regression models for HAWTSF had a predictive strength of up to 53% with 10% attributed to SFm. Variables associated with HAWTSF included, but were not limited to, annoyance to other wind turbine-related features, concern for physical safety, and noise sensitivity. Reported dizziness was also retained in the final model at p = 0.0581. Study findings add to the growing science base in this area and may be helpful in identifying factors associated with community reactions to SF exposure from wind turbines.

Health effects and wind turbines: a review of the literature.

PubMed

Knopper, Loren D; Ollson, Christopher A

2011-09-14

Wind power has been harnessed as a source of power around the world. Debate is ongoing with respect to the relationship between reported health effects and wind turbines, specifically in terms of audible and inaudible noise. As a result, minimum setback distances have been established world-wide to reduce or avoid potential complaints from, or potential effects to, people living in proximity to wind turbines. People interested in this debate turn to two sources of information to make informed decisions: scientific peer-reviewed studies published in scientific journals and the popular literature and internet. The purpose of this paper is to review the peer-reviewed scientific literature, government agency reports, and the most prominent information found in the popular literature. Combinations of key words were entered into the Thomson Reuters Web of KnowledgeSM and the internet search engine Google. The review was conducted in the spirit of the evaluation process outlined in the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. Conclusions of the peer reviewed literature differ in some ways from those in the popular literature. In peer reviewed studies, wind turbine annoyance has been statistically associated with wind turbine noise, but found to be more strongly related to visual impact, attitude to wind turbines and sensitivity to noise. To date, no peer reviewed articles demonstrate a direct causal link between people living in proximity to modern wind turbines, the noise they emit and resulting physiological health effects. If anything, reported health effects are likely attributed to a number of environmental stressors that result in an annoyed/stressed state in a segment of the population. In the popular literature, self-reported health outcomes are related to distance from turbines and the claim is made that infrasound is the causative factor for the reported effects, even though sound pressure levels are not measured. What both types of studies have in common is the conclusion that wind turbines can be a source of annoyance for some people. The difference between both types is the reason for annoyance. While it is acknowledged that noise from wind turbines can be annoying to some and associated with some reported health effects (e.g., sleep disturbance), especially when found at sound pressure levels greater than 40 db(A), given that annoyance appears to be more strongly related to visual cues and attitude than to noise itself, self reported health effects of people living near wind turbines are more likely attributed to physical manifestation from an annoyed state than from wind turbines themselves. In other words, it appears that it is the change in the environment that is associated with reported health effects and not a turbine-specific variable like audible noise or infrasound. Regardless of its cause, a certain level of annoyance in a population can be expected (as with any number of projects that change the local environment) and the acceptable level is a policy decision to be made by elected officials and their government representatives where the benefits of wind power are weighted against their cons. Assessing the effects of wind turbines on human health is an emerging field and conducting further research into the effects of wind turbines (and environmental changes) on human health, emotional and physical, is warranted.

Health effects and wind turbines: A review of the literature

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Wind power has been harnessed as a source of power around the world. Debate is ongoing with respect to the relationship between reported health effects and wind turbines, specifically in terms of audible and inaudible noise. As a result, minimum setback distances have been established world-wide to reduce or avoid potential complaints from, or potential effects to, people living in proximity to wind turbines. People interested in this debate turn to two sources of information to make informed decisions: scientific peer-reviewed studies published in scientific journals and the popular literature and internet. Methods The purpose of this paper is to review the peer-reviewed scientific literature, government agency reports, and the most prominent information found in the popular literature. Combinations of key words were entered into the Thomson Reuters Web of KnowledgeSM and the internet search engine Google. The review was conducted in the spirit of the evaluation process outlined in the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. Results Conclusions of the peer reviewed literature differ in some ways from those in the popular literature. In peer reviewed studies, wind turbine annoyance has been statistically associated with wind turbine noise, but found to be more strongly related to visual impact, attitude to wind turbines and sensitivity to noise. To date, no peer reviewed articles demonstrate a direct causal link between people living in proximity to modern wind turbines, the noise they emit and resulting physiological health effects. If anything, reported health effects are likely attributed to a number of environmental stressors that result in an annoyed/stressed state in a segment of the population. In the popular literature, self-reported health outcomes are related to distance from turbines and the claim is made that infrasound is the causative factor for the reported effects, even though sound pressure levels are not measured. Conclusions What both types of studies have in common is the conclusion that wind turbines can be a source of annoyance for some people. The difference between both types is the reason for annoyance. While it is acknowledged that noise from wind turbines can be annoying to some and associated with some reported health effects (e.g., sleep disturbance), especially when found at sound pressure levels greater than 40 db(A), given that annoyance appears to be more strongly related to visual cues and attitude than to noise itself, self reported health effects of people living near wind turbines are more likely attributed to physical manifestation from an annoyed state than from wind turbines themselves. In other words, it appears that it is the change in the environment that is associated with reported health effects and not a turbine-specific variable like audible noise or infrasound. Regardless of its cause, a certain level of annoyance in a population can be expected (as with any number of projects that change the local environment) and the acceptable level is a policy decision to be made by elected officials and their government representatives where the benefits of wind power are weighted against their cons. Assessing the effects of wind turbines on human health is an emerging field and conducting further research into the effects of wind turbines (and environmental changes) on human health, emotional and physical, is warranted. PMID:21914211

Evaluation of a Wind Noise Attenuation Algorithm on Subjective Annoyance and Speech-in-Wind Performance.

PubMed

Korhonen, Petri; Kuk, Francis; Seper, Eric; Mørkebjerg, Martin; Roikjer, Majken

2017-01-01

Wind noise is a common problem reported by hearing aid wearers. The MarkeTrak VIII reported that 42% of hearing aid wearers are not satisfied with the performance of their hearing aids in situations where wind is present. The current study investigated the effect of a new wind noise attenuation (WNA) algorithm on subjective annoyance and speech recognition in the presence of wind. A single-blinded, repeated measures design was used. Fifteen experienced hearing aid wearers with bilaterally symmetrical (≤10 dB) mild-to-moderate sensorineural hearing loss participated in the study. Subjective rating for wind noise annoyance was measured for wind presented alone from 0° and 290° at wind speeds of 4, 5, 6, 7, and 10 m/sec. Phoneme identification performance was measured using Widex Office of Clinical Amplification Nonsense Syllable Test presented at 60, 65, 70, and 75 dB SPL from 270° in the presence of wind originating from 0° at a speed of 5 m/sec. The subjective annoyance from wind noise was reduced for wind originating from 0° at wind speeds from 4 to 7 m/sec. The largest improvement in phoneme identification with the WNA algorithm was 48.2% when speech was presented from 270° at 65 dB SPL and the wind originated from 0° azimuth at 5 m/sec. The WNA algorithm used in this study reduced subjective annoyance for wind speeds ranging from 4 to 7 m/sec. The algorithm was effective in improving speech identification in the presence of wind originating from 0° at 5 m/sec. These results suggest that the WNA algorithm used in the current study could expand the range of real-life situations where a hearing-impaired person can use the hearing aid optimally. American Academy of Audiology

Reaction of the French population to the supersonic bang

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bremond, J.

1980-01-01

A discussion of a survey dealing with the supersonic bang is presented. Topics include the position the bang has in today's pollution, annoyance caused by the bang and its dependence on sociological and psychological variables, and whether or not the perception of the ban is objective. Other questions raised are whether the frequency of exposure to the bang has an influence on attitudes and does the sensitivity to or annoyance from the bang have a linear increase with the frequency.

Cumulative Airport Noise Exposure Metrics: An Assessment of Evidence for Time-of-Day Weightings,

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-11-01

the noise from airplanes bothers or annoys you during the day [evening/ night]? {Source: 1972 JFK Airport Noise Survey) On the other hand, the...around JFK airport in New York it was found that the ratio was equal to 2 (Borsky, 1976: p. 21). In a US Army survey of annoyance with several...Survey USA-059 1972 JFK Airport Noise Survey UKD-061 1972 Heathrow Airport Noise Pilot Survey FRA-063 1972 Paris Area Railway Noise Survey UKD-071 1972

A community survey of helicopter noise annoyance conducted under controlled noise exposure conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fields, J. M.; Powell, C. A.

1985-01-01

Reactions to low numbers of helicopter noise events (less than 50 per day) were studied in a community setting. Community residents were repeatedly interviewed about daily noise annoyance reactions on days when helicopter noise exposures were, without the residents' knowledge, controlled. The effects of maximum noise level and number of noise events on helicopter noise annoyance are consistent with the principles contained in LEQ-based noise indices. The effect of the duration of noise events is also consistent with LEQ-based indices. After removing the effect of differences in noise levels (LEQ) there is not an important difference between reactions to impulsive and nonimpulsive types of helicopters. EPNL, where corrected for number of overflights, and LEQ are approximately equally successful in representing the characteristics of noise which are related to human response. The new type of design provided estimates of the parameters in a noise reaction model which would not obtained with a similar degree of precision from conventional study designs.

A comparison of community response to aircraft noise at Toronto International and Oshawa Municipal airports†

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taylor, S. M.; Hall, F. L.; Birnie, S. E.

1981-07-01

Debate continues over the validity of a single dose-response relationship to describe annoyance due to transportation noise. Doubts about the appropriateness of a single relationship have centred primarily on the issue of differential response to the same noise level for different sources (e.g., aircraft, road traffic and trains). However, recent work suggests that response may vary for different types of the same source, namely aircraft, dependent upon the character, and specifically the number, of operations. Recent data collected around Toronto International and Oshawa Municipal airports permit a test of differences in four aggregate response variables. For the same NEF level, the percent at all annoyed at the two airports is not statistically different. The percent highly annoyed and the percent reporting speech interference are both significantly greater at Toronto but the percent reporting sleep interruption is greater at Oshawa. These differences can be explained in terms of the operational characteristics of the two airports.

Psycho-acoustic evaluation of the indoor noise in cabins of a naval vessel using a back-propagation neural network algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Hyung-Suk

2012-12-01

The indoor noise of a ship is usually determined using the A-weighted sound pressure level. However, in order to better understand this phenomenon, evaluation parameters that more accurately reflect the human sense of hearing are required. To find the level of the satisfaction index of the noise inside a naval vessel such as "Loudness" and "Annoyance", psycho-acoustic evaluation of various sound recordings from the naval vessel was performed in a laboratory. The objective of this paper is to develop a single index of "Loudness" and "Annoyance" for noise inside a naval vessel according to a psycho-acoustic evaluation by using psychological responses such as Noise Rating (NR), Noise Criterion (NC), Room Criterion (RC), Preferred Speech Interference Level (PSIL) and loudness level. Additionally, in order to determine a single index of satisfaction for noise such as "Loudness" and "Annoyance", with respect to a human's sense of hearing, a back-propagation neural network is applied.

How to boost soundscapes with tax breaks-On the application of Henry George's environmental economics to noise annoyance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hehner, Cay

2004-05-01

The improvement of the characteristic soundscape in a given metropolitan area depends largely on a varied number of parameters not the least of which are economic. The way to sustain a large city not only economically responsible behavior patterns and activities are required, but ecologically viable ones as well. And, not coincidentally, if both patterns come into balance, a reduction of noise annoyance ensues. The cohesive set of measures that would provide the framework to ensure that the necessary economic activity is not antagonistic to (acoustic) ecology is provided by the US economist Henry George who advocated a comprehensive tax on land and all natural resources to replace eventually the bulk of all taxes checking production. New data will be provided in this paper to show the results of the application of a Georgist approach of eco-taxation to the improvement of sound quality and the reduction of noise annoyance.

Comparison of anxiety levels associated with noise in the dental clinic among children of age group 6-15 years.

PubMed

Muppa, Radhika; Bhupatiraju, Prameela; Duddu, Mahesh; Penumatsa, Narendra Varma; Dandempally, Arthi; Panthula, Priyanka

2013-01-01

Fear or anxiety due to noise produced in the dental clinic is rated third among the reasons to avoid dental visits. The aim of the present study was to determine anxiety levels associated with noise in a dental clinic. The study was done using a survey questionnaire containing 10 questions and was divided into two parts. The first part included demographic information such as name, age, gender, and school; the second half included questions regarding patient's feelings toward noise in the dental clinic and its possible link to dental anxiety. Two-hundred and fifty children and adolescents of age group 6-15 years participated in the study. Results of the study showed that 50% of females, 29% males avoided a visit to the dentist because of anxiety and fear, 38% subjects of age group 6-11 years reported that sound of the drill makes them uncomfortable, followed by having to wait in the reception area. Gender gap was also observed with more females feeling annoyed than males on the 1-10 annoyance level scale. More than 60% felt "annoyed" to "extremely annoyed" by noise in the dental clinic. 45% of subjects preferred watching television to cope with such noise. This study concludes that the noise produced in dental clinic is anxiety provoking and significantly contributes to avoidance of dental treatment and the best way opted by the majority of subjects to overcome this anxiety was audiovisual distraction method.

Noise, stress, and annoyance in a pediatric intensive care unit.

PubMed

Morrison, Wynne E; Haas, Ellen C; Shaffner, Donald H; Garrett, Elizabeth S; Fackler, James C

2003-01-01

To measure and describe hospital noise and determine whether noise can be correlated with nursing stress measured by questionnaire, salivary amylase, and heart rate. Cohort observational study. Tertiary care center pediatric intensive care unit. Registered nurses working in the unit. None. Eleven nurse volunteers were recruited. An audiogram, questionnaire data, salivary amylase, and heart rate were collected in a quiet room. Each nurse was observed for a 3-hr period during patient care. Heart rate and sound level were recorded continuously; saliva samples and stress/annoyance ratings were collected every 30 mins. Variables assessed as potential confounders were years of nursing experience, caffeine intake, patients' Pediatric Risk of Mortality Score, shift assignment, and room assignment. Data were analyzed by random effects multiple linear regression using Stata 6.0. The average daytime sound level was 61 dB(A), nighttime 59 dB(A). Higher average sound levels significantly predicted higher heart rates (p =.014). Other significant predictors of tachycardia were higher caffeine intake, less nursing experience, and daytime shift. Ninety percent of the variability in heart rate was explained by the regression equation. Amylase measurements showed a large variability and were not significantly affected by noise levels. Higher average sound levels were also predictive of greater subjective stress (p =.021) and annoyance (p =.016). In this small study, noise was shown to correlate with several measures of stress including tachycardia and annoyance ratings. Further studies of interventions to reduce noise are essential.

Can you please put it out? Predicting non-smokers' assertiveness intentions at work.

PubMed

Aspropoulos, Eleftherios; Lazuras, Lambros; Rodafinos, Angelos; Eiser, J Richard

2010-04-01

The present study aimed to identify the psychosocial predictors of non-smoker employee intentions to ask smokers not to smoke at work. The predictive effects of past behaviour, anticipated regret, social norms, attitudinal, outcome expectancy and behavioural control beliefs were investigated in relation to the Attitudes-Social influence-self-Efficacy (ASE) model. Data were collected from Greek non-smoker employees (n=137, mean age=33.5, SD=10.5, 54.7% female) in 15 companies. The main outcome measure was assertiveness intention. Data on participants' past smoking, age, gender and on current smoking policy in the company were also collected. The majority of employees (77.4%) reported being annoyed by exposure to passive smoking at work, but only 37% reported having asked a smoker colleague not to smoke in the last 30 days. Regression analysis showed that the strongest predictor of non-smokers' assertiveness intentions was how often they believed that other non-smokers were assertive. Perceived control over being assertive, annoyance with secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure at work and past assertive behaviour also significantly predicted assertiveness intentions. Assertiveness by non-smoker employees seems to be guided mainly by normative and behavioural control beliefs, annoyance with SHS exposure at work, and past behaviour. Interventions to promote assertiveness in non-smokers might benefit from efficacy training combined with conveying the messages that the majority of other non-smokers are frequently annoyed by exposure to SHS, and that nearly half of all non-smokers are assertive towards smokers.

Road and Rail Traffic Noise Induce Comparable Extra-aural Effects as Revealed During a Short-term Memory Test

PubMed Central

Gallasch, Eugen; Raggam, Reinhard B; Cik, Michael; Rabensteiner, Jasmin; Lackner, Andreas; Piber, Barbara; Marth, Egon

2016-01-01

To examine extraaural effects as induced by 20 min of road (ROAD) and 20 min of rail (RAIL) traffic noise with same loudness (75 dBA), a laboratory study was carried out. The study (N=54) consisted of 28 high and 26 low-annoyed healthy individuals as determined by a traffic annoyance test. To control attention, all individuals performed a nonauditory short-term memory test during the noise exposures. A within-subject design, with phases of ROAD, RAIL, and CALM (memory test only), alternated by phases of rest, was defined. Heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (sBP), total peripheral resistance (TPR), as well as three autonomic variables, preejection period (PEP), 0.15–0.4 Hz high-frequency component of HR variability (HF), and salivary stress biomarker alpha amylase (sAA) were measured. In relation to CALM, HR increased (RAIL +2.1%, ROAD +2.5%), sBP tended to increase against the end of noise exposure, PEP decreased (RAIL −0.7%, ROAD −0.8%), HF decreased (RAIL −3.4%, ROAD −2.9%), and sAA increased (RAIL +78%, ROAD +69%). No differences were found between RAIL and ROAD, indicating that both noise stressors induced comparable extraaural effects. Factor annoyance showed significant during CALM. Here a reduced sympathetic drive (higher PEP values) combined with an increased vascular tone (higher TPR values) was found at the high-annoyed subgroup. PMID:27569408

A review of an updated synthesis of noise/annoyance relationships

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fields, James M.

1994-01-01

This report evaluates the evidence supporting the 'dosage-effect relationship for the prevalence of annoyance due to general transportation noise' that was originally presented in 1978 and more recently updated in 1991. The synthesis methods and many of the constituent studies' reports are examined. The weaknesses of the synthesis are identified and found to be partly due to the synthesis methodology, but fundamentally to the lack of comparability in the constituent studies' methodologies and reporting procedures. Several suggested improvements to survey, analysis, and synthesis techniques are proposed.

Annoyance and activity disturbance induced by high-speed railway and conventional railway noise: a contrastive case study.

PubMed

Di, Guo-Qing; Lin, Qi-Li; Li, Zheng-Guang; Kang, Jian

2014-03-07

High-speed railway (HR, Electrified railway with service speed above 200 km/h.) noise and conventional railway (CR, Electrified railway with service speed under 200 km/h.) noise are different in both time and frequency domain. There is an urgent need to study the influence of HR noise and consequently, develop appropriate noise evaluation index and limits for the total railway noise including HR and CR noise. Based on binaural recording of HR and CR noises in a approximate semi-free field, noise annoyance and activity disturbance induced by maximal train pass-by events in China were investigated through laboratory subjective evaluation. 80 students within recruited 102 students, 40 males and 40 females, 23.9 ± 2.1 years old, were finally selected as the subjects. After receiving noise stimulus via headphone of a binaural audio playback system, subjects were asked to express the annoyance or activity disturbance due to railway noise at a 0-100 numerical scale. The results show that with the same annoyance rating (A) or activity disturbance rating (D), the A-weighted equivalent sound pressure level (LAeq) of CR noise is approximately 7 dB higher than that of HR noise. Linear regression analysis between some acoustical parameters and A (or D) suggests that the coefficient of determination (R2) is higher with the instantaneous fast A-weighted sound pressure level (LAFmax) than that with LAeq. A combined acoustical parameter, LHC = 1.74LAFmax + 0.008LAFmax(Lp-LAeq), where Lp is the sound pressure level, was derived consequently, which could better evaluate the total railway noise, including HR and CR noise. More importantly, with a given LHC, the noise annoyance of HR and CR noise is the same. Among various acoustical parameters including LHC and LAeq, A and D have the highest correlation with LHC. LHC has been proved to be an appropriate index to evaluate the total railway noise, including both HR and CR. However, it should be pointed out that this study provides suggestive evidence, rather than a final proof. Further study is expected to elucidate conclusions above by additional measurements.

Intensity, Duration, and Location of High-Definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for Tinnitus Relief.

PubMed

Shekhawat, Giriraj Singh; Sundram, Frederick; Bikson, Marom; Truong, Dennis; De Ridder, Dirk; Stinear, Cathy M; Welch, David; Searchfield, Grant D

2016-05-01

Tinnitus is the perception of a phantom sound. The aim of this study was to compare current intensity (center anode 1 mA and 2 mA), duration (10 minutes and 20 minutes), and location (left temporoparietal area [LTA] and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex [DLPFC]) using 4 × 1 high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) for tinnitus reduction. Twenty-seven participants with chronic tinnitus (>2 years) and mean age of 53.5 years underwent 2 sessions of HD-tDCS of the LTA and DLPFC in a randomized order with a 1 week gap between site of stimulation. During each session, a combination of 4 different settings were used in increasing dose (1 mA, 10 minutes; 1 mA, 20 minutes; 2 mA, 10 minutes; and 2 mA, 20 minutes). The impact of different settings on tinnitus loudness and annoyance was documented. Twenty-one participants (77.78%) reported a minimum of 1 point reduction on tinnitus loudness or annoyance scales. There were significant changes in loudness and annoyance for duration of stimulation,F(1, 26) = 10.08,P< .005, and current intensity,F(1, 26) = 14.24,P= .001. There was no interaction between the location, intensity, and duration of stimulation. Higher intensity (2 mA) and longer duration (20 minutes) of stimulation were more effective. A current intensity of 2 mA for 20-minute duration was the most effective setting used for tinnitus relief. The stimulation of the LTA and DLPFC were equally effective for suppressing tinnitus loudness and annoyance. © The Author(s) 2015.

Verbal collision avoidance messages during simulated driving: perceived urgency, alerting effectiveness and annoyance.

PubMed

Baldwin, Carryl L

2011-04-01

Matching the perceived urgency of an alert with the relative hazard level of the situation is critical for effective alarm response. Two experiments describe the impact of acoustic and semantic parameters on ratings of perceived urgency, annoyance and alerting effectiveness and on alarm response speed. Within a simulated driving context, participants rated and responded to collision avoidance system (CAS) messages spoken by a female or male voice (experiments 1 and 2, respectively). Results indicated greater perceived urgency and faster alarm response times as intensity increased from -2 dB signal to noise (S/N) ratio to +10 dB S/N, although annoyance ratings increased as well. CAS semantic content interacted with alarm intensity, indicating that at lower intensity levels participants paid more attention to the semantic content. Results indicate that both acoustic and semantic parameters independently and interactively impact CAS alert perceptions in divided attention conditions and this work can inform auditory alarm design for effective hazard matching. Matching the perceived urgency of an alert with the relative hazard level of the situation is critical for effective alarm response. Here, both acoustic and semantic parameters independently and interactively impacted CAS alert perceptions in divided attention conditions. This work can inform auditory alarm design for effective hazard matching. STATEMENT OF RELEVANCE: Results indicate that both acoustic parameters and semantic content can be used to design collision warnings with a range of urgency levels. Further, these results indicate that verbal warnings tailored to a specific hazard situation may improve hazard-matching capabilities without substantial trade-offs in perceived annoyance.

Comparison of Community Response to Road Traffic Noise in Japan and SWEDEN—PART i: Outline of Surveys and DOSE-RESPONSE Relationships

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

SATO, T.; YANO, T.; BJÖRKMAN, M.; RYLANDER, R.

2002-02-01

To investigate cross-cultural differences in the community response to road traffic noise, social surveys were conducted in Gothenburg, Sweden, and Kumamoto and Sapporo, Japan, using the same questionnaire and noise measurement method. Typical residential areas with detached houses and apartments were selected as the target areas in each city. The questionnaire comprised 40 questions relating to environmental, housing and personal factors. The key questions concerned annoyance caused by road traffic noise. The total numbers of respondents were 1142 in Gothenburg, 837 in Kumamoto and 780 in Sapporo. The response rates were 68·8, 69·3 and 57·5% respectively. After the questionnaires were completed, noise measurements were made in each area. Community responses were compared on the basis of the dose-response relationships. There were no systematic differences between community responses in Sapporo and Kumamoto, which have the same culture. People living in detached houses in Gothenburg were more annoyed by the same road traffic noise than the people living in Japanese cities. There were no systematic differences among the three cities with regard to activity disturbances indoors, but significant disturbance of activities and resting in gardens or on balconies was noted in Gothenburg. The difference in activity disturbance was due to the differences between lifestyles in the two countries. People living in detached houses were more annoyed by the house vibration caused by road traffic than those living in apartments and people were annoyed by the exhaust from road traffic to the same extent as noise.

Hinged Capsulotomy – Does it Decrease Floaters After Yttrium Aluminum Garnet Laser Capsulotomy?

PubMed Central

Alipour, Fatemeh; Jabbarvand, Mahmoud; Hashemian, Hesam; Hosseini, Simindokht; Khodaparast, Mehdi

2015-01-01

Objectives: The objective was to compare conventional circular yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) laser capsulotomy with hinged capsulotomy to manage posterior capsular opacification (PCO). Materials and Methods: This prospective, randomized clinical trial enrolled pseudophakic patients with visually significant posterior capsule opacification. Patients were randomized to undergo posterior YAG laser capsulotomy with either conventional circular technique or a new technique with an inferior hinge. At 1-month postoperatively, patients were asked if they had any annoying floaters and the responses were compared between groups. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 83 patients were enrolled. Forty-three patients underwent hinged posterior YAG capsulotomy and 40 patients underwent routine circular capsulotomy. At 1-month postoperatively, there was a statistically significant decrease in annoying floaters in the group that underwent circular capsulotomy (P = 0.02). There was no statistically significant association in the total energy delivered (P = 0.4) or the number of spots (P = 0.2) and patient perception of annoying floaters. Conclusion: Hinged YAG capsulotomy was effective at decreasing the rate of floaters in patients with PCO. PMID:26180476

Hinged Capsulotomy--Does it Decrease Floaters After Yttrium Aluminum Garnet Laser Capsulotomy?

PubMed

Alipour, Fatemeh; Jabbarvand, Mahmoud; Hashemian, Hesam; Hosseini, Simindokht; Khodaparast, Mehdi

2015-01-01

The objective was to compare conventional circular yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) laser capsulotomy with hinged capsulotomy to manage posterior capsular opacification (PCO). This prospective, randomized clinical trial enrolled pseudophakic patients with visually significant posterior capsule opacification. Patients were randomized to undergo posterior YAG laser capsulotomy with either conventional circular technique or a new technique with an inferior hinge. At 1-month postoperatively, patients were asked if they had any annoying floaters and the responses were compared between groups. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. A total of 83 patients were enrolled. Forty-three patients underwent hinged posterior YAG capsulotomy and 40 patients underwent routine circular capsulotomy. At 1-month postoperatively, there was a statistically significant decrease in annoying floaters in the group that underwent circular capsulotomy (P = 0.02). There was no statistically significant association in the total energy delivered (P = 0.4) or the number of spots (P = 0.2) and patient perception of annoying floaters. Hinged YAG capsulotomy was effective at decreasing the rate of floaters in patients with PCO.

The Negative Affect Hypothesis of Noise Sensitivity

PubMed Central

Shepherd, Daniel; Heinonen-Guzejev, Marja; Heikkilä, Kauko; Dirks, Kim N.; Hautus, Michael J.; Welch, David; McBride, David

2015-01-01

Some studies indicate that noise sensitivity is explained by negative affect, a dispositional tendency to negatively evaluate situations and the self. Individuals high in such traits may report a greater sensitivity to other sensory stimuli, such as smell, bright light and pain. However, research investigating the relationship between noise sensitivity and sensitivity to stimuli associated with other sensory modalities has not always supported the notion of a common underlying trait, such as negative affect, driving them. Additionally, other explanations of noise sensitivity based on cognitive processes have existed in the clinical literature for over 50 years. Here, we report on secondary analyses of pre-existing laboratory (n = 74) and epidemiological (n = 1005) data focusing on the relationship between noise sensitivity to and annoyance with a variety of olfactory-related stimuli. In the first study a correlational design examined the relationships between noise sensitivity, noise annoyance, and perceptual ratings of 16 odors. The second study sought differences between mean noise and air pollution annoyance scores across noise sensitivity categories. Results from both analyses failed to support the notion that, by itself, negative affectivity explains sensitivity to noise. PMID:25993104

Comparison of methods of predicting community response to impulsive and nonimpulsive noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fidell, Sanford; Pearsons, Karl S.

1994-01-01

Several scientific, regulatory, and policy-coordinating bodies have developed methods for predicting community response to sonic booms. The best known of these is the dosage-response relationship of Working Group 84 of the National Academy of Science's Committee on Hearing, Bioacoustics and Biomechanics. This dosage-response relationship between C-weighted DayNight Average Sound Level and the prevalence of annoyance with high energy impulsive sounds was derived from limited amounts of information about community response to regular, prolonged, and expected exposure to artillery and sonic booms. U.S. Army Regulation 201 adapts this approach to predictions of the acceptability of impulsive noise exposure in communities. This regulation infers equivalent degrees of effect with respect to a well known dosage-response relationship for general (nonimpulsive) transportation noise. Differences in prevalence of annoyance predicted by various relationships lead to different predictions of the compatibility of land uses with sonic boom exposure. An examination of these differences makes apparent several unresolved issues in current practice for predicting and interpreting the prevalence of annoyance due to sonic boom exposure.

Ventilation noise and its effects on annoyance and performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Landstrom, Ulf

2004-05-01

In almost every room environment, ventilation acts as a more or less prominent part of the noise exposure. The contribution to the overall sound environment is a question not only of the way in which the ventilation system itself functions, but also a question of the prominence of other contemporary sound sources such as speech, equipment, machines, and external noises. Hazardous effects due to ventilation noise are most prominent in offices, hospitals, control rooms, classrooms, conference rooms, and other types of silent areas. The effects evoked by ventilation noise have also been found to be related to the type of activity being conducted. Annoyance and performance thus not only seemed to be linked to the physical character of exposure, i.e., noise level, frequency characteristics, and length of exposure, but also mental and manual activity, complexity, and monotony of the work. The effects can be described in terms of annoyance, discomfort, and fatigue, with consequences on performance and increased mental load. The silent areas where ventilation noise may be most frequently experienced are often synonymous with areas and activities most sensitive to the exposure.

The effect of the duration of jet aircraft flyover sounds on judged annoyance. [noise predictions and noise measurements of jet aircrafts and human reactions to the noise intensity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shepherd, K. P.

1979-01-01

The effect of the duration of jet aircraft flyover sounds on humans and the annoyance factor are examined. A nine point numerical category scaling technique is utilized for the study. Changes in the spectral characteristics of aircraft sounds caused by atmospheric attenuation are discussed. The effect of Doppler shifts using aircraft noises with minimal pure tone content is reported. The spectral content of sounds independent of duration and Doppler shift are examined by analysis of variance.

Acoustic Noise Levels of Dental Equipments and Its Association with Fear and Annoyance Levels among Patients Attending Different Dental Clinic Setups in Jaipur, India

PubMed Central

Ganta, Shravani; Nagaraj, Anup; Pareek, Sonia; Atri, Mansi; Singh, Kushpal; Sidiq, Mohsin

2014-01-01

Background: Noise is a source of pervasive occupational hazard for practicing dentists and the patients. The sources of dental sounds by various dental equipments can pose as a potential hazard to hearing system and add to the annoyance levels of the patients. The aim of the study was to analyze the noise levels from various equipments and evaluate the effect of acoustic noise stimulus on dental fear and annoyance levels among patients attending different dental clinic setups in Jaipur, India. Methodology: The sampling frame comprised of 180 patients, which included 90 patients attending 10 different private clinics and 90 patients attending a Dental College in Jaipur. The levels of Acoustic Noise Stimulus originating from different equipments were determined using a precision sound level meter/decibulometer. Dental fear among patients was measured using Dental Fear Scale (DFS). Results: Statistical analysis was performed using chi square test and unpaired t-test. The mean background noise levels were found to be maximum in the pre-clinical setup/ laboratory areas (69.23+2.20). Females and the patients attending dental college setup encountered more fear on seeing the drill as compared to the patients attending private clinics (p<0.001). Conclusion: The sources of dental sounds can pose as a potential hazard to hearing system. It was analyzed that the environment in the clinics can directly have an effect on the fear and annoyance levels of patients. Hence it is necessary control the noise from various dental equipments to reduce the fear of patients from visiting a dental clinic. PMID:24959512

The relationship between urban combined traffic noise and annoyance: an investigation in Dalian, north of China.

PubMed

Di, Guoqing; Liu, Xiaoyi; Lin, Qili; Zheng, Yue; He, Lingjiao

2012-08-15

Several residential areas in Dalian, north of China, were selected to investigate the influence of combined traffic noise pollution on urban residents. The software Cadna/A was used to estimate the day-night equivalent noise level (L(dn)) at 1m from the windows of each building, which were modified according to the actual data. Annoyance has been identified as the most important psychological impact of noise. A face-to-face survey on annoyance was carried out among 1536 local residents between the ages of 15 and 75 years. In this study, the relationship between the percentage of "highly annoyed" persons (%HA) and L(dn) was determined. The L(dn) was measured and identified as railway dominant noise, road traffic dominant noise or road-rail combined traffic noise. We find that when L(dn)>63.5 dB, the %HA due to the road-rail combined traffic noise was significantly higher than that due to the one dominant noise source with the same L(dn). Thus, it is suggested that the planning permission buildings whose L(dn) of road-rail combined traffic noise exceeds 63.5-dB be reviewed more strictly. The relationships between %HA induced by different traffic noise and the distance to transportation artery (s) were analyzed. The results showed that as the distance to transportation artery increased, the %HA due to different traffic noise gradually decreased. Furthermore, the %HA due to the road traffic dominant noise at close range (1 m≤s≤50 m) was lower than that at a more remote location (51 m≤s≤100 m), which might be ascribed to the greater tolerance of the noise by the residents. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Analysis of the Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors of Tinnitus in Adults

PubMed Central

Kim, Hyung-Jong; Lee, Hyo-Jeong; An, Soo-Youn; Sim, Songyong; Park, Bumjung; Kim, Si Whan; Lee, Joong Seob; Hong, Sung Kwang; Choi, Hyo Geun

2015-01-01

Background Tinnitus is a common condition in adults; however, the pathophysiology of tinnitus remains unclear, and no large population-based study has assessed the associated risk factors. The aim of this study was to analyze the prevalence and associated risk factors of tinnitus. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study using data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, with 19,290 participants ranging in age from 20 to 98 years old, between 2009 and 2012. We investigated the prevalence of tinnitus using a questionnaire and analyzed various possible factors associated with tinnitus using simple and multiple logistic regression analysis with complex sampling. Results The prevalence of tinnitus was 20.7%, and the rates of tinnitus associated with no discomfort, moderate annoyance, and severe annoyance were 69.2%, 27.9%, and 3.0%, respectively. The prevalence of tinnitus and the rates of annoying tinnitus increased with age. The adjusted odds ratio (AOR) of tinnitus was higher for females, those with a smoking history, those reporting less sleep (≤ 6 h), those with more stress, those in smaller households, those with a history of hyperlipidemia osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, depression, thyroid disease, an abnormal tympanic membrane, unilateral hearing loss, bilateral hearing loss, noise exposure from earphones, noise exposure at the workplace, noise exposure outside the workplace, and brief noise exposure. Additionally, unemployed individuals and soldiers had higher AORs for tinnitus. The AOR of annoying tinnitus increased with age, stress, history of hyperlipidemia, unilateral hearing loss, and bilateral hearing loss. Conclusions Tinnitus is very common in the general population and is associated with gender, smoking, stress, sleep, hearing loss, hyperlipidemia, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, depression, and thyroid disease history. PMID:26020239

Analysis of the prevalence and associated risk factors of tinnitus in adults.

PubMed

Kim, Hyung-Jong; Lee, Hyo-Jeong; An, Soo-Youn; Sim, Songyong; Park, Bumjung; Kim, Si Whan; Lee, Joong Seob; Hong, Sung Kwang; Choi, Hyo Geun

2015-01-01

Tinnitus is a common condition in adults; however, the pathophysiology of tinnitus remains unclear, and no large population-based study has assessed the associated risk factors. The aim of this study was to analyze the prevalence and associated risk factors of tinnitus. We conducted a cross-sectional study using data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, with 19,290 participants ranging in age from 20 to 98 years old, between 2009 and 2012. We investigated the prevalence of tinnitus using a questionnaire and analyzed various possible factors associated with tinnitus using simple and multiple logistic regression analysis with complex sampling. The prevalence of tinnitus was 20.7%, and the rates of tinnitus associated with no discomfort, moderate annoyance, and severe annoyance were 69.2%, 27.9%, and 3.0%, respectively. The prevalence of tinnitus and the rates of annoying tinnitus increased with age. The adjusted odds ratio (AOR) of tinnitus was higher for females, those with a smoking history, those reporting less sleep (≤ 6 h), those with more stress, those in smaller households, those with a history of hyperlipidemia osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, depression, thyroid disease, an abnormal tympanic membrane, unilateral hearing loss, bilateral hearing loss, noise exposure from earphones, noise exposure at the workplace, noise exposure outside the workplace, and brief noise exposure. Additionally, unemployed individuals and soldiers had higher AORs for tinnitus. The AOR of annoying tinnitus increased with age, stress, history of hyperlipidemia, unilateral hearing loss, and bilateral hearing loss. Tinnitus is very common in the general population and is associated with gender, smoking, stress, sleep, hearing loss, hyperlipidemia, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, depression, and thyroid disease history.

Do perceived job insecurity and annoyance due to air and noise pollution predict incident self-rated poor health? A prospective analysis of independent and joint associations using a German national representative cohort study

PubMed Central

Riedel, Natalie; Loerbroks, Adrian; Bolte, Gabriele; Li, Jian

2017-01-01

Background Current economic and social change has contributed to increasing job insecurity and traffic-related pollution in residential areas. Both job insecurity and exposure to noise and air pollution are known determinants of population health and can concur in peoples' lives. This may hold true particularly for socially disadvantaged subpopulations. Nevertheless, the potential independent and joint links of those exposures to health have been rarely examined so far. We aimed to contribute to the scarce body of evidence. Methods Information on perceived job insecurity and exposures to noise and air pollution as expressed by annoyance as well as on self-rated health were gathered from 2 waves of the population-based German Socio-Economic Panel (2009 and 2011, N=6544). We performed multivariable Poisson regression to examine the independent and joint risk of poor health in 2011 by perceived job insecurity and annoyance due to noise and air pollution in 2009. Results After the 2-year follow-up in 2011, 571 (8.7%) participants rated their health as poor. The risk of reporting incident poor health was increased by roughly 40% in employees reporting high versus low perceived job insecurity and annoyance due to noise and air pollution, respectively. This risk increased when both exposures were present at higher levels (risk ratio=1.95 (1.49 to 2.55)). Conclusions Work-related and environmental exposures may accumulate and have a joint health impact. Elaboration on the link between occupational and residential exposures is warranted in the light of their concurrence and their implications for health inequities. PMID:28115332

Stability of sonic boom metrics regarding signature distortions from atmospheric turbulence.

PubMed

Doebler, William J; Sparrow, Victor W

2017-06-01

The degree of insensitivity to atmospheric turbulence was evaluated for five metrics (A-, B-, E-weighted sound exposure level, Stevens Mark VII Perceived Level, and NASA's Indoor Sonic Boom Annoyance Predictor) that correlate to human annoyance from sonic booms. Eight N-wave shaped sonic booms from NASA's FaINT experiment and five simulated "low-boom" sonic booms were turbulized by Locey's ten atmospheric filter functions. The B-weighted sound exposure level value changed the least due to the turbulence filters for twelve of thirteen booms. This makes it the most turbulence stable metric which may be useful for quiet supersonic aircraft certification.

Noise-induced annoyance from transportation noise: short-term responses to a single noise source in a laboratory.

PubMed

Kim, Jaehwan; Lim, Changwoo; Hong, Jiyoung; Lee, Soogab

2010-02-01

An experimental study was performed to compare the annoyances from civil-aircraft noise, military-aircraft noise, railway noise, and road-traffic noise. Two-way within-subjects designs were applied in this research. Fifty-two subjects, who were naive listeners, were given various stimuli with varying levels through a headphone in an anechoic chamber. Regardless of the frequency weighting network, even under the same average energy level, civil-aircraft noise was the most annoying, followed by military-aircraft noise, railway noise, and road-traffic noise. In particular, penalties in the time-averaged, A-weighted sound level (TAL) of about 8, 5, and 5 dB, respectively, were found in the civil-aircraft, military-aircraft, and railway noises. The reason could be clarified through the high-frequency component and the variability in the level. When people were exposed to sounds with the same maximum A-weighted level, a railway bonus of about 3 dB was found. However, transportation noise has been evaluated by the time-averaged A-weighted level in most countries. Therefore, in the present situation, the railway bonus is not acceptable for railway vehicles with diesel-electric engines.

A new field-laboratory methodology for assessing human response to noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Borsky, P. N.

1973-01-01

Gross measures of community annoyance with intrusive noises have been made in a number of real environment surveys which indicate that aircraft noise may have to be reduced 30-40 EPNdb before it will generally be considered acceptable. Interview studies, however, cannot provide the precise information which is needed by noise abatement engineers of the variable human response to different types and degrees of noise exposure. A new methodological field-survey approach has been developed to provide such information. The integrated attitudes and experiences of a random sample of subjects in the real environment are obtained by a prior field survey. Then these subjects record their more precise responses to controlled noise exposures in a new realistic laboratory. The laboratory is a sound chamber furnished as a typical living room (18 ft x 14 ft) and subjects watch a color TV program while they judge simulated aircraft flyovers that occur at controlled levels and intervals. Methodological experiments indicate that subjects in the laboratory have the sensation that the airplanes are actually moving overhead across the ceiling of the chamber. It was also determined that annoyance judgments in the laboratory stabilize after three flyovers are heard prior to a judgment of annoyance.

Assessment of rural soundscapes with high-speed train noise.

PubMed

Lee, Pyoung Jik; Hong, Joo Young; Jeon, Jin Yong

2014-06-01

In the present study, rural soundscapes with high-speed train noise were assessed through laboratory experiments. A total of ten sites with varying landscape metrics were chosen for audio-visual recording. The acoustical characteristics of the high-speed train noise were analyzed using various noise level indices. Landscape metrics such as the percentage of natural features (NF) and Shannon's diversity index (SHDI) were adopted to evaluate the landscape features of the ten sites. Laboratory experiments were then performed with 20 well-trained listeners to investigate the perception of high-speed train noise in rural areas. The experiments consisted of three parts: 1) visual-only condition, 2) audio-only condition, and 3) combined audio-visual condition. The results showed that subjects' preference for visual images was significantly related to NF, the number of land types, and the A-weighted equivalent sound pressure level (LAeq). In addition, the visual images significantly influenced the noise annoyance, and LAeq and NF were the dominant factors affecting the annoyance from high-speed train noise in the combined audio-visual condition. In addition, Zwicker's loudness (N) was highly correlated with the annoyance from high-speed train noise in both the audio-only and audio-visual conditions. © 2013.

Community Response to Multiple Sound Sources: Integrating Acoustic and Contextual Approaches in the Analysis

PubMed Central

Lercher, Peter; De Coensel, Bert; Dekonink, Luc; Botteldooren, Dick

2017-01-01

Sufficient data refer to the relevant prevalence of sound exposure by mixed traffic sources in many nations. Furthermore, consideration of the potential effects of combined sound exposure is required in legal procedures such as environmental health impact assessments. Nevertheless, current practice still uses single exposure response functions. It is silently assumed that those standard exposure-response curves accommodate also for mixed exposures—although some evidence from experimental and field studies casts doubt on this practice. The ALPNAP-study population (N = 1641) shows sufficient subgroups with combinations of rail-highway, highway-main road and rail-highway-main road sound exposure. In this paper we apply a few suggested approaches of the literature to investigate exposure-response curves and its major determinants in the case of exposure to multiple traffic sources. Highly/moderate annoyance and full scale mean annoyance served as outcome. The results show several limitations of the current approaches. Even facing the inherent methodological limitations (energy equivalent summation of sound, rating of overall annoyance) the consideration of main contextual factors jointly occurring with the sources (such as vibration, air pollution) or coping activities and judgments of the wider area soundscape increases the variance explanation from up to 8% (bivariate), up to 15% (base adjustments) up to 55% (full contextual model). The added predictors vary significantly, depending on the source combination. (e.g., significant vibration effects with main road/railway, not highway). Although no significant interactions were found, the observed additive effects are of public health importance. Especially in the case of a three source exposure situation the overall annoyance is already high at lower levels and the contribution of the acoustic indicators is small compared with the non-acoustic and contextual predictors. Noise mapping needs to go down to levels of 40 dBA,Lden to ensure the protection of quiet areas and prohibit the silent “filling up” of these areas with new sound sources. Eventually, to better predict the annoyance in the exposure range between 40 and 60 dBA and support the protection of quiet areas in city and rural areas in planning sound indicators need to be oriented at the noticeability of sound and consider other traffic related by-products (air quality, vibration, coping strain) in future studies and environmental impact assessments. PMID:28632198

Annoyance and activity disturbance induced by high-speed railway and conventional railway noise: a contrastive case study

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background High-speed railway (HR, Electrified railway with service speed above 200 km/h.) noise and conventional railway (CR, Electrified railway with service speed under 200 km/h.) noise are different in both time and frequency domain. There is an urgent need to study the influence of HR noise and consequently, develop appropriate noise evaluation index and limits for the total railway noise including HR and CR noise. Methods Based on binaural recording of HR and CR noises in a approximate semi-free field, noise annoyance and activity disturbance induced by maximal train pass-by events in China were investigated through laboratory subjective evaluation. 80 students within recruited 102 students, 40 males and 40 females, 23.9 ± 2.1 years old, were finally selected as the subjects. After receiving noise stimulus via headphone of a binaural audio playback system, subjects were asked to express the annoyance or activity disturbance due to railway noise at a 0-100 numerical scale. Results The results show that with the same annoyance rating (A) or activity disturbance rating (D), the A-weighted equivalent sound pressure level (LAeq) of CR noise is approximately 7 dB higher than that of HR noise. Linear regression analysis between some acoustical parameters and A (or D) suggests that the coefficient of determination (R2) is higher with the instantaneous fast A-weighted sound pressure level (LAFmax) than that with LAeq. A combined acoustical parameter, LHC = 1.74LAFmax + 0.008LAFmax(Lp-LAeq), where Lp is the sound pressure level, was derived consequently, which could better evaluate the total railway noise, including HR and CR noise. More importantly, with a given LHC, the noise annoyance of HR and CR noise is the same. Conclusions Among various acoustical parameters including LHC and LAeq, A and D have the highest correlation with LHC. LHC has been proved to be an appropriate index to evaluate the total railway noise, including both HR and CR. However, it should be pointed out that this study provides suggestive evidence, rather than a final proof. Further study is expected to elucidate conclusions above by additional measurements. PMID:24602397

An optimized ERP brain-computer interface based on facial expression changes.

PubMed

Jin, Jing; Daly, Ian; Zhang, Yu; Wang, Xingyu; Cichocki, Andrzej

2014-06-01

Interferences from spatially adjacent non-target stimuli are known to evoke event-related potentials (ERPs) during non-target flashes and, therefore, lead to false positives. This phenomenon was commonly seen in visual attention-based brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) using conspicuous stimuli and is known to adversely affect the performance of BCI systems. Although users try to focus on the target stimulus, they cannot help but be affected by conspicuous changes of the stimuli (such as flashes or presenting images) which were adjacent to the target stimulus. Furthermore, subjects have reported that conspicuous stimuli made them tired and annoyed. In view of this, the aim of this study was to reduce adjacent interference, annoyance and fatigue using a new stimulus presentation pattern based upon facial expression changes. Our goal was not to design a new pattern which could evoke larger ERPs than the face pattern, but to design a new pattern which could reduce adjacent interference, annoyance and fatigue, and evoke ERPs as good as those observed during the face pattern. Positive facial expressions could be changed to negative facial expressions by minor changes to the original facial image. Although the changes are minor, the contrast is big enough to evoke strong ERPs. In this paper, a facial expression change pattern between positive and negative facial expressions was used to attempt to minimize interference effects. This was compared against two different conditions, a shuffled pattern containing the same shapes and colours as the facial expression change pattern, but without the semantic content associated with a change in expression, and a face versus no face pattern. Comparisons were made in terms of classification accuracy and information transfer rate as well as user supplied subjective measures. The results showed that interferences from adjacent stimuli, annoyance and the fatigue experienced by the subjects could be reduced significantly (p < 0.05) by using the facial expression change patterns in comparison with the face pattern. The offline results show that the classification accuracy of the facial expression change pattern was significantly better than that of the shuffled pattern (p < 0.05) and the face pattern (p < 0.05). The facial expression change pattern presented in this paper reduced interference from adjacent stimuli and decreased the fatigue and annoyance experienced by BCI users significantly (p < 0.05) compared to the face pattern.

An optimized ERP brain-computer interface based on facial expression changes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, Jing; Daly, Ian; Zhang, Yu; Wang, Xingyu; Cichocki, Andrzej

2014-06-01

Objective. Interferences from spatially adjacent non-target stimuli are known to evoke event-related potentials (ERPs) during non-target flashes and, therefore, lead to false positives. This phenomenon was commonly seen in visual attention-based brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) using conspicuous stimuli and is known to adversely affect the performance of BCI systems. Although users try to focus on the target stimulus, they cannot help but be affected by conspicuous changes of the stimuli (such as flashes or presenting images) which were adjacent to the target stimulus. Furthermore, subjects have reported that conspicuous stimuli made them tired and annoyed. In view of this, the aim of this study was to reduce adjacent interference, annoyance and fatigue using a new stimulus presentation pattern based upon facial expression changes. Our goal was not to design a new pattern which could evoke larger ERPs than the face pattern, but to design a new pattern which could reduce adjacent interference, annoyance and fatigue, and evoke ERPs as good as those observed during the face pattern. Approach. Positive facial expressions could be changed to negative facial expressions by minor changes to the original facial image. Although the changes are minor, the contrast is big enough to evoke strong ERPs. In this paper, a facial expression change pattern between positive and negative facial expressions was used to attempt to minimize interference effects. This was compared against two different conditions, a shuffled pattern containing the same shapes and colours as the facial expression change pattern, but without the semantic content associated with a change in expression, and a face versus no face pattern. Comparisons were made in terms of classification accuracy and information transfer rate as well as user supplied subjective measures. Main results. The results showed that interferences from adjacent stimuli, annoyance and the fatigue experienced by the subjects could be reduced significantly (p < 0.05) by using the facial expression change patterns in comparison with the face pattern. The offline results show that the classification accuracy of the facial expression change pattern was significantly better than that of the shuffled pattern (p < 0.05) and the face pattern (p < 0.05). Significance. The facial expression change pattern presented in this paper reduced interference from adjacent stimuli and decreased the fatigue and annoyance experienced by BCI users significantly (p < 0.05) compared to the face pattern.

Quantification of the exposure and effects of road traffic noise in a dense Asian city: a comparison with western cities.

PubMed

Brown, Alan Lex; Lam, Kin Che; van Kamp, Irene

2015-03-07

Particularly in Asia, dense, traffic-intense, and usually high-rise cities are increasingly the norm. Is existing knowledge on exposure to road traffic noise, and on people's response to such exposure, garnered primarily from western cities, equally applicable in these? Hong Kong has high population and traffic density and a high-rise building form. Road traffic noise exposure was estimated, and residents' responses to traffic noise measured, for a sample of 10,077 dwellings. Noise level estimates were based on three-dimensional modelling. Best international survey practice measured self-reported annoyance and sleep-disturbance. Benchmark estimates of exposure, and of annoyance and self-reported sleep disturbance, are provided. We compare Hong Kong exposure with those of European cities, and the exposure-response relationship for annoyance in Hong Kong to those reported from elsewhere - based on the tolerance limits of previous syntheses. Exposure-response for self-reported sleep disturbance is also compared. The distribution of exposures of dwellings in high-rise, high-density, Hong Kong is different from those reported from Europe, but not at the higher noise levels. The exposure-annoyance relationship for road traffic noise was from the same population of exposure-response relationships, being well within the tolerance limits, of studies used to generate the synthesized Miedema and Oudshoorn curves. The exposure-response curve for self-reported sleep disturbance was parallel to that of Miedema and Vos but slightly lower. The proportion of the Hong Kong population exposed to high levels (>70 dB) is similar to that found in Europe. However, a much higher proportion, compared to European cities, is exposed to Lden levels of 60-64 dB, and a much lower proportion to lower levels (<55 dB). There is no evidence that the exposure-response relationships for annoyance and self-reported sleep disturbance in Hong Kong are different from relationships synthesized from earlier studies - despite the western bias and temperate-climate bias in the studies available in the syntheses. This is an important finding for urban planning and traffic noise management of the growing mega-cities in the world whose built forms can be expected to reflect that of Hong Kong more than of cities in the west.

An estimate of the enroute noise of an advanced turboprop airplane NASA-TM-87302 E-3020 NAS 1.15:87302 HC A02/MF A01

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dittmar, J. H.

1986-01-01

The enroute noise of an Advanced Turboprop powered aircraft was estimated. The measured noise levels were roughly equivalent in annoyance to the noise 15.24 m from an automobile traveling at 80 km/h. It is felt that these levels would not illicit noise complaints from urban areas during the day but might be a slight annoyance in rural areas or in urban areas at night. Although it is not felt that the enroute noise is a major problem, it is indicated that a reduction in the enroute noise could improve the acceptability of advance turboprop airplanes.

Structure of perceived handicap in middle-aged males with noise-induced hearing loss, with and without tinnitus.

PubMed

Hallberg, L R; Johnsson, T; Axelsson, A

1993-01-01

By using a modified stepwise regression analysis technique, the structure of self-perceived handicap and tinnitus annoyance in 89 males with noise-induced hearing loss was described. Handicap was related to three clusters of variables, reflecting individual, environmental, and socioeconomic aspects, and 60% of the variance in self-perceived handicap was explained by the representatives of these clusters: i.e. 'acceptance of hearing problems', 'social support related to tinnitus' and 'years of education'. Tinnitus had no impact of its own on self-perceived handicap and only a modest portion (36%) of the variance in tinnitus annoyance was explained by 'sleep disturbance' and 'auditory perceptual difficulties'.

Aircraft noise annoyance in recreational areas after changes in noise exposure: comments on Krog and Engdahl (2004).

PubMed

Klaeboe, Ronny

2005-09-01

When Gardermoen replaced Fornebu as the main airport for Oslo, aircraft noise levels increased in recreational areas near Gardermoen and decreased in areas near Fornebu. Krog and Engdahl [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 116, 323-333 (2004)] estimate that recreationists' annoyance from aircraft noise in these areas changed more than would be anticipated from the actual noise changes. However, the sizes of their estimated "situation" effects are not credible. One possible reason for the anomalous results is that standard regression assumptions become violated when motivational factors are inserted into the regression model. Standardized regression coefficients (beta values) should also not be utilized for comparisons across equations.

The effect of system aesthetics on trust, cooperation, satisfaction and annoyance in an imperfect automated system.

PubMed

Weinstock, Alona; Oron-Gilad, Tal; Parmet, Yisrael

2012-01-01

Lack of system reliability has been repeatedly identified as a factor that decreases trust. However, aesthetics has an important role in the development of trust. Most of the research concerning the connection between aesthetics and trust focused on mobile commerce and websites while very little has been done in examining aesthetics in automated systems. This study integrated aesthetics manipulations into an imperfect in-vehicle automation system and focused on the power of aesthetics to decrease the negative effects of errors on trust, satisfaction, annoyance, and human-automation cooperation perceptions. Participants used the navigation system in either 100% or 85% accuracy levels with an aesthetic or non aesthetic system (4 conditions). In both aesthetic and non aesthetic systems, perceptions of trust, satisfaction and human automation cooperation were decreased in the imperfect system compared to the perfect one. However, in the annoyance rating, this trend was found only in the aesthetic system while in the non-aesthetic system no difference was found between the two levels of accuracy. This single effect may indicate upon the possibility that in automated systems aesthetics affects trust and satisfaction more moderately compared to mobile commerce applications and websites. However, more research is needed to assess this assumption.

WHO Environmental Noise Guidelines for the European Region: A Systematic Review of Transport Noise Interventions and Their Impacts on Health.

PubMed

Brown, Alan Lex; van Kamp, Irene

2017-08-03

This paper describes a systematic review (1980-2014) of evidence on effects of transport noise interventions on human health. The sources are road traffic, railways, and air traffic. Health outcomes include sleep disturbance, annoyance, cognitive impairment of children and cardiovascular diseases. A conceptual framework to classify noise interventions and health effects was developed. Evidence was thinly spread across source types, outcomes, and intervention types. Further, diverse intervention study designs, methods of analyses, exposure levels, and changes in exposure do not allow a meta-analysis of the association between changes in noise level and health outcomes, and risk of bias in most studies was high. However, 43 individual transport noise intervention studies were examined (33 road traffic; 7 air traffic; 3 rail) as to whether the intervention was associated with a change in health outcome. Results showed that many of the interventions were associated with changes in health outcomes irrespective of the source type, the outcome or intervention type (source, path or infrastructure). For road traffic sources and the annoyance outcome, the expected effect-size can be estimated from an appropriate exposure-response function, though the change in annoyance in most studies was larger than could be expected based on noise level change.

Linking Traffic Noise, Noise Annoyance and Life Satisfaction: A Case Study

PubMed Central

Urban, Jan; Máca, Vojtěch

2013-01-01

The primary purpose of this study was to explore the link between rail and road traffic noise and overall life satisfaction. While the negative relationship between residential satisfaction and traffic noise is relatively well-established, much less is known about the effect of traffic noise on overall life satisfaction. Based on results of previous studies, we propose a model that links objective noise levels, noise sensitivity, noise annoyance, residential satisfaction and life satisfaction. Since it is not clear whether a bottom-up or top-down relationship between residential satisfaction and life satisfaction holds, we specify models that incorporate both of these theoretical propositions. Empirical models are tested using structural equation modeling and data from a survey among residents of areas with high levels of road traffic noise (n1 = 354) and rail traffic noise (n2 = 228). We find that traffic noise has a negative effect on residential satisfaction, but no significant direct or indirect effects on overall life satisfaction. Noise annoyance due to road and rail traffic noise has strong negative effect on residential satisfaction rather than on overall life satisfaction. These results are very similar for the road and railway traffic contexts and regardless of whether the model assumes the top-down or bottom-up direction of the causation between life satisfaction and residential satisfaction. PMID:23652784

Linking traffic noise, noise annoyance and life satisfaction: a case study.

PubMed

Urban, Jan; Máca, Vojtěch

2013-05-07

The primary purpose of this study was to explore the link between rail and road traffic noise and overall life satisfaction. While the negative relationship between residential satisfaction and traffic noise is relatively well-established, much less is known about the effect of traffic noise on overall life satisfaction. Based on results of previous studies, we propose a model that links objective noise levels, noise sensitivity, noise annoyance, residential satisfaction and life satisfaction. Since it is not clear whether a bottom-up or top-down relationship between residential satisfaction and life satisfaction holds, we specify models that incorporate both of these theoretical propositions. Empirical models are tested using structural equation modeling and data from a survey among residents of areas with high levels of road traffic noise (n1 = 354) and rail traffic noise (n2 = 228). We find that traffic noise has a negative effect on residential satisfaction, but no significant direct or indirect effects on overall life satisfaction. Noise annoyance due to road and rail traffic noise has strong negative effect on residential satisfaction rather than on overall life satisfaction. These results are very similar for the road and railway traffic contexts and regardless of whether the model assumes the top-down or bottom-up direction of the causation between life satisfaction and residential satisfaction.

Indoor noise annoyance due to 3-5 megawatt wind turbines-An exposure-response relationship.

PubMed

Hongisto, Valtteri; Oliva, David; Keränen, Jukka

2017-10-01

The existing exposure-response relationships describing the association between wind turbine sound level and noise annoyance concern turbine sizes of 0.15-3.0 MW. The main purpose of this study was to determine a relationship concerning turbines with nominal power of 3-5 MW. A cross-sectional survey was conducted around three wind power areas in Finland. The survey involved all households within a 2 km distance from the nearest turbine. Altogether, 429 households out of 753 participated. The households were exposed to wind turbine noise having sound levels within 26.7-44.2 dB L Aeq . Standard prediction methods were applied to determine the sound level, L Aeq , in each participant's yard. The measured sound level agreed well with the predicted sound level. The exposure-response relationship was derived between L Aeq outdoors and the indoor noise annoyance. The relationship was in rather good agreement with two previous studies involving much smaller turbines (0.15-1.5 MW) under 40 dB L Aeq . The Community Tolerance Level (CTL), CTL 20  = 50 dB, was 3 dB lower than for two previous studies. Above 40 dB, a small number of participants prevented a reliable comparison to previous studies.

Association between sleep disorders, hyperacusis and tinnitus: evaluation with tinnitus questionnaires.

PubMed

Fioretti, Alessandra B; Fusetti, Marco; Eibenstein, Alberto

2013-01-01

Patients with tinnitus are heterogeneous and several factors influence the impact of this symptom on the quality of life. The aim of the study is to evaluate the relationship between age, gender, sleep disorders, hyperacusis and tinnitus annoyance and to demonstrate the utility of tinnitus questionnaires as screening tools for sleep disorders and hyperacusis in patients with tinnitus. 37 consecutive patients (18 males and 19 females) with subjective tinnitus lasting over 3 months were evaluated with a complete interview, otological examination, pure tone audiometry, Italian version of tinnitus sample case history (TSCH) and tinnitus handicap inventory (THI). Statistical analysis was performed with the Wilcoxon's rank sum test, the Spearman's rho non-parametric correlation and the logistic regression analysis. THI grades were slight (16%), mild (32%), moderate (30%), severe (19%) and catastrophic (3%). Based on the answers to TSCH 20 patients reported sleep disorders (54%) and 20 patients reported hyperacusis (54%). 11 patients (30%) reported sleep disorders and hyperacusis. No significant correlation was found between the severity of tinnitus and patients' age and gender. Significant correlation was found between sleep disorders (P = 0.0009) and tinnitus annoyance and between hyperacusis (P = 0.03) and tinnitus annoyance. TSCH and THI may be considered as screening tools in the clinical practice to evidence sleep disorders and hyperacusis in patients with tinnitus.

WHO Environmental Noise Guidelines for the European Region: A Systematic Review of Transport Noise Interventions and Their Impacts on Health

PubMed Central

van Kamp, Irene

2017-01-01

This paper describes a systematic review (1980–2014) of evidence on effects of transport noise interventions on human health. The sources are road traffic, railways, and air traffic. Health outcomes include sleep disturbance, annoyance, cognitive impairment of children and cardiovascular diseases. A conceptual framework to classify noise interventions and health effects was developed. Evidence was thinly spread across source types, outcomes, and intervention types. Further, diverse intervention study designs, methods of analyses, exposure levels, and changes in exposure do not allow a meta-analysis of the association between changes in noise level and health outcomes, and risk of bias in most studies was high. However, 43 individual transport noise intervention studies were examined (33 road traffic; 7 air traffic; 3 rail) as to whether the intervention was associated with a change in health outcome. Results showed that many of the interventions were associated with changes in health outcomes irrespective of the source type, the outcome or intervention type (source, path or infrastructure). For road traffic sources and the annoyance outcome, the expected effect-size can be estimated from an appropriate exposure–response function, though the change in annoyance in most studies was larger than could be expected based on noise level change. PMID:28771220

Environmental Intolerance, Symptoms and Disability Among Fertile-Aged Women

PubMed Central

Vuokko, Aki; Karvala, Kirsi; Lampi, Jussi; Keski-Nisula, Leea; Pasanen, Markku; Voutilainen, Raimo; Pekkanen, Juha; Sainio, Markku

2018-01-01

The purpose was to study the prevalence of environmental intolerance (EI) and its different manifestations, including behavioral changes and disability. Fertile-aged women (n = 680) of the Kuopio Birth Cohort Study were asked about annoyance to 12 environmental factors, symptoms and behavioral changes. We asked how much the intolerance had disrupted their work, household responsibilities or social life. We chose intolerance attributed to chemicals, indoor molds, and electromagnetic fields to represent typical intolerance entities. Of the respondents, 46% reported annoyance to chemicals, molds, or electromagnetic fields. Thirty-three percent reported symptoms relating to at least one of these three EIs, 18% reported symptoms that included central nervous system symptoms, and 15% reported behavioral changes. Indicating disability, 8.4% reported their experience relating to any of the three EIs as at least “somewhat difficult”, 2.2% “very difficult” or “extremely difficult”, and 0.9% “extremely difficult”. Of the latter 2.2%, all attributed their intolerance to indoor molds, and two thirds also to chemicals. As the number of difficulties increased, the number of organ systems, behavioral changes and overlaps of the three EIs also grew. EI is a heterogeneous phenomenon and its prevalence depends on its definition. The manifestations of EI form a continuum, ranging from annoyance to severe disability. PMID:29419757

A meta-analytic review of psychological treatments for tinnitus.

PubMed

Andersson, G; Lyttkens, L

1999-08-01

Meta-analysis is a technique of combining results from different trials in order to obtain estimates of effects across studies. Meta-analysis has, as yet, rarely been used in audiological research. The aim of this paper was to conduct a meta-analysis on psychological treatment of tinnitus. The outcomes of 18 studies, including a total of 24 samples and up to 700 subjects, were included and coded. Included were studies on cognitive/cognitive-behavioural treatment, relaxation, hypnosis, biofeedback, educational sessions and problem-solving. Effect sizes for perceived tinnitus loudness, annoyance, negative affect (e.g. depression) and sleep problems were calculated for randomized controlled studies, pre-post-treatment design studies and follow-up results. Results showed strong to moderate effects on tinnitus annoyance for controlled studies (d = 0.86), pre-post designs (d = 0.5) and at follow-up (d = 0.48). Results on tinnitus loudness were weaker and disappeared at follow-up. Lower effect sizes were also obtained for measures of negative affect and sleep problems. Exploratory analyses revealed that cognitive-behavioural treatments were more effective on ratings of annoyance in the controlled studies. It is concluded that psychological treatment for tinnitus is effective, but that aspects such as depression and sleep problems may need to be targeted in future studies.

Parametric study of STOL short-haul engine cycles and operational techniques to minimize community noise impact

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

The effect of aircraft operational techniques in the terminal area on community noise impact of future short-haul aircraft was investigated. These operational techniques affected altitude, flap retraction rate, thrust cutback altitude, amount of thrust cutback, and amount of turning. During landing the parameters varied were glide slope angle, change in slope angle (two segment approach), and flap extension rate. One mechanical-flap (MF) aircraft and one externally-blown-flap (EBF) aircraft were used to study by noise impact at four U.S. airports, Hanscom Field (Boston); Washington National; Midway (Chicago); and Orange County (California). With the exception of Washington National (DCA), the study showed that a reduction of approximately 40 percent in the number of people highly annoyed (as defined in the study) can be obtained by using these operational techniques. At DCA the number of people highly annoyed using the standard procedure was quite low, but it is significant that the minimumimpact case for Runway 36 reduced the number of people highly annoyed to zero using a power cutback and a turning departure path. The evaluation procedures and methodology developed in this study represents an advance in acoustical state-of-the-art and should provide an effective and useful tool for determining aircraft noise impact upon the airport community.

The effect of spatial distribution on the annoyance caused by simultaneous sounds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vos, Joos; Bronkhorst, Adelbert W.; Fedtke, Thomas

2004-05-01

A considerable part of the population is exposed to simultaneous and/or successive environmental sounds from different sources. In many cases, these sources are different with respect to their locations also. In a laboratory study, it was investigated whether the annoyance caused by the multiple sounds is affected by the spatial distribution of the sources. There were four independent variables: (1) sound category (stationary or moving), (2) sound type (stationary: lawn-mower, leaf-blower, and chain saw; moving: road traffic, railway, and motorbike), (3) spatial location (left, right, and combinations), and (4) A-weighted sound exposure level (ASEL of single sources equal to 50, 60, or 70 dB). In addition to the individual sounds in isolation, various combinations of two or three different sources within each sound category and sound level were presented for rating. The annoyance was mainly determined by sound level and sound source type. In most cases there were neither significant main effects of spatial distribution nor significant interaction effects between spatial distribution and the other variables. It was concluded that for rating the spatially distrib- uted sounds investigated, the noise dose can simply be determined by a summation of the levels for the left and right channels. [Work supported by CEU.

Health effects from low-frequency noise and infrasound in the general population: Is it time to listen? A systematic review of observational studies.

PubMed

Baliatsas, Christos; van Kamp, Irene; van Poll, Ric; Yzermans, Joris

2016-07-01

A systematic review of observational studies was conducted to assess the association between everyday life low-frequency noise (LFN) components, including infrasound and health effects in the general population. Literature databases Pubmed, Embase and PsycInfo and additional bibliographic sources such as reference sections of key publications and journal databases were searched for peer-reviewed studies published from 2000 to 2015. Seven studies met the inclusion criteria. Most of them examined subjective annoyance as primary outcome. The adequacy of provided information in the included papers and methodological quality of studies was also addressed. Moreover, studies were screened for meta-analysis eligibility. Some associations were observed between exposure to LFN and annoyance, sleep-related problems, concentration difficulties and headache in the adult population living in the vicinity of a range of LFN sources. However, evidence, especially in relation to chronic medical conditions, was very limited. The estimated pooled prevalence of high subjective annoyance attributed to LFN was about 10%. Epidemiological research on LFN and health effects is scarce and suffers from methodological shortcomings. Low frequency noise in the everyday environment constitutes an issue that requires more research attention, particularly for people living in the vicinity of relevant sources. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Exposure-response relationships for annoyance due to freight and passenger railway vibration exposure in residential environments.

PubMed

Sharp, Calum; Woodcock, James; Sica, Gennaro; Peris, Eulalia; Moorhouse, Andrew T; Waddington, David C

2014-01-01

In this work, exposure-response relationships for annoyance due to freight and passenger railway vibration exposure in residential environments are developed, so as to better understand the differences in human response to these two sources of environmental vibration. Data for this research come from a field study comprising interviews with respondents and measurements of their vibration exposure (N = 752). A logistic regression model is able to accurately classify 96% of these measured railway vibration signals as freight or passenger based on two signal properties that quantify the duration and low frequency content of each signal. Exposure-response relationships are then determined using ordinal probit modeling with fixed thresholds. The results indicate that people are able to distinguish between freight and passenger railway vibration, and that the annoyance response due to freight railway vibration is significantly higher than that due to passenger railway vibration, even for equal levels of exposure. In terms of a community tolerance level, the population studied is 15 dB (re 10(-6) m s(-2)) more tolerant to passenger railway vibration than freight railway vibration. These results have implications for the expansion of freight traffic on rail, or for policies to promote passenger railway.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ruotolo, Francesco, E-mail: francesco.ruotolo@unina2.it; Maffei, Luigi, E-mail: luigi.maffei@unina2.it; Di Gabriele, Maria, E-mail: maria.digabriele@unina2.it

Several international studies have shown that traffic noise has a negative impact on people's health and that people's annoyance does not depend only on noise energetic levels, but rather on multi-perceptual factors. The combination of virtual reality technology and audio rendering techniques allow us to experiment a new approach for environmental noise assessment that can help to investigate in advance the potential negative effects of noise associated with a specific project and that in turn can help designers to make educated decisions. In the present study, the audio–visual impact of a new motorway project on people has been assessed bymore » means of immersive virtual reality technology. In particular, participants were exposed to 3D reconstructions of an actual landscape without the projected motorway (ante operam condition), and of the same landscape with the projected motorway (post operam condition). Furthermore, individuals' reactions to noise were assessed by means of objective cognitive measures (short term verbal memory and executive functions) and subjective evaluations (noise and visual annoyance). Overall, the results showed that the introduction of a projected motorway in the environment can have immediate detrimental effects of people's well-being depending on the distance from the noise source. In particular, noise due to the new infrastructure seems to exert a negative influence on short term verbal memory and to increase both visual and noise annoyance. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed. -- Highlights: ► Impact of traffic noise on people's well-being depends on multi-perceptual factors. ► A multisensory virtual reality technology is used to simulate a projected motorway. ► Effects on short-term memory and auditory and visual subjective annoyance were found. ► The closer the distance from the motorway the stronger was the effect. ► Multisensory virtual reality methodologies can be used to study environmental impact.« less

Railway noise annoyance on the railway track in northwest slovakia.

PubMed

Pultznerova, Alzbeta; Eva, Panulinova; Kucharova, Daniela; Argalasova, Lubica

2018-01-01

This paper describes an assessment of noise caused by railway traffic in a large high-loaded railway track in Northwest Slovakia. The measurements of noise levels generated by trains passing through residential neighborhoods were taken. Noise maps were also calculated showing noise pollution generated by the train traffic. In addition, the annoyance level and sleep disturbance of residents affected by railway noise were evaluated by a validated questionnaire on a pilot sample of 107 respondents living near the important railway track. The measurements indicated that the noise levels generated by the passage of the train were extremely high especially at night, clearly exceeding the nighttime limits of equivalent sound pressure level established by the Decree of the Slovak Ministry of Health (No.549/2007) (L Aeq  = 55 dB). Measurements at one point during the night exceeded the limit values of up to 17.4 dB. The residents reported feeling affected by the noise generated by passing trains, which caused irritability, headache, poor concentration, and insomnia. In addition, 19.64% of the residents claimed that nocturnal noise pollution was the most distressing. The results of bivariate analysis showed a higher risk of annoyance especially for railway noise [OR MH  = 7.80 (4.02-15.14)] and the noise from industry [OR MH  = 3.08 (1.72-5.50)] in the exposed location. The effects of railway traffic on annoyance/sleep and psychosocial well-being were evaluated in a few studies. In accordance with our results the railway noise mostly disturbs sleep and rest of the respondents. The pilot survey showed the importance of sleep and rest disturbance by railway noise and the possibilities of getting worse health condition in the future. Noise abatement measures and strategies should, therefore, be implemented in an effective and manageable way increasing the environmental advantages of rail transport.

Railway Noise Annoyance on the Railway Track in Northwest Slovakia

PubMed Central

Pultznerova, Alzbeta; Eva, Panulinova; Kucharova, Daniela; Argalasova, Lubica

2018-01-01

Introduction: This paper describes an assessment of noise caused by railway traffic in a large high-loaded railway track in Northwest Slovakia. Materials and Methods: The measurements of noise levels generated by trains passing through residential neighborhoods were taken. Noise maps were also calculated showing noise pollution generated by the train traffic. In addition, the annoyance level and sleep disturbance of residents affected by railway noise were evaluated by a validated questionnaire on a pilot sample of 107 respondents living near the important railway track. Results: The measurements indicated that the noise levels generated by the passage of the train were extremely high especially at night, clearly exceeding the nighttime limits of equivalent sound pressure level established by the Decree of the Slovak Ministry of Health (No.549/2007) (L Aeq = 55 dB). Measurements at one point during the night exceeded the limit values of up to 17.4 dB. The residents reported feeling affected by the noise generated by passing trains, which caused irritability, headache, poor concentration, and insomnia. In addition, 19.64% of the residents claimed that nocturnal noise pollution was the most distressing. The results of bivariate analysis showed a higher risk of annoyance especially for railway noise [ORMH = 7.80 (4.02–15.14)] and the noise from industry [ORMH = 3.08 (1.72–5.50)] in the exposed location. Discussion: The effects of railway traffic on annoyance/sleep and psychosocial well-being were evaluated in a few studies. In accordance with our results the railway noise mostly disturbs sleep and rest of the respondents. Conclusion: The pilot survey showed the importance of sleep and rest disturbance by railway noise and the possibilities of getting worse health condition in the future. Noise abatement measures and strategies should, therefore, be implemented in an effective and manageable way increasing the environmental advantages of rail transport. PMID:29785974

Do perceived job insecurity and annoyance due to air and noise pollution predict incident self-rated poor health? A prospective analysis of independent and joint associations using a German national representative cohort study.

PubMed

Riedel, Natalie; Loerbroks, Adrian; Bolte, Gabriele; Li, Jian

2017-01-23

Current economic and social change has contributed to increasing job insecurity and traffic-related pollution in residential areas. Both job insecurity and exposure to noise and air pollution are known determinants of population health and can concur in peoples' lives. This may hold true particularly for socially disadvantaged subpopulations. Nevertheless, the potential independent and joint links of those exposures to health have been rarely examined so far. We aimed to contribute to the scarce body of evidence. Information on perceived job insecurity and exposures to noise and air pollution as expressed by annoyance as well as on self-rated health were gathered from 2 waves of the population-based German Socio-Economic Panel (2009 and 2011, N=6544). We performed multivariable Poisson regression to examine the independent and joint risk of poor health in 2011 by perceived job insecurity and annoyance due to noise and air pollution in 2009. After the 2-year follow-up in 2011, 571 (8.7%) participants rated their health as poor. The risk of reporting incident poor health was increased by roughly 40% in employees reporting high versus low perceived job insecurity and annoyance due to noise and air pollution, respectively. This risk increased when both exposures were present at higher levels (risk ratio=1.95 (1.49 to 2.55)). Work-related and environmental exposures may accumulate and have a joint health impact. Elaboration on the link between occupational and residential exposures is warranted in the light of their concurrence and their implications for health inequities. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

FAA/NASA En Route Noise Symposium

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Powell, Clemans A. (Compiler)

1990-01-01

Aircraft community noise annoyance is traditionally a concern only in localities near airports. The proposed introduction of large commercial airplanes with advanced turboprop propulsion systems with supersonic propellers has given rise to concerns of noise annoyance in areas previously considered not to be impacted by aircraft noise. A symposium was held to assess the current knowledge of factors important to the impact of en route noise and to aid in the formulation of FAA and NASA programs in the area. Papers were invited on human response to aircraft noise in areas with low ambient noise levels, aircraft noise heard indoors and outdoors, aircraft noise in recreational areas, detection of propeller and jet aircraft noise, and methodological issues relevant to the design of future studies.

Aviation Noise Impacts: State of the Science.

PubMed

Basner, Mathias; Clark, Charlotte; Hansell, Anna; Hileman, James I; Janssen, Sabine; Shepherd, Kevin; Sparrow, Victor

2017-01-01

Noise is defined as "unwanted sound." Aircraft noise is one, if not the most detrimental environmental effect of aviation. It can cause community annoyance, disrupt sleep, adversely affect academic performance of children, and could increase the risk for cardiovascular disease of people living in the vicinity of airports. In some airports, noise constrains air traffic growth. This consensus paper was prepared by the Impacts of Science Group of the Committee for Aviation Environmental Protection of the International Civil Aviation Organization and summarizes the state of the science of noise effects research in the areas of noise measurement and prediction, community annoyance, children's learning, sleep disturbance, and health. It also briefly discusses civilian supersonic aircraft as a future source of aviation noise.

Airport-Noise Levels and Annoyance Model (ALAMO) user's guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deloach, R.; Donaldson, J. L.; Johnson, M. J.

1986-01-01

A guide for the use of the Airport-Noise Level and Annoyance MOdel (ALAMO) at the Langley Research Center computer complex is provided. This document is divided into 5 primary sections, the introduction, the purpose of the model, and an in-depth description of the following subsystems: baseline, noise reduction simulation and track analysis. For each subsystem, the user is provided with a description of architecture, an explanation of subsystem use, sample results, and a case runner's check list. It is assumed that the user is familiar with the operations at the Langley Research Center (LaRC) computer complex, the Network Operating System (NOS 1.4) and CYBER Control Language. Incorporated within the ALAMO model is a census database system called SITE II.

Annoyance due to simulated blade-slap noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Powell, C. A.

1978-01-01

The effects of several characteristics of blade slap noise on annoyance response were studied. These characteristics or parameters were the sound pressure level of the continuous noise used to simulate helicopter broadband noise, the ratio of impulse peak to broadband noise or crest factor, the number of pressure excursions comprising an impulse event, the rise and fall time of the individual impulses, and the repetition frequency of the impulses. Analyses were conducted to determine the correlation between subjective response and various physical measures for the range of parameters studied. A small but significant improvement in the predictive ability of PNL was provided by an A-weighted crest factor correlation. No significant improvement in predictive ability was provided by a rate correction.

Estimating regression coefficients from clustered samples: Sampling errors and optimum sample allocation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kalton, G.

1983-01-01

A number of surveys were conducted to study the relationship between the level of aircraft or traffic noise exposure experienced by people living in a particular area and their annoyance with it. These surveys generally employ a clustered sample design which affects the precision of the survey estimates. Regression analysis of annoyance on noise measures and other variables is often an important component of the survey analysis. Formulae are presented for estimating the standard errors of regression coefficients and ratio of regression coefficients that are applicable with a two- or three-stage clustered sample design. Using a simple cost function, they also determine the optimum allocation of the sample across the stages of the sample design for the estimation of a regression coefficient.

Aviation Noise Impacts: State of the Science

PubMed Central

Basner, Mathias; Clark, Charlotte; Hansell, Anna; Hileman, James I.; Janssen, Sabine; Shepherd, Kevin; Sparrow, Victor

2017-01-01

Noise is defined as “unwanted sound.” Aircraft noise is one, if not the most detrimental environmental effect of aviation. It can cause community annoyance, disrupt sleep, adversely affect academic performance of children, and could increase the risk for cardiovascular disease of people living in the vicinity of airports. In some airports, noise constrains air traffic growth. This consensus paper was prepared by the Impacts of Science Group of the Committee for Aviation Environmental Protection of the International Civil Aviation Organization and summarizes the state of the science of noise effects research in the areas of noise measurement and prediction, community annoyance, children’s learning, sleep disturbance, and health. It also briefly discusses civilian supersonic aircraft as a future source of aviation noise. PMID:29192612

49 CFR 37.5 - Nondiscrimination.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

..., making reasonable modifications, providing auxiliary aids and services, and removing barriers (28 CFR 36... results in appearance or involuntary behavior that may offend, annoy, or inconvenience employees of the...

An overview of health effects on noise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Osada, Y.

1988-12-01

Although noise can damage the inner ear and cause other pathological changes, its most common negative effects are non-somatic, such as a perception of noisiness and disturbance of daily activities. According to the definition of health by WHO, this should be considered as a health hazard. These health effects of noise can be classified into the following three categories: (I) hearing loss, perception of noisiness and masking are produced along the auditory pathway and are thus direct and specific effects of noise; (II) interference with performance, rest and sleep, a feeling of discomfort and some physiological effects are produced as indirect and non-specific effects via reticular formation of the midbrain; (III) annoyance is not merely a feeling of unpleasantness but the feeling of being bothered or troubled, and includes the development of a particular attitude toward the noise source. Individual or group behavioral responses will be evoked when annoyance develops. Annoyance and behavioral response are integrated and composite effects. The health effects of noise are modified by many factors related to both the noise and the individual. Noise level, frequency spectrum, duration and impulsiveness modify the effects. Sex, age, health status and mental character also have an influence on the effects. Direct effects of noise are most dependent on the physical nature of the noise and least dependent on human factors. Indirect effects are more dependent, and integrated effects most dependent, on human factors.

[Screening for alcohol use by pregnant women of public health care in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil].

PubMed

Moraes, Claudia Leite; Reichenheim, Michael Eduardo

2007-10-01

To assess the prevalence of suspected cases of alcohol use during pregnancy in women seeking care in public health services. Cross-sectional study comprising 537 women randomly selected in public maternity hospitals in Rio de Janeiro, Southeastern Brazil, from March to October 2000. A well-trained team of female interviewers used the instruments Cut-down, Annoyed, Guilty, Eye-opener (CAGE), Tolerance Cut-down, Annoyed, Eye-opener (T-ACE) and Tolerance Worry Eye-opener Annoyed Cut-down (TWEAK) to assess suspect cases of alcohol misuse. The Chi-square test was used in the analysis according to socioeconomic and demographic variables. About 40% of women informed having used any type of alcoholic beverage during pregnancy. Beer was the most frequently used drink (83.9%). Depending on the measurement instrument used, estimates of alcohol misuse varied from 7.3% to 26.1%. Suspected cases of alcohol abuse were more common among non-white, older and less educated women; those not living with a partner; those reporting use of tobacco and illicit drugs either by one or both partners in a couple; and those with little social support. High prevalence of suspected alcohol misuse and its overlapping with several risk factors for adverse pregnancy outcomes indicate this is an important issue of public health concern requiring continuous screening during prenatal care.

Factors related to tinnitus and hyperacusis handicap in older people.

PubMed

Aazh, Hashir; Lammaing, Karen; Moore, Brian C J

2017-09-01

The aim was to assess factors related to tinnitus and hyperacusis handicap in older people. Retrospective cross-sectional. Data were gathered for 184 patients with an average age of 69 years. Tinnitus handicap as measured via the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) was significantly predicted by tinnitus annoyance as measured via the visual analogue scale (VAS) (regression coefficient, b = 2.9, p < 0.001) and the effect of tinnitus on the patient's life as measured via the VAS (b = 3.9, p < 0.001). Hyperacusis handicap as measured via the Hyperacusis Questionnaire (HQ) was significantly predicted by the score on the depression subscale of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) (b = 0.8, p < 0.001) and to a small extent by the THI score (b = 0.07, p = 0.048). Insomnia scores as measured via the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) were significantly predicted by scores on the depression subscale of the HADS (b = 0.46, p = 0.007). Since tinnitus annoyance significantly predicts tinnitus handicap, it is important to explore factors associated with annoyance that may be useful in designing appropriate rehabilitative interventions aimed at reducing tinnitus handicap in older people. Future studies should explore whether hyperacusis and insomnia in older people with tinnitus need to be managed in conjunction with treatment for depression.

Focused Study on the Quiet Side Effect in Dwellings Highly Exposed to Road Traffic Noise

PubMed Central

Renterghem, Timothy Van; Botteldooren, Dick

2012-01-01

This study provides additional evidence for the positive effect of the presence of a quiet façade at a dwelling and aims at unraveling potential mechanisms. Locations with dominant road traffic noise and high Lden-levels at the most exposed façade were selected. Dwellings both with and without a quiet façade were deliberately sought out. Face-to-face questionnaires (N = 100) were taken to study the influence of the presence of a quiet side in relation to noise annoyance and sleep disturbance. As a direct effect, the absence of a quiet façade in the dwelling (approached as a front-back façade noise level difference smaller than 10 dBA) leads to an important increase of at least moderately annoyed people (odds-ratio adjusted for noise sensitivity equals 3.3). In an indirect way, a bedroom located at the quiet side leads to an even stronger reduction of the self-reported noise annoyance (odds-ratio equal to 10.6 when adjusted for noise sensitivity and front façade Lden). The quiet side effect seems to be especially applicable for noise sensitive persons. A bedroom located at the quiet side also reduces noise-induced sleep disturbances. On a loud side, bedroom windows are more often closed, however, conflicting with the preference of dwellers. PMID:23330222

Local Attitudes Towards AN International Project: a Study of Residents' Attitudes Towards a Future High Speed Rail Line in General and Towards Annoyance in Particular

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schaap, D.

1996-05-01

Plans for a high speed rail line in Holland generate concerns about the impact on the living environment. Residents living near the planned track have an extremely negative attitude towards the high speed rail line. Most of them do not see the need for the line and they expect a great deal of noise annoyance. There is a disparity between the expectations of the residents and those of the government: the residents expect much more noise that the government does, on the basis of scientific research. The image that residents have of the noise of a high speed train is probably too negative. Therefore the government should supply the residents with better and more detailed information about the noise and the possible annoyance. Furthermore, for a positive attitude, it is important that residents not only recognize the disadvantages of the rail line, but that they recognize some local advantages too. For instances, the government can guarantee compensation for the affected green space, or that other noise sources will be removed. Finally, the residents have the feeling they cannot influence the decision-making process. To reduce this feeling of powerlessness, the government can involve the residents; for example, in the decision-making about the local plans for the high speed rail line.

Effects of road traffic noise and the benefit of access to quietness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Öhrström, E.; Skånberg, A.; Svensson, H.; Gidlöf-Gunnarsson, A.

2006-08-01

Socio-acoustic surveys were carried out as part of the Soundscape Support to Health research programme to assess the health effects of various soundscapes in residential areas. The study was designed to test whether having access to a quiet side of one's dwelling enhances opportunities for relaxation and reduces noise annoyance and other adverse health effects related to noise. The dwellings chosen were exposed to sound levels from road traffic ranging from about L=45-68 dB at the most-exposed side. The study involved 956 individuals aged 18-75 years. The results demonstrate that access to quiet indoor and outdoor sections of one's dwelling supports health; it produces a lower degree and extent of annoyance and disturbed daytime relaxation, improves sleep and contributes to physiological and psychological well-being. Having access to a quiet side of one's dwelling reduces disturbances by an average of 30-50% for the various critical effects, and corresponds to a reduction in sound levels of ( LAeq,24h) 5 dB at the most-exposed side. To protect most people (80%) from annoyance and other adverse effects, sound levels from road traffic should not exceed ( LAeq,24h) 60 dB at the most-exposed side, even if there is access to a quiet side of one's dwelling ( LAeq,24h⩽45 dB).

The sound intensity and characteristics of variable-pitch pulse oximeters.

PubMed

Yamanaka, Hiroo; Haruna, Junichi; Mashimo, Takashi; Akita, Takeshi; Kinouchi, Keiko

2008-06-01

Various studies worldwide have found that sound levels in hospitals significantly exceed the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, and that this noise is associated with audible signals from various medical devices. The pulse oximeter is now widely used in health care; however the health effects associated with the noise from this equipment remain largely unclarified. Here, we analyzed the sounds of variable-pitch pulse oximeters, and discussed the possible associated risk of sleep disturbance, annoyance, and hearing loss. The Nellcor N 595 and Masimo SET Radical pulse oximeters were measured for equivalent continuous A-weighted sound pressure levels (L(Aeq)), loudness levels, and loudness. Pulse beep pitches were also identified using Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) analysis and compared with musical pitches as controls. Almost all alarm sounds and pulse beeps from the instruments tested exceeded 30 dBA, a level that may induce sleep disturbance and annoyance. Several alarm sounds emitted by the pulse oximeters exceeded 70 dBA, which is known to induce hearing loss. The loudness of the alarm sound of each pulse oximeter did not change in proportion to the sound volume level. The pitch of each pulse beep did not correspond to musical pitch levels. The results indicate that sounds from pulse oximeters pose a potential risk of not only sleep disturbance and annoyance but also hearing loss, and that these sounds are unnatural for human auditory perception.

Evaluation of draught in the workplace.

PubMed

Griefahn, Barbara; Künemund, Christa; Gehring, Ulrike

2002-02-10

During 826, 1-h sessions 107 participants (33 women, 74 men, 18-51 years of age) were exposed to defined draughts where air velocity (0.1 < or = V(a) < or = 0.4 m s(-1)), turbulence intensity (< 30, approximately equal to 50, > 70%), draught direction (horizontal, vertical, diagonal), air temperature (11 < or = t(a) < or = 23 degrees C), and metabolic rate ( approximately equal to 60< or = M < or = 156 W m(-2)) were varied but kept constant during single sessions. Perception and evaluation (annoyance due to draught and local cold) were registered using a list of prescribed body parts. Annoyance due to draught increased with the increase in mean air velocity and in turbulence intensity, as well as with the decrease in air temperature and in metabolic rate. The direction of air flow had no influence. As these responses were neither sufficiently predicted by the draught-rating model proposed in ISO 7730 (1994), nor by its extension developed by Toftum (1994a), the latter was modified according to the data registered in this paper. Using the modified model the accordingly predicted percentage of people annoyed by draught agreed highly with the percentage actually observed (r=0.726, p<0.001). As the resulting model covers larger ranges of air temperature and metabolic rate it is suggested that it should substitute the model proposed in ISO 7730 [1994].

Embedding human annoyance rate models in wireless smart sensors for assessing the influence of subway train-induced ambient vibration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Ke; Zhang, Wei; Ding, Huaping; Kim, Robin E.; Spencer, Billie F., Jr.

2016-10-01

The operation of subway trains induces ambient vibrations, which may cause annoyance and other adverse effects on humans, eventually leading to physical, physiological, and psychological problems. In this paper, the human annoyance rate (HAR) models, used to assess the human comfort under the subway train-induced ambient vibrations, were deduced and the calibration curves for 5 typical use circumstances were addressed. An autonomous measurement system, based on the Imote2, wireless smart sensor (WSS) platform, plus the SHM-H, high-sensitivity accelerometer board, was developed for the HAR assessment. The calibration curves were digitized and embedded in the computational core of the WSS unit. Experimental validation was conducted, using the developed system on a large underground reinforced concrete frame structure adjoining the subway station. The ambient acceleration of both basement floors was measured; the embedded computation was implemented and the HAR assessment results were wirelessly transmitted to the central server, all by the WSS unit. The HAR distributions of the testing areas were identified, and the extent to which both basements will be influenced by the close-up subway-train’s operation, in term of the 5 typical use circumstances, were quantitatively assessed. The potential of the WSS-based autonomous system for the fast environment impact assessment of the subway train-induced ambient vibration was well demonstrated.

Spatial patterns in community response to aircraft noise associated with non-noise factors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hall, F. L.; Taylor, S. M.; Birnie, S. E.

1980-08-01

Non-noise aspects of airport operations may affect individuals' responses to aircraft noise. Fear of crashes, other forms of pollution, and proximity to the flight path are three such non-noise aspects which have spatial patterns that are closely related to the pattern of noise contours around an airport. If these variables affect response to aircraft noise, they may therefore confound attempts to understand relationships between noise level and community response. Analyses based on data from 673 individuals around Toronto International Airport suggest that these factors do affect annoyance responses, but do not affect reported activity interference. Hence it may prove fruitful, in aggregate analyses of community response data, to control for these variables in order to better understand the noise-annoyance relationships.

Evaluation of methods of reducing community noise impact around San Jose municipal airport

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glick, J. M.; Shevell, R. S.; Bowles, J. V.

1975-01-01

A computer simulation of the airport noise impact on the surrounding communities was used to evaluate alternate operational procedures, improved technology, and land use conversion as methods of reducing community noise impact in the airport vicinity. In addition, a constant density population distribution was analyzed for possible application to other airport communities with fairly uniform population densities and similar aircraft operational patterns. The introduction of sound absorption material (SAM) was found to reduce community noise annoyance by over 25 percent, and the introduction of refan was found to reduce community annoyance by over 60 percent. Replacing the present aircraft was found to reduce the noise problem to very small proportions, and the introduction of an advanced technology twin was found to essentially eliminate the community noise problem.

Effects of Meteorological Conditions on Reactions to Noise Exposure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shepherd, Kevin P. (Technical Monitor); Fields, James M.

2004-01-01

More than 80,000 residents' responses to transportation noise at different times of year provide the best, but imprecise, statistical estimates of the effects of season and meteorological conditions on community response to noise. Annoyance with noise is found to be slightly statistically significantly higher in the summer than in the winter in a seven-year study in the Netherlands. Analyses of 41 other surveys drawn from diverse countries, climates, and times of year find noise annoyance is increased by temperature, and may be increased by more sunshine, less precipitation, and reduced wind speeds. Meteorological conditions on the day of the interview or the immediately preceding days do not appear to have any more effect on reactions than do the conditions over the immediately preceding weeks or months.

Development of an annoyance model based upon elementary auditory sensations for steady-state aircraft interior noise containing tonal components

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Angerer, James R.; Mccurdy, David A.; Erickson, Richard A.

1991-01-01

The purpose of this investigation was to develop a noise annoyance model, superior to those already in use, for evaluating passenger response to sounds containing tonal components which may be heard within current and future commercial aircraft. The sound spectra investigated ranged from those being experienced by passengers on board turbofan powered aircraft now in service to those cabin noise spectra passengers may experience within advanced propeller-driven aircraft of the future. A total of 240 sounds were tested in this experiment. Sixty-six of these 240 sounds were steady state, while the other 174 varied temporally due to tonal beating. Here, the entire experiment is described, but the analysis is limited to those responses elicited by the 66 steady-state sounds.

Allergic Rhinitis Quiz

MedlinePlus

... hay fever. Symptoms can be seasonal or year-round and make you miserable. These annoying symptoms interfere ... typically spring and fall). When symptoms are year-round, the medical term for hay fever is perennial ...

Influences of low-frequency and other noises produced by wind turbines: An epidemiological literature review.

PubMed

Kubo, Tatsuhiko; Hasunuma, Hideki; Morimatsu, Yoshitaka; Fujino, Yoshihisa; Hara, Kunio; Ishitake, Tatsuya

2017-01-01

Objectives　Due to its' environment-friendly and clean energy characteristics, wind power has been increasingly used globally, particularly in advanced countries. However, concerns about health hazards, especially due to low-frequency and other noises generated from wind turbines, have been reported repeatedly. In order to manage adverse health effects appropriately, regulatory standards or guidelines that consider the health of residents need to be developed. To provide a scientific basis for the development of such regulatory standards and guidelines, this paper conducted a literature review to analyze epidemiological studies involving residents living in the vicinity of wind farms.Methods　Using the PubMED database, epidemiological papers that examined the health effects of noises produced by wind turbines were searched and collected. Additional papers were collected from the abstracts presented at relevant international academic conferences such as the Inter-Noise 2013 and Wind Turbine Noise 2015. An evidence table comprising the study design, subjects, exposure assessment, outcomes, confounders, and research results of each selected study was created.Results　A total of 11 papers were collected (2 of which were abstracts from the international academic conferences). These studies reported outcomes such as perception of noises, annoyance caused by the noises, and the association of the noises with stress and sleeplessness. Significant associations between the noises or annoyance produced by wind turbines and subjective adverse health effects were reported repeatedly. Two studies reported an odds ratio of 1.1 for an increase of 1 dB in the A-weighted sound pressure level as a factor representing the influence level. For other factors, it was not possible to compare the magnitude of the impact among the collected studies. Individual attitudes toward wind power and landscapes, economic benefits of wind farms, visibility of wind turbines, sensitivity to sounds, and concerns over health hazards were reported as confounders.Conclusion　Significant associations between the noises or annoyance produced by wind turbines and subjective adverse health effects were reported repeatedly. However, there was insufficient evidence to conclude whether the annoyance was caused by the psychological response to the construction of wind farms or by the actual exposure to noises generated by wind farms.

Annoyance caused by light aircraft noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1981-01-01

The correlation between objective and noise stresses and subjectively perceived disturbance from general aviation aircraft was studied at 6 Swiss airports. Noise levels calculated for these airports are given. Survey results are analyzed.

Cystitis

MedlinePlus

... by a bacterial infection, and it's called a urinary tract infection (UTI). A bladder infection can be painful and annoying, ... wetting also may be a sign of a urinary tract infection (UTI). Nighttime bed-wetting on its own isn' ...

Continued research on selected parameters to minimize community annoyance from airplane noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frair, L.

1981-01-01

Results from continued research on selected parameters to minimize community annoyance from airport noise are reported. First, a review of the initial work on this problem is presented. Then the research focus is expanded by considering multiobjective optimization approaches for this problem. A multiobjective optimization algorithm review from the open literature is presented. This is followed by the multiobjective mathematical formulation for the problem of interest. A discussion of the appropriate solution algorithm for the multiobjective formulation is conducted. Alternate formulations and associated solution algorithms are discussed and evaluated for this airport noise problem. Selected solution algorithms that have been implemented are then used to produce computational results for example airports. These computations involved finding the optimal operating scenario for a moderate size airport and a series of sensitivity analyses for a smaller example airport.

A study of general aviation community noise impact and annoyance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mabry, J. E.

1982-01-01

The method involved the selection of three airports which were dominated by aircraft weighing 12,500 lbs or under and which were also undergoing a change relative to utilization. Also, there was interest in airports with different utilization levels so that effect of number of operations could be considered. In addition, there was a requirement to select airports with communities in the surrounding areas which were exposed to aircraft operations noise. Noise annoyance response data was obtained from available sources. These sources included environmental impact statements, interviews with airport managers, noise complaint information, community meetings concerned with projected changes in airport utilization, and social survey data. As a means of objectively assessing the noise impact due to aircraft operations, noise measurement and computer noise modeling determinations were obtained for each airport. Listening quality tape recordings were also obtained.

Annoyance judgements of aircraft with and without acoustically treated nacelles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Borsky, P. N.; Leonard, S.

1973-01-01

A series of subjective response laboratory tests were conducted to determine the effectiveness of reducing aircraft noise by treating the aircraft engine nacelles with acoustically absorbent material. A total of 108 subjects participated in the magnitude estimation tests. The subjects were selected from persons who had previously been interviewed and classified according to selected psychological characteristics. The subjects lived in three general areas located at three specified distances from New York's Kennedy Airport. The aircraft signals used in the tests consisted of tape recordings of the landing approach noise of a B-727 aircraft under normal operating conditions. These recordings were electronically altered to simulate an aircraft with acoustically treated nacelles to achieve noise reductions of approximately 6 EPNdB and 12 EPNdB. The results from these tests indicate that significant reductions in annoyance resulted from the synthesized nacelle treatments.

A study of general aviation community noise impact and annoyance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mabry, J. E.

1982-04-01

The method involved the selection of three airports which were dominated by aircraft weighing 12,500 lbs or under and which were also undergoing a change relative to utilization. Also, there was interest in airports with different utilization levels so that effect of number of operations could be considered. In addition, there was a requirement to select airports with communities in the surrounding areas which were exposed to aircraft operations noise. Noise annoyance response data was obtained from available sources. These sources included environmental impact statements, interviews with airport managers, noise complaint information, community meetings concerned with projected changes in airport utilization, and social survey data. As a means of objectively assessing the noise impact due to aircraft operations, noise measurement and computer noise modeling determinations were obtained for each airport. Listening quality tape recordings were also obtained.

Effect of tactile vibration on annoyance to synthesized propfan noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clevenson, S. A.

1981-01-01

Design information that maximizes passenger comfort for propfan aircraft is presented. Predicted noise and vibration environments and the resultant passenger acceptability were studied. The effect of high frequency tactile vibration (i.e., greater than 30 Hz) on passenger reactions was analyzed. Passenger reactions to a wide range of noise with and without tactile vibration was studied. The passenger ride quality simulator was employed using subjects who evaluated either synthesized propeller noises only, or these noises combined with seat/arm vibration. The noises ranging from 80-100 dB consisted of a turbulent boundary layer noise with a factorial combination of five blade passage frequencies (50-200 Hz), two harmonic rolloffs, and three tone/noise ratios. It is indicated that passenger reaction (annoyance) to noise is not significantly changed in the presence of tactile vibration.

The influence of visual characteristics of barriers on railway noise perception.

PubMed

Maffei, Luigi; Masullo, Massimiliano; Aletta, Francesco; Di Gabriele, Maria

2013-02-15

Noise annoyance is considered as the main effect of noise, it is a complex and multifaceted psychological concept dealing with immediate behavioral and evaluative aspects. In the last decades the research has intensely investigated the correlation between noise exposure and noise annoyance, nevertheless recent studies confirm that non-auditory factors influence the noise perception of individuals. In particular audio-video interaction can play a fundamental role. Today Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR) systems allow building laboratory test providing realistic experiences of the surrounding environment to detect more accurate information about the reactions of the local population. Regarding the interventions for environmental noise control the barriers represent the main solution; however some aspects related to their visual characteristic have to be further investigated. This paper presented a case study, where a sample of residents living close to a railway line assessed noise-related aspects for several barriers with different visual characteristics in an IVR laboratory test. In particular, three main factors were analyzed: the barrier type concerning the visibility of the noise source through the screen, the visual aspect of the barrier concerning some aesthetic issues and the noise level at the receiver concerning the acoustic performance of the barrier and the magnitude of the sound source. The main results of the ANOVA analysis showed that for transparent barriers Perceived Loudness and Noise Annoyance were judged lower than for opaque barriers; this difference increased as noise level increased. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The assessment and evaluation of low-frequency noise near the region of infrasound.

PubMed

Ziaran, Stanislav

2014-01-01

The main aim of this paper is to present recent knowledge about the assessment and evaluation of low-frequency sounds (noise) and infrasound, close to the threshold of hearing, and identify their potential effect on human health and annoyance. Low-frequency noise generated by air flowing over a moving car with an open window was chosen as a typical scenario which can be subjectively assessed by people traveling by automobile. The principle of noise generated within the interior of the car and its effects on the comfort of the driver and passengers are analyzed at different velocities. An open window of a car at high velocity behaves as a source of specifically strong tonal low-frequency noise which is generally perceived as annoying. The interior noise generated by an open window of a passenger car was measured under different conditions: Driving on a highway and driving on a typical roadway. First, an octave-band analysis was used to assess the noise level and its impact on the driver's comfort. Second, a fast Fourier transform (FFT) analysis and one-third octave-band analysis were used for the detection of tonal low-frequency noise. Comparison between two different car makers was also done. Finally, the paper suggests some possibilities for scientifically assessing and evaluating low-frequency sounds in general, and some recommendations are introduced for scientific discussion, since sounds with strong low-frequency content (but not only strong) engender greater annoyance than is predicted by an A-weighted sound pressure level.

Noise pollution and annoyance: an urban soundscapes study.

PubMed

de Paiva Vianna, Karina Mary; Alves Cardoso, Maria Regina; Rodrigues, Rui Manuel Calejo

2015-01-01

Since 1972, the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared noise as a pollutant. Over the last decades, the quality of the urban environment has attracted the interest of researchers due to the growing urban sprawl, especially in developing countries. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of noise exposure in six urban soundscapes: Areas with high and low levels of noise in scenarios of leisure, work, and home. Cross-sectional study. The study was conducted in two steps: Evaluation of noise levels, with the development of noise maps, and health related inquiries. 180 individuals were interviewed, being 60 in each scenario, divided into 30 exposed to high level of noise and 30 to low level. Chi-Square test and Ordered Logistic Regression Model (P < 0,005). 70% of the interviewees reported noticing some source of noise in the selected scenarios and it was observed an association between exposure and perception of some source of noise (P < 0.001). 41.7% of the interviewees reported some degree of annoyance, being that this was associated with exposure (P < 0.001). There was also an association between exposure in different scenarios and reports of poor quality of sleep (P < 0.001). In the scenarios of work and home, the chance of reporting annoyance increased when compared with the scenario of leisure. We conclude that the use of this sort of assessment may clarify the relationship between urban noise exposure and health.

Noise pollution and annoyance: An urban soundscapes study

PubMed Central

de Paiva Vianna, Karina Mary; Alves Cardoso, Maria Regina; Rodrigues, Rui Manuel Calejo

2015-01-01

Since 1972, the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared noise as a pollutant. Over the last decades, the quality of the urban environment has attracted the interest of researchers due to the growing urban sprawl, especially in developing countries. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of noise exposure in six urban soundscapes: Areas with high and low levels of noise in scenarios of leisure, work, and home. Cross-sectional study. The study was conducted in two steps: Evaluation of noise levels, with the development of noise maps, and health related inquiries. 180 individuals were interviewed, being 60 in each scenario, divided into 30 exposed to high level of noise and 30 to low level. Chi-Square test and Ordered Logistic Regression Model (P < 0,005). 70% of the interviewees reported noticing some source of noise in the selected scenarios and it was observed an association between exposure and perception of some source of noise (P < 0.001). 41.7% of the interviewees reported some degree of annoyance, being that this was associated with exposure (P < 0.001). There was also an association between exposure in different scenarios and reports of poor quality of sleep (P < 0.001). In the scenarios of work and home, the chance of reporting annoyance increased when compared with the scenario of leisure. We conclude that the use of this sort of assessment may clarify the relationship between urban noise exposure and health. PMID:25913551

Evaluation of vibration limits and mitigation techniques for urban construction : [summary].

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-10-01

Construction activities such as pile driving and : dynamic compaction of loose soils induce ground : and structure vibrations. Their effects may annoy : local populations, disturb sensitive equipment, or : reduce structures serviceability and dura...

Inappropriate Alarm Rates and Driver Annoyance

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1996-02-01

Future in-vehicle crash avoidance warning systems will inevitably deliver : inappropriate alarms from time to time, caused for example, by situations where : algorithms have correctly identified an object but pose no threat or danger to : the driver....

Annoyance from light aircraft investigation carried out around four airports near Paris

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

An opinion survey was carried out on residents living near four airports in the Paris, France area. An evaluation of their responses concerning noise pollution and possible expansion of airport activity is presented.

An evaluation of study design for estimating a time-of-day noise weighting

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fields, J. M.

1986-01-01

The relative importance of daytime and nighttime noise of the same noise level is represented by a time-of-day weight in noise annoyance models. The high correlations between daytime and nighttime noise were regarded as a major reason that previous social surveys of noise annoyance could not accurately estimate the value of the time-of-day weight. Study designs which would reduce the correlation between daytime and nighttime noise are described. It is concluded that designs based on short term variations in nighttime noise levels would not be able to provide valid measures of response to nighttime noise. The accuracy of the estimate of the time-of-day weight is predicted for designs which are based on long term variations in nighttime noise levels. For these designs it is predicted that it is not possible to form satisfactorily precise estimates of the time-of-day weighting.

The relative importance of noise level and number of events on human reactions to noise: Community survey findings and study methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fields, J. M.

1980-01-01

The data from seven surveys of community response to environmental noise are reanalyzed to assess the relative influence of peak noise levels and the numbers of noise events on human response. The surveys do not agree on the value of the tradeoff between the effects of noise level and numbers of events. The value of the tradeoff cannot be confidently specified in any survey because the tradeoff estimate may have a large standard error of estimate and because the tradeoff estimate may be seriously biased by unknown noise measurement errors. Some evidence suggests a decrease in annoyance with very high numbers of noise events but this evidence is not strong enough to lead to the rejection of the conventionally accepted assumption that annoyance is related to a log transformation of the number of noise events.

A measurement model for general noise reaction in response to aircraft noise.

PubMed

Kroesen, Maarten; Schreckenberg, Dirk

2011-01-01

In this paper a measurement model for general noise reaction (GNR) in response to aircraft noise is developed to assess the performance of aircraft noise annoyance and a direct measure of general reaction as indicators of this concept. For this purpose GNR is conceptualized as a superordinate latent construct underlying particular manifestations. This conceptualization is empirically tested through estimation of a second-order factor model. Data from a community survey at Frankfurt Airport are used for this purpose (N=2206). The data fit the hypothesized factor structure well and support the conceptualization of GNR as a superordinate construct. It is concluded that noise annoyance and a direct measure of general reaction to noise capture a large part of the negative feelings and emotions in response to aircraft noise but are unable to capture all relevant variance. The paper concludes with recommendations for the valid measurement of community reaction and several directions for further research.

Aviation noise effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Newman, J. S.; Beattie, K. R.

1985-03-01

This report summarizes the effects of aviation noise in many areas, ranging from human annoyance to impact on real estate values. It also synthesizes the findings of literature on several topics. Included in the literature were many original studies carried out under FAA and other Federal funding over the past two decades. Efforts have been made to present the critical findings and conclusions of pertinent research, providing, when possible, a bottom line conclusion, criterion or perspective. Issues related to aviation noise are highlighted, and current policy is presented. Specific topic addressed include: annoyance; Hearing and hearing loss; noise metrics; human response to noise; speech interference; sleep interference; non-auditory health effects of noise; effects of noise on wild and domesticated animals; low frequency acoustical energy; impulsive noise; time of day weightings; noise contours; land use compatibility; and real estate values. This document is designed for a variety of users, from the individual completely unfamiliar with aviation noise to experts in the field.

Effects of three activities on annoyance responses to recorded flyovers. [human tolerance of jet aircraft noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gunn, W. J.; Shepherd, W. T.; Fletcher, J. L.

1975-01-01

Human subjects participated in an experiment in which they were engaged in TV viewing, telephone listening, or reverie (no activity) for a 1/2-hour session. During the session, they were exposed to a series of recorded aircraft sounds at the rate of one flight every 2 minutes. At each session, four levels of flyover noise, separated by 5 db increments were presented several times in a Latin Square balanced sequence. The peak levels of the noisiest flyover in any session was fixed at 95, 90, 85, 75, or 70 db. At the end of the test session, subjects recorded their responses to the aircraft sounds, using a bipolar scale which covered the range from very pleasant to extremely annoying. Responses to aircraft noises are found to be significantly affected by the particular activity in which the subjects are engaged.

Community response to noise in Vietnam: exposure-response relationships based on the community tolerance level.

PubMed

Gjestland, Truls; Nguyen, Thu Lan; Yano, Takashi

2015-05-01

Social surveys on noise annoyance have been conducted in five different cities in Vietnam. The surveys included both aircraft noise (three airports) and road traffic noise (five cities). The main objective for these studies was to establish dose-response functions that were representative for Vietnam. The results have been compared with results from similar surveys from other regions. Dose-response functions for aircraft noise in Vietnam showing the percentage of highly annoyed people versus the noise level are nearly identical to those presented in the European Noise Directive [European Commission (2002). http://ec.europa.eu/environment/noise/directive.htm]. For road traffic noise, however, the results indicate that people in Vietnam are more tolerant. The noise levels can be increased by 5-10 dB in order to have a response similar to the curve recommended by the European Commission.

Usefulness of the protection motivation theory in explaining hearing protection device use among male industrial workers.

PubMed

Melamed, S; Rabinowitz, S; Feiner, M; Weisberg, E; Ribak, J

1996-05-01

The present study examined the usefulness of personal variables: noise annoyance, and components of the protection motivation theory (R. W. Rogers, 1983) along with social-organizational factors in explaining hearing protection device (HPD) use among Israeli manufacturing workers. Participants were 281 men exposed to harmful noise levels for which routine HPD use is required by regulation. In practice, 3 HPD user groups were identified: nonusers (n = 38), occasional users (n = 125), and regular users (n = 118). HPD use was objectively verified. HPD use was primarily related to the personal variables but not to management pressure, coworker pressure, or family support. The most powerful predictors of HPD use were perceived self-efficacy (for long-term HPD use), perceived susceptibility (to hearing loss), and noise annoyance, together explaining 48% of the outcome variance. These findings have implications for interventions aimed at motivating workers to use HPDs regularly.

Curiosity and time: from not knowing to almost knowing.

PubMed

Noordewier, Marret K; van Dijk, Eric

2017-04-01

How does it feel to be curious? We reasoned that there are two sides to curiosity: not knowing something (i.e. information-gap) and almost knowing something (i.e. anticipation of resolution). In three experiments, we showed that time affects the relative impact of these two components: When people did not expect to close their information-gap soon (long time-to-resolution) not knowing affected the subjective experience of curiosity more strongly than when they expected to close their information-gap quickly (short time-to-resolution). As such, people experienced less positive affect, more discomfort, and more annoyance with lack of information in a long than a short time-to-resolution situation. Moreover, when time in the long time-to-resolution setting passed, the anticipation of the resolution became stronger, positive affect increased, and discomfort and annoyance with lack of information decreased. Time is thus a key factor in the experience of curiosity.

Use of Airport Noise Complaint Files to Improve Understanding of Community Response to Aircraft Noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fidell, Sanford; Howe, Richard

1998-01-01

This study assessed the feasibility of using complaint information archived by modem airport monitoring systems to conduct quantitative analyses of the causes of aircraft noise complaints and their relationship to noise- induced annoyance. It was found that all computer-based airport monitoring systems provide at least rudimentary tools for performing data base searches by complainant name, address, date, time of day, and types of aircraft and complaints. Analyses of such information can provide useful information about longstanding concerns, such as the extent to which complaint rates are driven by objectively measurable aspects of aircraft operations; the degree to which changes in complaint rates can be predicted prior to implementation of noise mitigation measures; and the degree to which aircraft complaint information can be used to simplify and otherwise improve prediction of the prevalence of noise-induced annoyance in communities.

Water as an urban resource and nuisance

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thomas, H.E.; Schneider, William Joseph

1970-01-01

The water resource, which is widely and irregularly distributed on earth, is available to man for such enjoyment and development and use as he sees fit, some use being essential to his existence. Natural variations in the quantity and quality of water are inevitable and, if they cause annoyance or injury to someone, are accepted as one of the hardships that this planet imposes upon its inhabitants; such variations are recognized as "acts of God." However, if any man or society is partly responsible for these variations, which may cause such annoyance or injury, and may become a nuisance (an invasion or disturbance of the rights of others) such a man or society may perhaps be subject to injunctions and damage suits. Legal disputes over water as a nuisance are generally deeply involved with problems of the respective rights of plaintiff and defendant. These respective rights vary among the States.

A review of odour impact criteria in selected countries around the world.

PubMed

Brancher, Marlon; Griffiths, K David; Franco, Davide; de Melo Lisboa, Henrique

2017-02-01

Exposure to environmental odour can result in annoyance, health effects and depreciation of property values. Therefore, many jurisdictions classify odour as an atmospheric pollutant and regulate emissions and/or impacts from odour generating activities at a national, state or municipal level. In this work, a critical review of odour regulations in selected jurisdictions of 28 countries is presented. Individual approaches were identified as: comparing ambient air odour concentration and individual chemicals statistics against impact criteria (maximum impact standard); using fixed and variable separation distances (separation distance standard); maximum emission rate for mixtures of odorants and individual chemical species (maximum emission standard); number of complaints received or annoyance level determined via community surveys (maximum annoyance standard); and requiring use of best available technologies (BAT) to minimize odour emissions (technology standard). The comparison of model-predicted odour concentration statistics against odour impact criteria (OIC) is identified as one of the most common tools used by regulators to evaluate the risk of odour impacts in planning stage assessments and is also used to inform assessment of odour impacts of existing facilities. Special emphasis is given to summarizing OIC (concentration percentile and threshold) and the manner in which they are applied. The way short term odour peak to model time-step mean (peak-to-mean) effects is also captured. Furthermore, the fundamentals of odorant properties, dimensions of nuisance odour, odour sampling and analysis methods and dispersion modelling guidance are provided. Common elements of mature and effective odour regulation frameworks are identified and an integrated multi-tool strategy is recommended. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Investigations and results concerning railway-induced ground-borne vibrations in Germany

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Degen, K. G.; Behr, W.; Grütz, H.-P.

2006-06-01

Besides noise reduction, ground-borne vibrations induced by railways are another important environmental issue associated with the construction of new or the reconstruction of existing railway lines that had to be tackled during the last decade. Annoyance can occur, particularly for lines in urban areas at small distances to neighbouring houses or lines in shallow depth tunnels under buildings. The ground-borne vibrations can be perceived by the inhabitants via the floor vibrations, as well as via the air-borne noise radiated inside the building by the vibrating building structures (secondary noise). At present, legal specifications for judging railway-induced ground-borne vibrations do not exist in Germany. In order to review common practices, an experimental psycho-physical laboratory study was performed. To estimate the annoyance of railway-induced vibrations, the mean vibration energy of a train pass-by seems much more significant and related to the annoyance than the commonly used RMS value according to the German standard DIN 4150-2. The minimum difference in vibration that can be felt by people was found at a signal difference of 25%. This paper will review results of a project performed in cooperation with the engineering office Obermeyer in Munich and the Technical University of Munich [A. Said, D. Fleischer, H. Kilcher, H. Fastl, H.-P. Grütz, Zur Bewertung von Erschütterungsimmissionen aus dem Schienenverkehr, Zeitschrift fuer Lärmbekämpfung, Vol. 48(6), Springer VDI Verlag, Düsseldorf, 2001.] and will link them to further demands on research and on development of suitable guiding principles and legislative regulations.

Subjective response to sonic booms having different shapes, rise times, and durations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccurdy, David A.

1994-01-01

Two laboratory experiments were conducted to quantify the subjective response of people to simulated outdoor sonic booms having different pressure signatures. The specific objectives of the experiments were to compare subjective response to sonic booms when described in terms of 'loudness' and 'annoyance'; to determine the ability of various noise metrics to predict subjective response to sonic booms; to determine the effects on subjective response of rise time, duration, and level; and to compare the subjective response to 'N-wave' sonic boom signatures with the subjective response to 'minimized' sonic boom signatures. The experiments were conducted in a computer-controlled, man-rated sonic boom simulator capable of reproducing user-specified pressure signatures for a wide range of sonic boom parameters. One hundred and fifty sonic booms representing different combinations of two wave shapes, four rise times, seven durations, and three peak overpressures were presented to 36 test subjects in each experiment. The test subjects in the first experiment made judgments of 'loudness' while the test subjects in the second experiment judged 'annoyance.' Subjective response to sonic booms was the same whether expressed in terms of loudness or in terms of annoyance. Analyses of several different noise metrics indicated that A-weighted sound exposure level and Perceived Level were the best predictors of subjective response. Further analyses indicated that, of these two noise metrics, only Perceived Level completely accounted for the effects of wave shape, rise time, and peak overpressure. Neither metric fully accounted for the effect of duration. However, the magnitude of the duration effect was small over the very wide range of durations considered.

Community reaction to aircraft noise: time-of-day penalty and tradeoff between levels of overflights.

PubMed

Miedema, H M; Vos, H; de Jong, R G

2000-06-01

A decrease in the level of sound events can compensate for an increase in the level of other events, but noise metrics assume different tradeoffs. Noise metrics also differ in the penalty applied to noise in the evening and to noise in the night, and in the definition of these periods. These two aspects of noise metrics, i.e., the tradeoff and the penalty for the nighttime (23-7h), are investigated. A general model of the relation between SELs of sound events (aircraft overflights) and noise annoyance is presented which allows for a wide range of tradeoffs and time-of-day penalties. The (tradeoff and time-of-day penalty) parameters of the model are fitted to the data from an aircraft noise study conducted around Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, which is especially suited for investigating the tradeoff and time-of-day penalties. It was found that in this study the tradeoff between the levels of events in metrics based on L(Aeq)'s, such as L(Aeq)(24 h), DNL, and DENL, is approximately correct for the prediction of noise annoyance. Furthermore, it was found that the strongest correlation with annoyance is obtained with a nighttime penalty of circa 10 dB. No suitable data were available for further tests of the tradeoff. The result with respect to the nighttime penalty was weakly further supported by the outcome of analyses of the original data from four other aircraft noise surveys (one survey conducted around British airports, and three coordinated surveys carried out around Paris Orly, Amsterdam Schiphol, and Glasgow Abbotsinch).

Neurobehavioral effects during experimental exposure to 1-octanol and isopropanol.

PubMed

van Thriel, Christoph; Kiesswetter, Erns; Blaszkewicz, Meinolf; Golka, Klaus; Seeber, Andreas

2003-04-01

The study examined acute neurobehavioral effects provoked by controlled exposure to 1-octanol and isopropanol among male volunteers. In a 29-m3 exposure laboratory, 24 male students (mean age 25.8 years) were exposed to 1-octanol and isopropanol. Each substance was used in two concentrations (0.1 and 6.4 ppm for 1-octanol; 34.9 and 189.9 ppm for isopropanol:). In a crossover design, each subject was exposed for 4 hours to the conditions. Twelve subjects reported enhanced chemical sensitivity; the other 12 were age-matched controls. At the onset and end of the exposures neurobehavioral tests were administered and symptoms were rated. At the end of the high and low isopropanol exposures the tiredness ratings were elevated, but no dose-dependence could be confirmed. For both substances and concentrations, the annoyance ratings increased during the exposure, but only for isopropanol did the increase show a dose-response relation. The subjects reported olfactory symptoms during the exposure to the high isopropanol and both 1-octanol concentrations. Isopropanol provoked no sensory irritation, whereas high 1-octanol exposure slightly enhanced it. Only among the subjects with enhanced chemical sensitivity were both 1-octanol concentrations associated with a stronger increase in annoyance, and lower detection rates were observed in a divided attention task. Previous studies reporting no neurobehavioral effects for isopropanol (up to 400 ppm) were confirmed. The results obtained for 1-octanol lacked dose-dependency, and their evaluation, is difficult. The annoying odor of 1-octanol may mask sensory irritation and prevent subjects with enhanced chemical sensitivity from concentrating on performance in a demanding task.

Statistics with applications to highway traffic analyses

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1952-01-01

The rapid movement of traffic on our streets and highways in ever changing patterns is one of the most familiar andbeneficialphenomenaofour daily lives and atthe sametime one of the most confusing and vexing. The annoyances and even danger experience...

Supporting statement for community study of human response to aircraft noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dempsey, T. K.; Deloach, R.; Stephens, D. G.

1980-01-01

A study plan for quantifying the relationship between human annoyance and the noise level of individual aircraft events is studied. The validity of various noise descriptors or noise metrics for quantifying aircraft noise levels are assessed.

[Proposal for a media guideline to improve medical and health journalism].

PubMed

Kojima, Masami

2012-01-01

A lot of healthcare professionals experienced annoyance with biased mass media news regarding medical and health issues. In this paper, I propose "news profiling method" and "media guideline" to improve the medical and health journalism.

Evaluating the health benefits of natural sounds: an approach for assessing the environmental impacts of transportation noise

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-08-19

Excessive anthropogenic noise has been associated with annoyance, disruption of sleep and cognitive processes, hearing impairment, and adverse impacts on cardiovascular and endocrine systems. Although transportation is a major source of noise, nation...

Noise levels near streets, effectiveness and cost abatement measures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lang, J.

1980-01-01

During the years 1975-1978, research was carried concerning the current noise levels near streets, the annoyance felt by the population, possible noise abatement measures for these streets, and the economic impact of such measures. The results of the research are summarized.

Psycho-vibratory evaluation of timber floors - Towards the determination of design indicators of vibration acceptability and vibration annoyance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Negreira, J.; Trollé, A.; Jarnerö, K.; Sjökvist, L.-G.; Bard, D.

2015-03-01

In timber housing constructions, vibrations can be a nuisance for inhabitants. Notably, the vibrational response of wooden floor systems is an issue in need of being dealt with more adequately in the designing of such buildings. Studies addressing human response to vibrations are needed in order to be able to better estimate what level of vibrations in dwellings can be seen as acceptable. In the present study, measurements on five different wooden floors were performed in a laboratory environment at two locations in Sweden (SP in Växjö and LU in Lund). Acceleration measurements were carried out while a person either was walking on a particular floor or was seated in a chair placed there as the test leader was walking on the floor. These participants filled out a questionnaire regarding their perception and experiencing of the vibrations in question. Independently of the subjective tests, several static and dynamic characteristics of the floors were determined through measurements. The ultimate aim was to develop indicators of human response to floor vibrations, specifically those regarding vibration acceptability and vibration annoyance, their being drawn based on relationships between the questionnaire responses obtained and the parameter values determined on the basis of the measurements carried out. To that end, use was made of multilevel regression. Although the sample of floors tested was small, certain clear trends could be noted. The first eigenfrequency (calculated in accordance with Eurocode 5) and Hu and Chui's criterion (calculated from measured quantities) proved to be the best indicators of vibration annoyance, and the Maximum Transient Vibration Value (computed on the basis of the accelerations experienced by the test subjects) to be the best indicator of vibration acceptability.

Urine Cotinine Should Be Involved in Initial Evaluation of Tinnitus in Adolescents.

PubMed

Lee, Doh Young; Kim, Young Ho

2018-04-10

Smoking is associated with hearing loss, while the correlation between tinnitus and smoking is not fully elucidated. This study aimed to evaluate risk factors of tinnitus in adolescents in terms of smoking, and we identified a rectifiable parameter that can be serially monitored. A cross-sectional study was conducted using data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, with 2,782 participants aged 12 to 18 years, from 2008 through 2011. Participants with history of ear disease, hearing loss, and inadequate responses to questionnaires were excluded. We investigated the prevalence of tinnitus and tinnitus-related annoyance by questionnaire and sought potential risk factors in blood and urine tests and smoking history. The prevalence of tinnitus in the 12- to 18-year-old population was 17.5%, with 3.3% reporting tinnitus-related annoyance. On univariate analysis, the prevalence of tinnitus increased with age (P<0.001) and was higher among girls (P=0.012). Blood tests and urinalysis showed significant correlation between tinnitus and red blood cell count, alkaline phosphatase levels, and urine cotinine (P=0.002, P<0.001, P=0.018, respectively). In multivariate analysis, the urine cotinine level was the only parameter associated with tinnitus (odds ratio, 1.000; 95% confidence interval, 0.999 to 1.000; P=0.038). Smoking was also significantly correlated with tinnitus (P=0.043), and amount of smoking with tinnitus-related annoyance (P=0.045). However, current smoking and past smoking were not correlated with tinnitus. Urine cotinine may be a rectifiable marker for management of tinnitus in adolescents. This suggests that smoking cessation should be incorporated in the management of tinnitus in adolescents.

Simplified form of tinnitus retraining therapy in adults: a retrospective study

PubMed Central

Aazh, Hashir; Moore, Brian CJ; Glasberg, Brian R

2008-01-01

Background Since the first description of tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT), clinicians have modified and customised the method of TRT in order to suit their practice and their patients. A simplified form of TRT is used at Ealing Primary Care Trust Audiology Department. Simplified TRT is different from TRT in the type and (shorter) duration of the counseling but is similar to TRT in the application of sound therapy except for patients exhibiting tinnitus with no hearing loss and no decreased sound tolerance (wearable sound generators were not mandatory or recommended here, whereas they are for TRT). The main goal of this retrospective study was to assess the efficacy of simplified TRT. Methods Data were collected from a series of 42 consecutive patients who underwent simplified TRT for a period of 3 to 23 months. Perceived tinnitus handicap was measured by the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) and perceived tinnitus loudness, annoyance and the effect of tinnitus on life were assessed through the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Results The mean THI and VAS scores were significantly decreased after 3 to 23 months of treatment. The mean decline of the THI score was 45 (SD = 22) and the difference between pre- and post-treatment scores was statistically significant. The mean decline of the VAS scores was 1.6 (SD = 2.1) for tinnitus loudness, 3.6 (SD = 2.6) for annoyance, and 3.9 (SD = 2.3) for effect on life. The differences between pre- and post-treatment VAS scores were statistically significant for tinnitus loudness, annoyance, and effect on life. The decline of THI scores was not significantly correlated with age and duration of tinnitus. Conclusion The results suggest that benefit may be obtained from a substantially simplified form of TRT. PMID:18980672

[Health impact assessment of airport noise on people living nearby six Italian airports].

PubMed

Ancona, Carla; Golini, Martina Nicole; Mataloni, Francesca; Camerino, Donatella; Chiusolo, Monica; Licitra, Gaetano; Ottino, Marina; Pisani, Salvatore; Cestari, Laura; Vigotti, Maria Angela; Davoli, Marina; Forastiere, Francesco

2014-01-01

aircraft noise has been associated with several health effects. Because of the great success of low-cost flights, small airports have been turned into international airports thus exposing nearby residents to an increase in noise levels and potential disturbances and health disorders. to estimate the exposure levels and evaluate the health impact of aircraft noise on residents nearby six airports in Italy (Rome: Ciampino; Milan: Linate and Malpensa; Pisa; Turin; Venice) focusing on hypertension, acute myocardial infarction (AMI), annoyance and sleep disturbances. residents in the local Municipalities considered at 31.12.2010 were included in the study and their addresses were geocoded. Aircraft noise exposure in 2011 was defined using the Integrated Noise Model linked to each participant's address. Lden (<55, 55-60, 61-65, 65-70 dB), Lnight, Leq (day and night) were calculated. Available exposure-response relationships were used to estimate the number of additional cases of hypertension, AMI, annoyance and sleep disturbances in the local population. 73,272 persons exposed to aircraft noise levels >55dB were considered: 55,915 (76.3%) were exposed to 55-60 dB; 16,562 (22.6%) to 60-65 dB; 795 (1.2%) to 65-70 dB. Exposure to aircraft noise levels above 55 dB was estimated to be responsible each year of 4,607 (95%CI 0-9,923) additional cases of hypertension; 3.4 (95%CI 0-10.7) cases of AMI; 9,789 (95%CI 6,895-11,962) cases of annoyance; 5,084 (95%CI 1,894-10,509) cases of sleep disturbances. a significant impact of airport noise on the health of residents nearby six Italian airports was estimated. Epidemiological evaluation and noise mitigation measures should be introduced to protect the health of residents.

Understanding and managing experiential aspects of soundscapes at Muir woods national monument.

PubMed

Pilcher, Ericka J; Newman, Peter; Manning, Robert E

2009-03-01

Research has found that human-caused noise can detract from the quality of the visitor experience in national parks and related areas. Moreover, impacts to the visitor experience can be managed by formulating indicators and standards of quality as suggested in park and outdoor recreation management frameworks, such as Visitor Experience and Resource Protection (VERP), as developed by the U.S. National Park Service. The research reported in this article supports the formulation of indicators and standards of quality for human-caused noise at Muir Woods National Monument, California. Phase I identified potential indicators of quality for the soundscape of Muir Woods. A visitor "listening exercise" was conducted, where respondents identified natural and human-caused sounds heard in the park and rated the degree to which each sound was "pleasing" or "annoying." Certain visitor-caused sounds such as groups talking were heard by most respondents and were rated as annoying, suggesting that these sounds may be a good indicator of quality. Loud groups were heard by few people but were rated as highly annoying, whereas wind and water were heard by most visitors and were rated as highly pleasing. Phase II measured standards of quality for visitor-caused noise. Visitors were presented with a series of 30-second audio clips representing increasing amounts of visitor-caused sound in the park. Respondents were asked to rate the acceptability of each audio clip on a survey. Findings suggest a threshold at which visitor-caused sound is judged to be unacceptable, and is therefore considered as noise. A parallel program of sound monitoring in the park found that current levels of visitor-caused sound sometimes violate this threshold. Study findings provide an empirical basis to help formulate noise-related indicators and standards of quality in parks and related areas.

Simplified form of tinnitus retraining therapy in adults: a retrospective study.

PubMed

Aazh, Hashir; Moore, Brian C J; Glasberg, Brian R

2008-11-03

Since the first description of tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT), clinicians have modified and customised the method of TRT in order to suit their practice and their patients. A simplified form of TRT is used at Ealing Primary Care Trust Audiology Department. Simplified TRT is different from TRT in the type and (shorter) duration of the counseling but is similar to TRT in the application of sound therapy except for patients exhibiting tinnitus with no hearing loss and no decreased sound tolerance (wearable sound generators were not mandatory or recommended here, whereas they are for TRT). The main goal of this retrospective study was to assess the efficacy of simplified TRT. Data were collected from a series of 42 consecutive patients who underwent simplified TRT for a period of 3 to 23 months. Perceived tinnitus handicap was measured by the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) and perceived tinnitus loudness, annoyance and the effect of tinnitus on life were assessed through the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). The mean THI and VAS scores were significantly decreased after 3 to 23 months of treatment. The mean decline of the THI score was 45 (SD = 22) and the difference between pre- and post-treatment scores was statistically significant. The mean decline of the VAS scores was 1.6 (SD = 2.1) for tinnitus loudness, 3.6 (SD = 2.6) for annoyance, and 3.9 (SD = 2.3) for effect on life. The differences between pre- and post-treatment VAS scores were statistically significant for tinnitus loudness, annoyance, and effect on life. The decline of THI scores was not significantly correlated with age and duration of tinnitus. The results suggest that benefit may be obtained from a substantially simplified form of TRT.

77 FR 33724 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-07

... and OMB Number: Assessing Human Response to Military Impulse Noise; OMB Control Number 0710-TBD. Type... community annoyance and complaints, related to impulsive noise from military installations. The [[Page 33725... the need for training operations at military installations with public safety and welfare. Affected...

A Strategy for Understanding Noise-Induced Annoyance

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-08-01

Estimation by Sequential Testing (PEST) (Taylor and Creelman , 1967) can be used to efficiently establish the indifference point for each such pair of...population on applicability of noise rating procedures". Noise Control Engineering, 4, 65-70. Taylor, M. M. & Creelman , C. D. "PEST: Efficient

Effect of Personal and Situational Variables on Noise Annoyance: with Special Reference to Implications for En Route Noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fields, James M.

1992-01-01

Over 680 publications from 282 social surveys of residents' reactions to environmental noise have been examined to locate 495 published findings on 26 topics concerning non-noise explanations for residents' reactions to environmental noise. This report (1) tabulates the evidence on the 26 response topics, (2) identifies the 495 findings, and (3) discusses the implications for en route noise assessment. After controlling for noise level, over half of the social survey evidence indicates that noise annoyance is not strongly affected by any of the nine demographic variables examined (age, sex, social status, income, education, homeownership, type of dwelling, length of residence, or receipt of benefits from the noise source), but is positively associated with each of the five attitudinal variables examined (a fear of danger from the noise source, a sensitivity towards noise generally, the belief that the authorities can control the noise, the awareness of non-noise impacts of the source, and the belief that the noise source is not important).

Emotional expression of noise: A cross-cultural study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuwano, S.; Namba, S.; Hashimoto, T.; Berglund, B.; Rui, Zheng Da; Schick, A.; Hoege, H.; Florentine, M.

1991-12-01

In our cross-cultural study of noise problems, the connotative meaning of the concepts of "loudness", "noisiness" and "annoyance" were examined by using semantic differential in five countries. All concepts, except for loudness in Japan and China, were found to have negative images. Japanese and Chinese loudness were judged as neutral. In the present study, emotional expressions of various noises were examined by using the method of selected description in five countries—Japan, Sweden, West Germany, China and the U.S.A. Subjects were asked to select the adjectives which they thought appropriate for expressing their impression of each noise. On the basis of the adjectives selected and cluster analysis, it was found that "loud" in Japan, Sweden and China has neutral connotations, while "loud" in Germany and the U.S.A. has negative connotations. It was also suggested that "noisy" and "annoying" are not differentiated in Japan, while in the other four countries these two adjectives are used in different ways.

How pleasant sounds promote and annoying sounds impede health: a cognitive approach.

PubMed

Andringa, Tjeerd C; Lanser, J Jolie L

2013-04-08

This theoretical paper addresses the cognitive functions via which quiet and in general pleasurable sounds promote and annoying sounds impede health. The article comprises a literature analysis and an interpretation of how the bidirectional influence of appraising the environment and the feelings of the perceiver can be understood in terms of core affect and motivation. This conceptual basis allows the formulation of a detailed cognitive model describing how sonic content, related to indicators of safety and danger, either allows full freedom over mind-states or forces the activation of a vigilance function with associated arousal. The model leads to a number of detailed predictions that can be used to provide existing soundscape approaches with a solid cognitive science foundation that may lead to novel approaches to soundscape design. These will take into account that louder sounds typically contribute to distal situational awareness while subtle environmental sounds provide proximal situational awareness. The role of safety indicators, mediated by proximal situational awareness and subtle sounds, should become more important in future soundscape research.

The Schultz curve 25 years later: a research perspective.

PubMed

Fidell, Sanford

2003-12-01

The contemporary technical rationale for assessing effects ("impacts") of transportation noise on communities rests in large part on a purely descriptive dosage-effect relationship of the sort first synthesized by Schultz [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 64, 377-405 (1978)]. Although U.S. federal adoption of an annoyance-based rationale for regulatory policy has made this approach a familiar one, it is only one of several historical perspectives, and not necessarily the most useful for all purposes. Last reviewed by the U.S. Federal Interagency Committee on Noise (FICON) 10 years ago, the accuracy and precision of estimates of the prevalence of a consequential degree of noise-induced annoyance yielded by functions of noise exposure leave much to be desired. This tutorial article traces the development of the dosage-effect relationship on which FICON currently relies, in a wider historical context of efforts to understand and predict community response to transportation noise. It also identifies areas in which advances in genuine understanding might lead to improved means for predicting community response to transportation noise.

Assessing audiological, pathophysiological, and psychological variables in chronic tinnitus: a study of reliability and search for prognostic factors.

PubMed

Hiller, W; Goebel, G

1999-01-01

The development and course of chronic tinnitus are determined by both biological and psychological factors. To combine these different sources of data, we developed a standardized interview to assess tinnitus history, summarize audiological findings, screen for etiological conditions, and explore tinnitus-related psychological complaints (Structured Tinnitus Interview). The results of a test-retest study with 65 tinnitus inpatients show that most of these components can be assessed with acceptable or high reliability. Further data based on 166 patients demonstrate that tinnitus annoyance was to some extent different from patterns of general psychological complaints, although there were medium intercorrelations with depression. Significant predictors of tinnitus annoyance were (a) continuous tinnitus without intervals, (b) hearing loss, (c) increasing tinnitus loudness over time, (d) poor maskability, (e) history of sudden hearing loss, and (f) associated craniomandibular disorder. Psychological distress was not significantly increased in patients whose tinnitus was associated to vascular disorder, cervical spine dysfunction, acoustic trauma, Menihre's disease, or neurological disorder.

Evaluation of an Indoor Sonic Boom Subjective Test Facility at NASA Langley Research Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Loubeau, Alexandra; Rathsam, Jonathan; Klos, Jacob

2011-01-01

A sonic boom simulator at NASA Langley Research Center has been constructed for research on human response to low-amplitude sonic booms heard indoors. Research in this facility will ultimately lead to development of a psychoacoustic model for single indoor booms. The first subjective test was designed to explore indoor human response to variations in sonic boom rise time and amplitude. Another goal was to identify loudness level variability across listener locations within the facility. Finally, the test also served to evaluate the facility as a laboratory research tool for studying indoor human response to sonic booms. Subjects listened to test sounds and were asked to rate their annoyance relative to a reference boom. Measurements of test signals were conducted for objective analysis and correlation with subjective responses. Results confirm the functionality of the facility and effectiveness of the test methods and indicate that loudness level does not fully describe indoor annoyance to the selected sonic boom signals.

Interior noise and vibration measurements on operational military helicopters and comparisons with various ride quality criteria

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clevenson, S. A.; Leatherwood, J. D.; Hollenbaugh, D. D.

1983-01-01

The results of physical measurements of the interior noise and vibration obtained within eight operational military helicopters are presented. The data were extensively analyzed and are presented in the following forms: noise and vibration spectra, overall root-mean-square acceleration levels in three linear axes, peak accelerations at dominant blade passage frequencies, acceleration exceedance data, and overall and ""A'' weighted sound pressure levels. Peak acceleration levels were compared to the ISO 1-hr reduced comfort and fatigue decreased proficiency boundaries and the NASA discomfort criteria. The ""A'' weighted noise levels were compared to the NASA annoyance criteria, and the overall noise spectra were compared to MIL-STD-1294 (""Acoustical Noise Limits in Helicopters''). Specific vibration components at blade passage frequencies for several aircraft exceeded both the ISO reduced comfort boundary and the NASA passenger discomfort criteria. The ""A'' weighted noise levels, corrected for SPH-4 helmet attenuation characteristics, exceeded the NASA annoyance threshold for several aircraft.

Deriving a dosage-response relationship for community response to high-energy impulsive noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fidell, Sanford; Pearsons, Karl S.

1994-01-01

The inability to systematically predict community response to exposure to sonic booms (and other high energy impulsive sounds) is a major impediment to credible analyses of the environmental effects of supersonic flight operations. Efforts to assess community response to high energy impulsive sounds are limited in at least two important ways. First, a paucity of appropriate empirical data makes it difficult to infer a dosage-response relationship by means similar to those used in the case of general transportation noise. Second, it is unclear how well the 'equal energy hypothesis' (the notion that duration, number, and level of individual events are directly interchangeable determinants of annoyance) applies to some forms of impulsive noise exposure. Some of the issues currently under consideration by a CHABA working group addressing these problems are discussed. These include means for applying information gained in controlled exposure studies about different rates of growth of annoyance with impulsive and non-impulsive sound exposure levels, and strategies for developing a dosage-response relationship in a data-poor area.

Looking Forward, Looking Back: Anticipation is More Evocative than Retrospection

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Boven, Leaf; Ashworth, Laurence

2007-01-01

The results of 5 experiments indicate that people report more intense emotions during anticipation of, than during retrospection about, emotional events that were positive (Thanksgiving Day), negative (annoying noises, menstruation), routine (menstruation), and hypothetical (all-expenses-paid ski vacation). People's tendency to report more intense…

Monsters in the Closet: Spyware Awareness and Prevention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cordes, Christofer Sean

2005-01-01

Spyware is the general term that describes a collection of technologies that help external parties in "gathering information about a person or organization without their knowledge." In addition to the minor annoyances spyware generates, such as redirected pages, redirected searches, and pop-up ads, a spyware infection can have more malicious…

Infectious Diseases in Day Care.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sleator, Esther K.

Discussed in this publication are infectious illnesses for which children attending day care appear to be at special risk. Also covered are the common cold, some infectious disease problems receiving media attention, and some other annoying but not serious diseases, such as head lice, pinworms, and contagious skin conditions. Causes,…

Growing Demands for Public Records: How Should Boards Respond?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levinson-Waldman, Rachel; O'Neil, Robert

2012-01-01

In an era of demands for greater accountability in higher education, an increasingly polarized political environment, and scandals such as that at Penn State, access to information is becoming everyone's business, affecting public and independent institutions alike. Although Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) demands are often annoying or…

Scieszka's Subversive Little Red Hen: AKA "One Annoying Chicken"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pantaleo, Sylvia

2007-01-01

During the past three years, the author has been exploring Grade 5 students' processes of reading and understanding contemporary picturebooks with Radical Change characteristics and metafictive devices, and examining how students use their knowledge of these characteristics and devices to create their own texts. "The Stinky Cheese Man and Other…

Spatial repellency screening in a high-throughput apparatus with Aedes aegypti and Anopheles gambiae

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Spatial repellents are essential for personal protection against mosquitoes, such as Aedes aegypti and Anopheles gambiae, to reduce annoyance biting and transmission of mosquito-borne diseases. The number of safe and effective repellents, including DEET, picaridin, and IR3535, is limited and contin...

Home-Based Diabetes Symptom Self-Management Education for Mexican Americans with Type 2 Diabetes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

García, Alexandra A.; Brown, Sharon A.; Horner, Sharon D.; Zuñiga, Julie; Arheart, Kristopher L.

2015-01-01

This pilot study evaluated an innovative diabetes symptom awareness and self-management educational program for Mexican Americans, a fast growing minority population experiencing a diabetes epidemic. Patients with diabetes need assistance interpreting and managing symptoms, which are often annoying and potentially life-threatening. A repeated…

Study of annoyance due to urban automobile traffic. Annex 4: A catalog of the characteristics of noise at different measuring points

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aubree, D.; Auzou, S.; Rapin, J. M.

1984-01-01

The characteristics of urban traffic were studied. Data synthesis of and data specifically for the city of Paris concerning noise due to automobile traffic were examined. Information on noise characteristics at different measuring locations is presented.

Environmental Noise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rumberg, Martin

Environmental noise may be defined as unwanted sound that is caused by emissions from traffic (roads, air traffic corridors, and railways), industrial sites and recreational infrastructures, which may cause both annoyance and damage to health. Noise in the environment or community seriously affects people, interfering with daily activities at school, work and home and during leisure time.

Does Anthropogenic Noise in National Parks Impair Memory?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benfield, Jacob A.; Bell, Paul A.; Troup, Lucy J.; Soderstrom, Nick

2010-01-01

Research on noise shows that a variety of effects including stress, annoyance, and performance decrements exist for certain types of sounds. Noise interferes with cognitive ability by overloading the attentional system or simply distracting from efficient encoding or rehearsal, but very little research has extended those findings to recreation or…

Annoyance or Delight? College Students' Perspectives on Looking for Information

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Denison, Denise R.; Montgomery, Diane

2012-01-01

This study examined the ways that students describe how they look for information for a research project. Sternberg's Triarchic Theory of Intelligence was used to theoretically choose the statements that were sorted by the participants to determine the perceptions of the information-seeking process. Using Q methodology as the research strategy,…

Professors' Irritating Behavior Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malikow, Max

2007-01-01

The purpose of this study was to quantify the irritating behaviors of professors as experienced and reported by 232 Le Moyne College students. In this study, "irritating behavior" was understood as "actions that vex, annoy, bother, pester, frustrate, or provoke anger." The survey used in this study was developed by Larry M. Ludewig, Ph.D.,…

A Garland of Ratings, or, Just Try to Know Thyself.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, Robert W., Jr.

1964-01-01

Excerpts from college students' ratings of their English instructor are presented along with some remarks about the usefulness of such ratings. Students' replies were concerned with the instructor's (1) knowledge of and interest in his subject matter, (2) effectiveness with explanation, (3) annoying mannerisms and eccentricities, (4) bias, (5)…

Improving Alcohol Screening for College Students: Screening for Alcohol Misuse amongst College Students with a Simple Modification to the CAGE Questionnaire

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Purcell; El-Sabawi, Taleed; Cangin, Causenge

2016-01-01

Objective: To improve the CAGE (Cut down, Annoyed, Guilty, Eye opener) questionnaire's predictive accuracy in screening college students. Participants: The sample consisted of 219 midwestern university students who self-administered a confidential survey. Methods: Exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, receiver operating…

[Hygiene and body odors across time].

PubMed

Daich, D C

1998-06-01

Since Ancient Times, the Middle Ages and Modern times, there have been references to hygiene and body smells as well. According to each time there is a change in hygienic criteria and methods to avoid or diminish these annoying smells. Several beliefs and also science give their explanation to the different evolutionary stages of this process.

Wind Turbine Acoustic Investigation: Infrasound and Low-Frequency Noise--A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ambrose, Stephen E.; Rand, Robert W.; Krogh, Carmen M. E.

2012-01-01

Wind turbines produce sound that is capable of disturbing local residents and is reported to cause annoyance, sleep disturbance, and other health-related impacts. An acoustical study was conducted to investigate the presence of infrasonic and low-frequency noise emissions from wind turbines located in Falmouth, Massachusetts, USA. During the…

Gypsy moths get sick too!

Treesearch

Leah S. Bauer

1999-01-01

In June, those large, black, hairy caterpillars really begin to get your attention as they devour your trees, pelt you car with unpleasent dropping, and lounge about on your porch. I am describing the gysy moth, of course, an annoying caterpillar because of its voracious appette, large size, and abundance in many parts of eastern North America.

Teaching Generation Text: Using Cell Phones to Enhance Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nielsen, Lisa; Webb, Willyn

2011-01-01

"Teaching Generation Text" shows how teachers can turn cell phones into an educational opportunity instead of an annoying distraction. With a host of innovative ideas, activities, lessons, and strategies, Nielsen and Webb offer a unique way to use students' preferred method of communication in the classroom. Cell phones can remind students to…

Noise. Ag Ed Environmental Education Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tulloch, Rodney W.

Noise is the subject of the student resource unit to be used with high school vocational agriculture students. The nature of noise as a phenomenon and as a problem is clarified. Sources of noise pollution and the decibel levels they produce are described. Among the effects of noise pollution discussed are hearing loss, annoyance, and accidental…

A Literature Survey of Noise Pollution.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shih, H. H.

Physically, noise is a complex sound that has little or no periodicity. However, the essential characteristic of noise is its undesirability. Thus, noise can be defined as any annoying or unwanted sound. In recent years, the rapid increase of noise level in our environment has become a national public health hazard. Noise affects man's state of…

Cover Story: Let's Move Together!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rivkin, Mary S.

2006-01-01

This article discusses the inclusion of movement education and motor activities of a kindergarten teacher in her class. She was becoming increasingly annoyed with the intense focus on academics at the expense of other important parts of her program. According to her, the children need exercise, and social skills, and music, and being outdoors.…

Fighting Spam: Moving Email to the Cloud

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schrader, Andrew

2011-01-01

On average, more than 90% of email is unwanted junk mail--spam. Many spam messages include annoying promotions for irrelevant products, but others include viruses and pornographic content, which can pose a severe legal issue for schools. Spam puts districts in a difficult situation as schools try to enhance learning in the classroom with advanced…

Error Identification, Labeling, and Correction in Written Business Communication

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quible, Zane K.

2004-01-01

This article used a writing sample that contained 27 sentence-level errors of the type found by corporate America to be annoying and bothersome. Five categories of errors were included in the sample: grammar, punctuation, spelling, writing style, and business communication concepts. Students in a written business communication course were asked…

Pest Prevention 101 | Poster

Cancer.gov

During the summer months, along with rising temperatures and more daylight, comes the nuisance of mosquitoes, ticks, and other insects. In the United States, mosquito bites are largely no more than an annoyance, but worldwide, mosquitoes transmit disease to more than 700 million people every year, according to the Annals of Internal Medicine. And the recent outbreaks of the

Marking: A Pain in the Neck! The Computer to the Rescue.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Felix, Uschi

1993-01-01

Discusses the annoyances and minor aches accompanying the tedious work of marking students' schoolwork and the application of the computer to providing students with good feedback. Notes that using the computer to mark students' papers is more enjoyable and less time consuming, provides the teacher with an easily accessible record of each…

Convinced, ambivalent or annoyed: Tyrolean ski tourism stakeholders and their perceptions of climate change.

PubMed

Trawöger, Lisa

2014-02-01

Its focus on snow-dependent activities makes Alpine winter tourism especially sensitive to climate change. Stakeholder risk perceptions are a key factor in adaptation to climate change because they fundamentally drive or constrain stakeholder action. This paper examines climate change perceptions of winter tourism stakeholders in Tyrol (Austria). Using a qualitative approach, expert interviews were conducted. Four opinion categories reflecting different attitudes toward climate change issues were identified: convinced planners , annoyed deniers , ambivalent optimists , convinced wait-and-seers . Although the findings generally indicate a growing awareness of climate change, this awareness is mainly limited to perceiving the issue as a global phenomenon. Awareness of regional and branch-specific consequences of climate change that lead to a demand for action could not be identified. Current technical strategies, like snowmaking, are not primarily climate-induced. At present, coping with climate change is not a priority for risk management. The findings point out the importance of gaining and transferring knowledge of regional and branch-specific consequences of climate change in order to induce action at the destination level.

A Recording-Based Method for Auralization of Rotorcraft Flyover Noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pera, Nicholas M.; Rizzi, Stephen A.; Krishnamurthy, Siddhartha; Fuller, Christopher R.; Christian, Andrew

2018-01-01

Rotorcraft noise is an active field of study as the sound produced by these vehicles is often found to be annoying. A means to auralize rotorcraft flyover noise is sought to help understand the factors leading to annoyance. Previous work by the authors focused on auralization of rotorcraft fly-in noise, in which a simplification was made that enabled the source noise synthesis to be based on a single emission angle. Here, the goal is to auralize a complete flyover event, so the source noise synthesis must be capable of traversing a range of emission angles. The synthesis uses a source noise definition process that yields periodic and aperiodic (modulation) components at a set of discrete emission angles. In this work, only the periodic components are used for the source noise synthesis for the flyover; the inclusion of modulation components is the subject of ongoing research. Propagation of the synthesized source noise to a ground observer is performed using the NASA Auralization Framework. The method is demonstrated using ground recordings from a flight test of the AS350 helicopter for the source noise definition.

Agenda toward the development of a rational noise descriptor system relevant to human annoyance by en route aircraft noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garbell, Maurice A.

1990-01-01

A rational, internationally consistent, noise descriptor system is needed to express existing and predicted en route aircraft noise levels in terms closely correlated to the annoyance perceived by people and physiologically identifiable in people, to provide guidance for aircraft and powerplant design, flight management, land-use planning, and building codes. Expanding on previous discussions, a new comprehensive statement of the specific questions that must be resolved by needed research, and the nature and quality of proof that must be adduced to justify further steps toward the drafting and adoption of new international en route aircraft-noise standards is sought. The single noise-descriptor system envisioned must be valid for widely varying aircraft-noise frequency spectra, including time-variant components and agreeable and disagreeable discrete tones and combinations of tones. The measures and criteria established by the system must be valid at high and low immission levels, at high and low ambient noise levels, for great and small number of noise events, and outdoors and indoors.

How Pleasant Sounds Promote and Annoying Sounds Impede Health: A Cognitive Approach

PubMed Central

Andringa, Tjeerd C.; Lanser, J. Jolie L.

2013-01-01

This theoretical paper addresses the cognitive functions via which quiet and in general pleasurable sounds promote and annoying sounds impede health. The article comprises a literature analysis and an interpretation of how the bidirectional influence of appraising the environment and the feelings of the perceiver can be understood in terms of core affect and motivation. This conceptual basis allows the formulation of a detailed cognitive model describing how sonic content, related to indicators of safety and danger, either allows full freedom over mind-states or forces the activation of a vigilance function with associated arousal. The model leads to a number of detailed predictions that can be used to provide existing soundscape approaches with a solid cognitive science foundation that may lead to novel approaches to soundscape design. These will take into account that louder sounds typically contribute to distal situational awareness while subtle environmental sounds provide proximal situational awareness. The role of safety indicators, mediated by proximal situational awareness and subtle sounds, should become more important in future soundscape research. PMID:23567255

Psychometric properties of the Bulgarian translation of noise sensitivity scale short form (NSS-SF): implementation in the field of noise control.

PubMed

Dzhambov, Angel M; Dimitrova, Donka D

2014-01-01

The Noise Sensitivity Scale Short Form (NSS-SF), developed in English as a more practical form of the classical Weinstein NSS, has not to date been validated in other cultures, and its validity and reliability have not yet been confirmed. This study aimed to validate NSS-SF in Bulgarian and to demonstrate its applicability. The study comprised test-retest (n = 115) and a field-testing (n = 71) of the newly validated scale. Its construct validity was examined with confirmatory factor analysis, and very good model-fit was observed. Temporal stability was assessed in a test-retest (r = 0.990), convergent validity was examined with single-item susceptibility to the noise scale (r = 0.906) and discriminant validity was confirmed with single-item noise annoyance scale (r = 0.718). The lowest observed McDonald's omega across the studies was 0.923. The cross-cultural validation of NSS-SF was successful but it proved to be somewhat problematic with respect to its annoyance-based items.

Convinced, ambivalent or annoyed: Tyrolean ski tourism stakeholders and their perceptions of climate change☆

PubMed Central

Trawöger, Lisa

2014-01-01

Its focus on snow-dependent activities makes Alpine winter tourism especially sensitive to climate change. Stakeholder risk perceptions are a key factor in adaptation to climate change because they fundamentally drive or constrain stakeholder action. This paper examines climate change perceptions of winter tourism stakeholders in Tyrol (Austria). Using a qualitative approach, expert interviews were conducted. Four opinion categories reflecting different attitudes toward climate change issues were identified: convinced planners, annoyed deniers, ambivalent optimists, convinced wait-and-seers. Although the findings generally indicate a growing awareness of climate change, this awareness is mainly limited to perceiving the issue as a global phenomenon. Awareness of regional and branch-specific consequences of climate change that lead to a demand for action could not be identified. Current technical strategies, like snowmaking, are not primarily climate-induced. At present, coping with climate change is not a priority for risk management. The findings point out the importance of gaining and transferring knowledge of regional and branch-specific consequences of climate change in order to induce action at the destination level. PMID:27064520

Noise annoyance through railway traffic - a case study.

PubMed

Trombetta Zannin, Paulo Henrique; Bunn, Fernando

2014-01-08

This paper describes an assessment of noise caused by railway traffic in a large Latin American city. Measurements were taken of noise levels generated by trains passing through residential neighborhoods with and without blowing their horns. Noise maps were also calculated showing noise pollution generated by the train traffic. In addition - annoyance of the residents - affected by railway noise, was evaluated based on interviews. The measurements indicated that the noise levels generated by the passage of the train with its horn blowing are extremely high, clearly exceeding the daytime limits of equivalent sound pressure level - Leq = 55 dB(A) - established by the municipal laws No 10.625 of the city of Curitiba. The Leq = 45 dB (A) which is the limit for the night period also are exceeded during the passage of trains. The residents reported feeling affected by the noise generated by passing trains, which causes irritability, headaches, poor concentration and insomnia, and 88% of them claimed that nocturnal noise pollution is the most distressing. This study showed that the vast majority of residents surveyed, (69%) believe that the noise of the train can devalue their property.

The impact of road traffic noise on cognitive performance in attention-based tasks depends on noise level even within moderate-level ranges

PubMed Central

Schlittmeier, Sabine J.; Feil, Alexandra; Liebl, Andreas; Hellbrück, Jürgen

2015-01-01

Little empirical evidence is available regarding the effects of road traffic noise on cognitive performance in adults, although traffic noise can be heard at many offices and home office workplaces. Our study tested the impact of road traffic noise at different levels (50 dB(A), 60 dB(A), 70 dB(A)) on performance in three tasks that differed with respect to their dependency on attentional and storage functions, as follows: The Stroop task, in which performance relied predominantly on attentional functions (e.g., inhibition of automated responses; Experiment 1: n = 24); a non-automated multistage mental arithmetic task calling for both attentional and storage functions (Exp. 2: n = 18); and verbal serial recall, which placed a burden predominantly on storage functions (Experiment 3: n = 18). Better performance was observed during moderate road traffic noise at 50 dB(A) compared to loud traffic noise at 70 dB(A) in attention-based tasks (Experiments 1-2). This contrasted with the effects of irrelevant speech (60 dB(A)), which was included in the experiments as a well-explored and common noise source in office settings. A disturbance impact of background speech was only given in the two tasks that called for storage functions (Experiments 2-3). In addition to the performance data, subjective annoyance ratings were collected. Consistent with the level effect of road traffic noise found in the performance data, a moderate road traffic noise at 50 dB(A) was perceived as significantly less annoying than a loud road traffic noise at 70 dB(A), which was found, however, independently of the task at hand. Furthermore, the background sound condition with the highest detrimental performance effect in a task was also rated as most annoying in this task, i.e., traffic noise at 70 dB(A) in the Stroop task, and background speech in the mental arithmetic and serial recall tasks. PMID:25913554

Just Deal with It! Funny Readers Theatre for Life's Not-So-Funny Moments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jenkins, Diana

2004-01-01

A collection of humorous plays with real-life settings and contemporary characters, Just Deal with It!, includes readers theatre scripts that poke gentle fun at annoying traits, school-based dilemmas, or the embarrassing moments that are part of growing up. With resolutions that emphasize creative solutions, good humor, or cleverness, these…

76 FR 78942 - Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Proposed Vernal Pool Habitat Conservation Plan for the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-20

... behavioral patterns, including breeding, feeding, or sheltering (50 CFR 17.3). The term ``harass'' is defined... annoying it to such an extent as to significantly disrupt normal behavioral patterns, which include, but... be included in the VPHCP in recognition of the conservation benefits to be provided for them under...

Human Response to Aircraft-Noise-Induced Building Vibration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cawthorn, J. M.; Dempsey, T. K.; DeLoach, R.

1978-01-01

The effects of noise induced building structure vibration and the rattle of objects on human response to aircraft flyover noise were investigated in a series of studies conducted in both the field and the laboratory. The subjective detection thresholds for vibration and rattle were determined as well as the effect of vibration and rattle upon aircraft noise annoyance.

Mitigating the Acoustic Impacts of Modern Technologies: Acoustic, Health, and Psychosocial Factors Informing Wind Farm Placement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shepherd, Daniel; Billington, Rex

2011-01-01

Wind turbine noise is annoying and has been linked to increased levels of psychological distress, stress, difficulty falling asleep, and sleep interruption. For these reasons, there is a need for competently designed noise standards to safeguard community health and well-being. The authors identify key considerations for the development of wind…

Sizing up the 60s

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parini, Jay

2008-01-01

For the author, the 1960s was a tumultuous era which he associates with a feeling of freedom from old pieties and a sense of fresh possibilities. It was a time of self-indulgence coupled with flamboyance that annoyed many of those in authority, including parents, professors, and politicians. In this article, the author discusses how a new book by…

The elimination of a class of pseudo echoes by an improved T/R switch technique

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Green, J. L.; Ecklund, W. L.

1986-01-01

An annoying class of pseudo echoes are described that evidently occur occasionally in a number of ST (stratosphere troposphere) radars. The origin of these signals are located in the output circuitry of the radar transmitter. Two methods for the elimination of the radar echoes are suggested and briefly desscrib.

An Online Simulation in Pediatric Asthma Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hopper, Keith B.

2004-01-01

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that nearly 20 million Americans suffer from asthma, 6.3 million of which are children (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2004). It is not merely an annoyance disease, as is commonly believed. Asthma kills. It takes more than 5,000 American lives each year (Asthma Statistics in America,…

"The Most Annoying Assignment Ever": Helping Composition Students Navigate New Vocabulary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKnight, Heal

2010-01-01

Almost all of the author's community college students feel self-conscious about their vocabulary. She thinks that their resistance to expanding their vocabulary has many tangled roots: sometimes the students seem nervous about what they leave behind as they notch their vocabulary up to a more formal, college level. This article discusses how the…

Training Emotional Intelligence Related to Treatment Skills of Staff Working with Clients with Intellectual Disabilities and Challenging Behaviour

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zijlmans, L. J. M.; Embregts, P. J. C. M.; Gerits, L.; Bosman, A. M. T.; Derksen, J. J. L.

2011-01-01

Background: Staff working with clients with intellectual disabilities (ID) who display challenging behaviour may contribute to the continuation of this behaviour, because it causes emotional reactions such as anxiety, anger and annoyance, which may prohibit adequate response behaviour. To enhance staff behaviour and treatment skills a training…

A Teacher's Guide to Rerouting the Pipeline

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chiariello, Emily

2013-01-01

Michael is 15 and repeating the ninth grade. He habitually tilts his chair back and drums annoyingly on his desk with a pencil. This morning, he was doing it--again--while you were trying to teach. What will you do? Responsive teachers shift their reactions in important ways. They adopt a social emotional lens: What does Michael's tapping say…

Imperial County baseline health survey potential impact of geothermal energy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Deane, M.

The survey purpose, methods, and statistical methods are presented. Results are discussed according to: area differences in background variables, area differences in health variables, area differences in annoyance reactions, and comparison of symptom frequencies with age, smoking, and drinking. Included in appendices are tables of data, enumeration forms, the questionnaire, interviewer cards, and interviewer instructions. (MHR)

Managing the Classroom a Very Salient Responsibility in Teaching and Learning Situations Is Classroom Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ediger, Marlow

2013-01-01

A knowledgeable teacher may fail in teaching due to inability to work effectively with pupils. Thus, pupils may be entertaining each other during class time, talking aloud incessantly, walking around aimlessly in the classroom, and bothering others, among other annoyances. When supervising university student teachers in the public schools, the…

Spam Stoppers: Stave off the Spam Onslaught with Technology and Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fryer, Wesley A.

2005-01-01

For schools, spam is not only an annoyance and a time waster; it clogs district mail servers, consumes valuable network bandwidth, and can deliver and propagate a variety of malware programs that can wreak havoc on their system. A district strategy to "can the spam," therefore, must be multifaceted and address security vulnerabilities at different…

An Evaluation of Signal Annoyance for a Head-Mounted Tactile Display

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-03-01

the burden, to Department of Defense , Washington Headquarters Services, Directorate for Information Operations and Reports (0704-0188), 1215... the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the ...be used on the finger, torso, and arm, and currently, vibrotactile signals are optimized for use on those areas. Thus, integrating BC

Annoying Danish Relatives: Comprehension and Production of Relative Clauses by Danish Children with and without SLI

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jensen De Lopez, Kristine; Olsen, Lone Sundahl; Chondrogianni, Vasiliki

2014-01-01

This study examines the comprehension and production of subject and object relative clauses (SRCs, ORCs) by children with Specific Language Impairment (SLI) and their typically developing (TD) peers. The purpose is to investigate whether relative clauses are problematic for Danish children with SLI and to compare errors with those produced by TD…

Effects of Classroom Acoustics and Self-Reported Noise Exposure on Teachers' Well-Being

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kristiansen, Jesper; Persson, Roger; Lund, Soren Peter; Shibuya, Hitomi; Nielsen, Per Moberg

2013-01-01

Beyond noise annoyance and voice problems, little is known about the effects that noise and poor classroom acoustics have on teachers' health and well-being. The aim of this field study was therefore to investigate the effects of perceived noise exposure and classroom reverberation on measures of well-being. Data on self-reported noise exposure,…

Say goodbye to coffee stains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burak Eral, H.; van den Ende, Dirk; Mugele, Frieder

2012-04-01

Discussing ideas over a mug of coffee or tea is the lifeblood of science, but have you ever thought about the stains that can be inadvertently left behind? H Burak Eral, Dirk van den Ende and Frieder Mugele explain how these stains, which can be a major annoyance in some biology techniques, can be altered for the better using a technique called electrowetting.

Disturbance to the population due to flight operations at landing fields. Questionnaire on community reaction to non-commercial and sporting aviation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rohrmann, B.

1981-01-01

A field study was undertaken to determine the Sociopsychological effects of air traffic noise experienced by residents of areas near small sporting aviation fields. A questionaire was prepared which includes questions on flight restriction measures, on attitudes which moderate annoyance and on comparisons with other noise sources, etc.

Bt: One Option for Gypsy Moth Management

Treesearch

Deborah C. Mccullough; Leah S. Bauer

2000-01-01

Though the gypsy moth will never go away, you have a variety of options to help manage this pest during outbreaks. One option involves the use of Bt to protect tree foliage and reduce the annoyance caused by gypsy moth caterpillars during an outbreak. Bt or Btk refers to a microorganism called Bacillus Thuringeniesis var. kurstaki. Bt has been widely adopted for...

Noise and Speech Interference: Proceedings of Minisymposium

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shepherd, W. T. (Editor)

1975-01-01

Several papers are presented which deal with the psychophysical effects of interference with speech and listening activities by different forms of noise masking and filtering. Special attention was given to the annoyance such interruptions cause, particularly that due to aircraft flyover noises. Activities such as telephone listening and television watching were studied. A number of experimental investigations are described and the results are analyzed.

Obsessive relational intrusion: incidence, perceived severity, and coping.

PubMed

Cupach, W R; Spitzberg, B H

2000-01-01

Two studies investigated the phenomenon of obsessive relational intrusion (ORI), defined as repeated and unwanted pursuit and invasion of one's sense of physical or symbolic privacy by another person, either stranger or acquaintance, who desires and/or presumes an intimate relationship. In Study 1, we sought to identify the incidence of a broad range of relationally intrusive behaviors, to identify the coping responses employed by victims of ORI, and to assess the associations between coping responses and ORI behaviors. Study 2 assessed the perceived degree of severity of ORI behaviors. Results revealed that each of 63 ORI behaviors was experienced by 3-78% of respondents in three different samples. Factor analysis revealed four types of ORI behavior: pursuit, violation, threat, and hyper-intimacy. Responses for coping with ORI consisted of interaction, protection, retaliation, and evasion. Virtually all intrusive behaviors were perceived to be annoying. Some types of ORI behaviors were perceived to be relatively more threatening, upsetting and privacy-invading than others. Although sex differences were not observed for the incidence of ORI or coping, women consistently perceived ORI behaviors to be more annoying, upsetting, threatening, and privacy-invading than did men.

Sleep disturbance due to noise: current issues and future research.

PubMed

Hume, Ken

2010-01-01

There is growing interest in carrying out further research to understand and reduce the impact of aircraft noise on airport neighborhood in anticipation of the projected substantial increase in global aviation. Soundscapes provide new analytical methods and a broader, more comprehensive appreciation of the aural environment, which may have a useful role in understanding noise-induced sleep disturbance and annoyance. Current noise metrics like Leq do not provide a common language to report noise environment to residents, which is a key obstacle to effective noise management and acceptance. Non-auditory effects complicate the production of consistent dose-response functions for aircraft noise affecting sleep and annoyance. There are various end-points that can be chosen to assess the degree of sleep disturbance, which has detracted from the clarity of results that has been communicated to wider audiences. The World Health Organization (WHO-Europe) has produced Night Noise Guidelines for Europe, which act as a clear guide for airports and planners to work towards. Methodological inadequacies and the need for simpler techniques to record sleep will be considered with the exciting potential to greatly increase cost-effective field data acquisition, which is needed for large scale epidemiological studies.

Evaluation of a multi-channel algorithm for reducing transient sounds.

PubMed

Keshavarzi, Mahmoud; Baer, Thomas; Moore, Brian C J

2018-05-15

The objective was to evaluate and select appropriate parameters for a multi-channel transient reduction (MCTR) algorithm for detecting and attenuating transient sounds in speech. In each trial, the same sentence was played twice. A transient sound was presented in both sentences, but its level varied across the two depending on whether or not it had been processed by the MCTR and on the "strength" of the processing. The participant indicated their preference for which one was better and by how much in terms of the balance between the annoyance produced by the transient and the audibility of the transient (they were told that the transient should still be audible). Twenty English-speaking participants were tested, 10 with normal hearing and 10 with mild-to-moderate hearing-impairment. Frequency-dependent linear amplification was provided for the latter. The results for both participant groups indicated that sounds processed using the MCTR were preferred over the unprocessed sounds. For the hearing-impaired participants, the medium and strong settings of the MCTR were preferred over the weak setting. The medium and strong settings of the MCTR reduced the annoyance produced by the transients while maintaining their audibility.

Personal Audiovisual Aptitude Influences the Interaction Between Landscape and Soundscape Appraisal.

PubMed

Sun, Kang; Echevarria Sanchez, Gemma M; De Coensel, Bert; Van Renterghem, Timothy; Talsma, Durk; Botteldooren, Dick

2018-01-01

It has been established that there is an interaction between audition and vision in the appraisal of our living environment, and that this appraisal is influenced by personal factors. Here, we test the hypothesis that audiovisual aptitude influences appraisal of our sonic and visual environment. To measure audiovisual aptitude, an auditory deviant detection experiment was conducted in an ecologically valid and complex context. This experiment allows us to distinguish between accurate and less accurate listeners. Additionally, it allows to distinguish between participants that are easily visually distracted and those who are not. To do so, two previously conducted laboratory experiments were re-analyzed. The first experiment focuses on self-reported noise annoyance in a living room context, whereas the second experiment focuses on the perceived pleasantness of using outdoor public spaces. In the first experiment, the influence of visibility of vegetation on self-reported noise annoyance was modified by audiovisual aptitude. In the second one, it was found that the overall appraisal of walking across a bridge is influenced by audiovisual aptitude, in particular when a visually intrusive noise barrier is used to reduce highway traffic noise levels. We conclude that audiovisual aptitude may affect the appraisal of the living environment.

Personal Audiovisual Aptitude Influences the Interaction Between Landscape and Soundscape Appraisal

PubMed Central

Sun, Kang; Echevarria Sanchez, Gemma M.; De Coensel, Bert; Van Renterghem, Timothy; Talsma, Durk; Botteldooren, Dick

2018-01-01

It has been established that there is an interaction between audition and vision in the appraisal of our living environment, and that this appraisal is influenced by personal factors. Here, we test the hypothesis that audiovisual aptitude influences appraisal of our sonic and visual environment. To measure audiovisual aptitude, an auditory deviant detection experiment was conducted in an ecologically valid and complex context. This experiment allows us to distinguish between accurate and less accurate listeners. Additionally, it allows to distinguish between participants that are easily visually distracted and those who are not. To do so, two previously conducted laboratory experiments were re-analyzed. The first experiment focuses on self-reported noise annoyance in a living room context, whereas the second experiment focuses on the perceived pleasantness of using outdoor public spaces. In the first experiment, the influence of visibility of vegetation on self-reported noise annoyance was modified by audiovisual aptitude. In the second one, it was found that the overall appraisal of walking across a bridge is influenced by audiovisual aptitude, in particular when a visually intrusive noise barrier is used to reduce highway traffic noise levels. We conclude that audiovisual aptitude may affect the appraisal of the living environment. PMID:29910750

Psychological comorbidity in patients with chronic tinnitus: analysis and comparison with chronic pain, asthma or atopic dermatitis patients.

PubMed

Zirke, N; Seydel, C; Szczepek, A J; Olze, H; Haupt, H; Mazurek, B

2013-03-01

To determine the prevalence and severity of psychological comorbidity in patients with chronic tinnitus in comparison with other chronic illnesses, namely chronic pain, chronic asthma and atopic dermatitis. Psychological diagnoses were done according to ICD-10 Chapter V(F). Subjective impairment was evaluated using 5 psychometric questionnaires: tinnitus questionnaire, Berlin mood questionnaire, sense of coherence (SOC-L9) and perceived stress questionnaire. Sleep disturbance was measured by the subdomain 'exhaustion' of the Giessen physical complaints inventory. Somatoform or affective disorders were most frequent in all disease groups. Patients with chronic tinnitus had a stronger SOC and better subjective mood, stronger commitment, and less anger and anxious depression than the patients with chronic pain, chronic asthma or atopic dermatitis. However, in patients with higher tinnitus annoyance, psychological comorbidity was similar to that found in patients with other chronic diseases. Besides collecting medical and social history, special psychometric instruments should be used for the diagnosis of tinnitus patients. Based on relative high frequency of psychological comorbidity, we recommend interdisciplinary cooperation between otorhinolaryngologists and other specialists (psychosomatic medicine, psychology or psychiatry) during the treatment of tinnitus patients, especially when high degree of tinnitus annoyance is involved.

A sound quality model for objective synthesis evaluation of vehicle interior noise based on artificial neural network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Y. S.; Shen, G. Q.; Xing, Y. F.

2014-03-01

Based on the artificial neural network (ANN) technique, an objective sound quality evaluation (SQE) model for synthesis annoyance of vehicle interior noises is presented in this paper. According to the standard named GB/T18697, firstly, the interior noises under different working conditions of a sample vehicle are measured and saved in a noise database. Some mathematical models for loudness, sharpness and roughness of the measured vehicle noises are established and performed by Matlab programming. Sound qualities of the vehicle interior noises are also estimated by jury tests following the anchored semantic differential (ASD) procedure. Using the objective and subjective evaluation results, furthermore, an ANN-based model for synthetical annoyance evaluation of vehicle noises, so-called ANN-SAE, is developed. Finally, the ANN-SAE model is proved by some verification tests with the leave-one-out algorithm. The results suggest that the proposed ANN-SAE model is accurate and effective and can be directly used to estimate sound quality of the vehicle interior noises, which is very helpful for vehicle acoustical designs and improvements. The ANN-SAE approach may be extended to deal with other sound-related fields for product quality evaluations in SQE engineering.

PKU: high plasma phenylalanine concentrations are associated with increased prevalence of mood swings.

PubMed

Anjema, Karen; van Rijn, Margreet; Verkerk, Paul H; Burgerhof, Johannes G M; Heiner-Fokkema, M Rebecca; van Spronsen, Francjan J

2011-11-01

In phenylketonuria, knowledge about the relation between behavior and plasma phenylalanine is scarce. The aim of this study was to determine whether high phenylalanine is associated with disturbed behavior noticed by the patient and or close environment (parents or partners). 48 early treated PKU patients (median age 8.5, range 0-35 years) participated (median phenylalanine concentration in total sample 277 (range 89-1171) μmol/l; and in patients <12 years 238 (range 89-521) μmol/l). After sending blood samples, patients or close environment were interviewed with a standardized questionnaire whether they noticed hyperactivity, annoying behavior, mood swings and introvert or extravert behavior. The interviewer as well as the respondents were blinded with regard to the phenylalanine concentration. Patients reported less deviant behavior compared to close environment. Mood swings were positively associated with phenylalanine concentrations in the total group (P=0.039) and patients <12 years (P=0.042). The relationships between temporary high phenylalanine concentrations and hyperactivity, annoying behavior, introvert and extravert behavior were not statistically significant. there is a positive association between phenylalanine concentrations and mood swings. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Noise annoyance through railway traffic - a case study

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

This paper describes an assessment of noise caused by railway traffic in a large Latin American city. Measurements were taken of noise levels generated by trains passing through residential neighborhoods with and without blowing their horns. Noise maps were also calculated showing noise pollution generated by the train traffic. In addition - annoyance of the residents - affected by railway noise, was evaluated based on interviews. The measurements indicated that the noise levels generated by the passage of the train with its horn blowing are extremely high, clearly exceeding the daytime limits of equivalent sound pressure level - Leq = 55 dB(A) - established by the municipal laws No 10.625 of the city of Curitiba. The Leq = 45 dB (A) which is the limit for the night period also are exceeded during the passage of trains. The residents reported feeling affected by the noise generated by passing trains, which causes irritability, headaches, poor concentration and insomnia, and 88% of them claimed that nocturnal noise pollution is the most distressing. This study showed that the vast majority of residents surveyed, (69%) believe that the noise of the train can devalue their property. PMID:24401735

A user authentication scheme using physiological and behavioral biometrics for multitouch devices.

PubMed

Koong, Chorng-Shiuh; Yang, Tzu-I; Tseng, Chien-Chao

2014-01-01

With the rapid growth of mobile network, tablets and smart phones have become sorts of keys to access personal secured services in our daily life. People use these devices to manage personal finances, shop on the Internet, and even pay at vending machines. Besides, it also helps us get connected with friends and business partners through social network applications, which were widely used as personal identifications in both real and virtual societies. However, these devices use inherently weak authentication mechanism, based upon passwords and PINs that is not changed all the time. Although forcing users to change password periodically can enhance the security level, it may also be considered annoyances for users. Biometric technologies are straightforward because of the simple authentication process. However, most of the traditional biometrics methodologies require diverse equipment to acquire biometric information, which may be expensive and not portable. This paper proposes a multibiometric user authentication scheme with both physiological and behavioral biometrics. Only simple rotations with fingers on multitouch devices are required to enhance the security level without annoyances for users. In addition, the user credential is replaceable to prevent from the privacy leakage.

Effect of odour on multisensory environmental evaluations of road traffic

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jiang, Like, E-mail: jianglike@yahoo.com; Masullo, Massimiliano, E-mail: Massimiliano.MASULLO@unina2.it; Maffei, Luigi, E-mail: luigi.maffei@unina2.it

This study investigated the effect of odour on multisensory environmental evaluations of road traffic. The study aimed to answer: (1) Does odour have any effect on evaluations on noise, landscape and the overall environment? (2) How different are participants' responses to odour stimuli and are these differences influential on the evaluations? Experimental scenarios varied in three Traffic levels, three Tree screening conditions and two Odour presence conditions were designed, and presented to participants in virtual reality. Perceived Loudness, Noise Annoyance, Landscape Quality and Overall Pleasantness of each scenario were evaluated and the results were analysed. It shows that Odour presencemore » did not have significant main effect on any of the evaluations, but has significant interactions with Traffic level on Noise Annoyance and with Tree screening on Landscape Quality, indicating the potential of odour to modulate noise and visual landscape perceptions in specific environmental content. Concerning participants' responses to odour stimuli, large differences were found in this study. However, the differences did not seem to be influential on environmental evaluations in this study. Larger samples of participants may benefit this study for more significant results of odour effect.« less

Neurophysiological approach to tinnitus patients.

PubMed

Jastreboff, P J; Gray, W C; Gold, S L

1996-03-01

The principal postulate of the neurophysiological model of tinnitus is that all levels of the auditory pathways and several nonauditory systems play essential roles in each case of tinnitus, stressing the dominance of nonauditory systems in determining the level of tinnitus annoyance. Thus it has been proposed to treat tinnitus by inducing and facilitating habituation to the tinnitus signal. The goal is to reach the stage at which, although patients may perceive tinnitus as unchanged when they focus on it, they are otherwise not aware of tinnitus. Furthermore, even when perceived, tinnitus does not evoke annoyance. Habituation is achieved by directive counseling combined with low-level, broad-band noise generated by wearable generators, and environmental sounds, according to a specific protocol. For habituation to occur, it is imperative to avoid masking tinnitus by these sounds. Since 1991, > 500 tinnitus patients have been seen in our center. About 40% exhibited hyperacusis to varying degrees. A survey of > 100 patients revealed > 80% of significant improvement in groups of patients treated with the full protocol involving counseling and the use of noise generators. Notably, in patients who received counseling only, the success rate was < 20%. The improvement in hyperacusis was observed in approximately 90% of treated patients.

JPEG2000-coded image error concealment exploiting convex sets projections.

PubMed

Atzori, Luigi; Ginesu, Giaime; Raccis, Alessio

2005-04-01

Transmission errors in JPEG2000 can be grouped into three main classes, depending on the affected area: LL, high frequencies at the lower decomposition levels, and high frequencies at the higher decomposition levels. The first type of errors are the most annoying but can be concealed exploiting the signal spatial correlation like in a number of techniques proposed in the past; the second are less annoying but more difficult to address; the latter are often imperceptible. In this paper, we address the problem of concealing the second class or errors when high bit-planes are damaged by proposing a new approach based on the theory of projections onto convex sets. Accordingly, the error effects are masked by iteratively applying two procedures: low-pass (LP) filtering in the spatial domain and restoration of the uncorrupted wavelet coefficients in the transform domain. It has been observed that a uniform LP filtering brought to some undesired side effects that negatively compensated the advantages. This problem has been overcome by applying an adaptive solution, which exploits an edge map to choose the optimal filter mask size. Simulation results demonstrated the efficiency of the proposed approach.

A User Authentication Scheme Using Physiological and Behavioral Biometrics for Multitouch Devices

PubMed Central

Koong, Chorng-Shiuh; Tseng, Chien-Chao

2014-01-01

With the rapid growth of mobile network, tablets and smart phones have become sorts of keys to access personal secured services in our daily life. People use these devices to manage personal finances, shop on the Internet, and even pay at vending machines. Besides, it also helps us get connected with friends and business partners through social network applications, which were widely used as personal identifications in both real and virtual societies. However, these devices use inherently weak authentication mechanism, based upon passwords and PINs that is not changed all the time. Although forcing users to change password periodically can enhance the security level, it may also be considered annoyances for users. Biometric technologies are straightforward because of the simple authentication process. However, most of the traditional biometrics methodologies require diverse equipment to acquire biometric information, which may be expensive and not portable. This paper proposes a multibiometric user authentication scheme with both physiological and behavioral biometrics. Only simple rotations with fingers on multitouch devices are required to enhance the security level without annoyances for users. In addition, the user credential is replaceable to prevent from the privacy leakage. PMID:25147864

Auralization of NASA N+2 Aircraft Concepts from System Noise Predictions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rizzi, Stephen A.; Burley, Casey L.; Thomas, Russel H.

2016-01-01

Auralization of aircraft flyover noise provides an auditory experience that complements integrated metrics obtained from system noise predictions. Recent efforts have focused on auralization methods development, specifically the process by which source noise information obtained from semi-empirical models, computational aeroacoustic analyses, and wind tunnel and flight test data, are used for simulated flyover noise at a receiver on the ground. The primary focus of this work, however, is to develop full vehicle auralizations in order to explore the distinguishing features of NASA's N+2 aircraft vis-à-vis current fleet reference vehicles for single-aisle and large twin-aisle classes. Some features can be seen in metric time histories associated with aircraft noise certification, e.g., tone-corrected perceived noise level used in the calculation of effective perceived noise level. Other features can be observed in sound quality metrics, e.g., loudness, sharpness, roughness, fluctuation strength and tone-to-noise ratio. A psychoacoustic annoyance model is employed to establish the relationship between sound quality metrics and noise certification metrics. Finally, the auralizations will serve as the basis for a separate psychoacoustic study aimed at assessing how well aircraft noise certification metrics predict human annoyance for these advanced vehicle concepts.

Concorde noise-induced building vibrations, John F. Kennedy International Airport

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mayes, W. H.; Deloach, R.; Stephens, D. G.; Cawthorn, J. M.; Holmes, H. K.; Lewis, R. B.; Holliday, B. G.; Miller, W. T.; Ward, D. W.

1978-01-01

The outdoor/indoor noise levels and associated vibration levels resulting from aircraft and nonaircraft events were recorded at eight homesites and a school. In addition, limited subjective tests were conducted to examine the human detection/annoyance thresholds for building vibration and rattle caused by aircraft noise. Presented herein are the majority of the window and wall vibration data recorded during Concorde and subsonic aircraft overflights.

Evaluation of noise pollution level based upon community exposure and response data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edmiston, R. D.

1972-01-01

The results and procedures are reported from an evaluation of noise pollution level as a predictor of annoyance, based on aircraft noise exposure and community response data. The measures of noise exposure presented include composite noise rating, noise exposure forecast, noise and number index. A proposed measure as a universal noise exposure measure for noise pollution level (L sub NP) is discussed.

Perceptions and Attitudes Towards Blended Learning for English Courses: A Case Study of Students at University of Bisha

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ja'ashan, Mohammed Mohammed Nasser Hassan

2015-01-01

This paper presents a case study of students' perceptions and attitudes towards Blended Learning course in English at University of Bisha. The statement of problem that blended learning of English course annoys students at University of Bisha. Most of the students do not understand well the objectives of e learning through blended learning courses…

Acceptance of Clickers in a Large Multimodal Biochemistry Class as Determined by Student Evaluations of Teaching: Are They Just an Annoying Distraction for Distance Students?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miles, Nathan. G.; Soares da Costa, Tatiana P.

2016-01-01

A student response system (clickers) was introduced into a second year introductory biochemistry class to improve student engagement and performance. The class was delivered in both internal and distance education (DE) modes, with the DE students receiving recordings of the lectures (including clicker activities). However, there was concern over…

Examining the short term effects of emotion under an Adaptation Level Theory model of tinnitus perception.

PubMed

Durai, Mithila; O'Keeffe, Mary G; Searchfield, Grant D

2017-03-01

Existing evidence suggests a strong relationship between tinnitus and emotion. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of short-term emotional changes along valence and arousal dimensions on tinnitus outcomes. Emotional stimuli were presented in two different modalities: auditory and visual. The authors hypothesized that (1) negative valence (unpleasant) stimuli and/or high arousal stimuli will lead to greater tinnitus loudness and annoyance than positive valence and/or low arousal stimuli, and (2) auditory emotional stimuli, which are in the same modality as the tinnitus, will exhibit a greater effect on tinnitus outcome measures than visual stimuli. Auditory and visual emotive stimuli were administered to 22 participants (12 females and 10 males) with chronic tinnitus, recruited via email invitations send out to the University of Auckland Tinnitus Research Volunteer Database. Emotional stimuli used were taken from the International Affective Digital Sounds- Version 2 (IADS-2) and the International Affective Picture System (IAPS) (Bradley and Lang, 2007a, 2007b). The Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (Gross and John, 2003) was administered alongside subjective ratings of tinnitus loudness and annoyance, and psychoacoustic sensation level matches to external sounds. Males had significantly different emotional regulation scores than females. Negative valence emotional auditory stimuli led to higher tinnitus loudness ratings in males and females and higher annoyance ratings in males only; loudness matches of tinnitus remained unchanged. The visual stimuli did not have an effect on tinnitus ratings. The results are discussed relative to the Adaptation Level Theory Model of Tinnitus. The results indicate that the negative valence dimension of emotion is associated with increased tinnitus magnitude judgements and gender effects may also be present, but only when the emotional stimulus is in the auditory modality. Sounds with emotional associations may be used for sound therapy for tinnitus relief; it is of interest to determine whether the emotional component of sound treatments can play a role in reversing the negative responses discussed in this paper. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Exploring Tinnitus-Induced Disablement by Persistent Frustration in Aging Individuals: A Grounded Theory Study

PubMed Central

Dauman, Nicolas; Erlandsson, Soly I.; Albarracin, Dolorès; Dauman, René

2017-01-01

Background: Qualitative research can help to improve the management of patients, meet their expectations and assist physicians in alleviating their suffering. The perception of moment-to-moment variability in tinnitus annoyance is an emerging field of exploration. This study sought to enlighten variability in tinnitus-induced disablement using a qualitative approach. Methods: Twelve participants (six females, six males, aged 51–79) were recruited via the French Tinnitus Association Journal for participation in recorded semi-structured interviews. Each participant had three interviews lasting 1 h, the sessions being separated one from the other by 2 weeks. Following recommendations of Charmaz (2014), the second and third interviews were aimed at gathering rich data, by enhancing the participants' reflexivity in the circumstances of distress caused by tinnitus. After transcription, the data (n = 36 interviews) were analyzed using the approach to Grounded Theory proposed by Strauss and Corbin (1998). Results: Tinnitus as persistent frustration emerged as being the core category uniting all the other categories of the study. Hence, the core category accounted for the broader scope in participants' experience of chronic tinnitus. It is suggested that tinnitus-induced disablement varied according to the degree of frustration felt by the participants in not being able to achieve their goals. The implications of this were analyzed using the following categories: “Losing body ownership,” “Lacking perspectives,” and “Persevering through difficulties.” Based on these findings, we draw a substantive theory of tinnitus tolerance that promotes an active, disciplined and individualized approach to tinnitus-induced disablement. The model distinguishes pathways from sustained suffering to reduced annoyance (i.e., emerging tolerance). It accounts for difficulties that the participants experienced with a perceived unchanged annoyance over time. Furthermore, this model identifies a set of new attitudes toward oneself and others that tinnitus tolerance would entail. Conclusion: The subjective experience of frustration enlightens tinnitus-induced disablement, offering new perspectives for long-term self-management. Modulation of frustration, rather than moderation of tinnitus interference, is suggested as a new approach to the clinical management of tinnitus-related distress. PMID:28848429

Mini Review: Mode of Action of Mosquito Repellents

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-01

Mini review: Mode of action of mosquito repellents Joseph C. Dickens ⇑, Jonathan D. Bohbot United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural...Modulation a b s t r a c t The mode of action of mosquito repellents remains a controversial topic. However, electrophysiological studies and molecular...annoyance that can disrupt outdoor activities. The use of repellents decreases contacts between mosquitoes and their hosts, and may even lower the rate of

Infrasound, Its Sources and Its Effects on Man

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-05-01

modulated by an infra - Annoyance has been broken out as a separate sonic frequency. For instance, the amplified topic because I believe that the greatest...importance is the nigh frequency response of quency sound. In general, infrasound does not the measurement system. Measurement of infra - often occur at levels...esuential for detailed analysis and changes in barometric pressure would be con- from these recordings a narrow band spectral sidered infrasonic . The

The Shock and Vibration Digest, Volume 4, Number 5, May 1972.

DTIC Science & Technology

1972-05-01

capability to solve real-time on aircraft noise, its generation instrumentation problems found effects and control will be sur- In manufacturing plants...annoyance. Noise measurements indicate that the same manufacturing plantisto machine the the respondents, in general, properly identify modified... Manufacturing 1W San Diego, Calif. A. J. Favrata, SAE iiq. Meeting, SAE Internaional Conference on Noise Control Engineering, INCE 4-6 Wanington, D. C. Mi. .f

The Evolution of the Information Systems Manager.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-12-01

NAVAL POSrTGRADUATE SCHOOL December 1982 C! Author.: Approved by:_~ Thesis Advisor Co- Advisor Chi" mtar, De tuent of Administrative Sciences Dean of...levels of genero -sty, kindness and sympathy were also inversly proportional to physical size. Also, it seems that fat people needed more friends and...things go wrong, to read newspaper accounts of violence . c) _ 2 : Enjoys combat and argument; easily annoyed; sometimes willing to hurt people to get

Effects of aircraft noise on the equilibrium of airport residents: Supplementary analyses to the study carried out around Orly

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Francois, J.

1981-01-01

The effects of aircraft noise on humans living near airports were studied. Two main questions were considered: do residents give evidence of psychological or physiological disturbances in unusually intense noise sectors; and do personality or health factors account for the high interindividual variability of annoyance? The methodology used and results obtained are presented. Samples of the survey questionnaires are included.

A Descriptive Study of the Utilization of Behavioral Health Resources in the Fort Hood Catchment Area

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-07-15

therapy (CBT), eye movement desensitization and reprocessing ( EMDR ), and medications, particularly selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI...Test. CAGE is an acronym created by taking the first letter of the words Cut Down, Annoyed, Guilty, and Eye Opener, which are words imbedded in the...hour per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources gathering end maintaining the data needed, and

Evaluation of Extended-Wear Hearing Aid Technology for Operational Military Use

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-07-01

listeners without degrading auditory situational awareness. To this point, significant progress has been made in this evaluation process. The devices...provide long-term hearing protection for listeners with normal hearing with minimal impact on auditory situational awareness and minimal annoyance due to...Test Plan: A comprehensive test plan is complete for the measurements at AFRL, which will incorporate goals 1-2 and 4-5 above using a normal

Another ``new'' metric for outdoor amphitheater criteria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berens, Robert S.

2005-09-01

Since the late 1960s, when amplified musical performances began being held there, Atlanta's open-air Chastain Park Amphitheater has been the source of enormous friction between the City, the venue's owner, and the wealthy, politically-connected residential community abutting the Park. To identify the characteristics of concert event sound to which neighbors are particularly sensitive, sound levels were monitored during 17 concerts, ranging from quiet jazz and classical performances to rock-and-roll and hip-hop. Community sound levels were monitored at 25 locations, including nine where measurements were made simultaneously inside and outside homes. The study team confirmed that low-frequency sound was the one feature of concert-related sound that community residents identified as most problematic, but that only a relatively small proportion of the Chastain concerts resulted in any significant community annoyance. After assessing the spectral characteristics of the most troublesome concerts, a new compliance metric has been proposed to address low-frequency annoyance issues: a two-tiered exceedence threshold, based on 1-minute LEQ levels in the 63 Hz octave band measured at the rear of the amphitheater, with a concert-event ``exceedence'' defined to be either a 1-minute LEQ(63 Hz) level greater than 95 dB or more than ten 1-minute LEQ(63 Hz) levels greater than 90 dB.

Preliminary work about the reproduction of sonic boom signals for perception studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Epain, N.; Herzog, P.; Rabau, G.; Friot, E.

2006-05-01

As part of a French research program, a sound restitution cabin was designed for investigating the annoyance of sonic boom signals. The first goal was to reproduce the boom spectrum and temporal waveform: this required linear generation of high pressure levels at infrasonic frequencies (110 SPL dB around 3 Hz), and response equalization over the full frequency range (1 Hz-20 kHz). At this stage the pressure inside the cabin was almost uniform around the listener, emulating an outdoor situation. A psychoacoustic study was then conducted which confirmed that the loudness (related to annoyance) of N-waves is roughly governed by the peak pressure, the rise/fall time, and the wave duration. A longer-term goal is to reproduce other aspects of an indoor situation including rattle noise, ground vibrations, and a more realistic spatial repartition of pressure. This latter point has been addressed through an Active Noise Control study aiming at monitoring the low-frequency acoustic pressure on a surface enclosing a listener. Frequency and time-domain numerical simulations of boom reproduction via ANC are given, including a sensitivity study of the coupling between a listener's head and the incident boom wave which combine into the effective sound-field to be reproduced.

Residents' concerns and attitudes toward a municipal solid waste landfill: integrating a questionnaire survey and GIS techniques.

PubMed

Che, Yue; Yang, Kai; Jin, Yan; Zhang, Weiqian; Shang, Zhaoyi; Tai, Jun

2013-12-01

The ever-growing industry of municipal solid waste (MSW) disposal appeals to the growing need for disposal facilities, and MSW treatment facilities are increasingly an environmental and public health concern. Residents living near MSW management facilities are confronted with various risk perceptions, especially odour. In this study, in an effort to assist responsible decision-makers in better planning and managing such a project, a structured questionnaire was designed and distributed to assess the nearby residents' concerns and attitudes surrounding the Laogang Landfill in Shanghai. Geographic information system techniques and relevance analysis were employed to conduct the spatial analysis of physical perceptions, especially odour annoyance. The findings of the research indicate that a significant percentage of the responding sample was aware of the negative impacts of landfills on the environment and public health, and residents in close proximity preferred to live farther from the landfill. The results from the spatial analysis demonstrated a definite degree of correlation between odour annoyance and distance to the facility and proved that the benefits of the socially disadvantaged have been neglected. The research findings also direct attention to the important role of public participation, information disclosure, transparency in management, and mutual communication to avoid conflicts and build social trust.

Impact of wind turbine noise in the Netherlands.

PubMed

Verheijen, Edwin; Jabben, Jan; Schreurs, Eric; Smith, Kevin B

2011-01-01

The Dutch government aims at an increase of wind energy up to 6 000 MW in 2020 by placing new wind turbines on land or offshore. At the same time, the existing noise legislation for wind turbines is being reconsidered. For the purpose of establishing a new noise reception limit value expressed in L den , the impact of wind turbine noise under the given policy targets needs to be explored. For this purpose, the consequences of different reception limit values for the new Dutch noise legislation have been studied, both in terms of effects on the population and regarding sustainable energy policy targets. On the basis of a nation-wide noise map containing all wind turbines in The Netherlands, it is calculated that 3% of the inhabitants of The Netherlands are currently exposed to noise from wind turbines above 28 dB(A) at the faηade. Newly established dose-response relationships indicate that about 1500 of these inhabitants are likely to be severely annoyed inside their dwellings. The available space for new wind turbines strongly depends on the noise limit value that will be chosen. This study suggests an outdoor A-weighted reception limit of L den = 45 dB as a trade-off between the need for protection against noise annoyance and the feasibility of national targets for renewable energy.

Exposure to wind turbine noise: Perceptual responses and reported health effects.

PubMed

Michaud, David S; Feder, Katya; Keith, Stephen E; Voicescu, Sonia A; Marro, Leonora; Than, John; Guay, Mireille; Denning, Allison; McGuire, D'Arcy; Bower, Tara; Lavigne, Eric; Murray, Brian J; Weiss, Shelly K; van den Berg, Frits

2016-03-01

Health Canada, in collaboration with Statistics Canada, and other external experts, conducted the Community Noise and Health Study to better understand the impacts of wind turbine noise (WTN) on health and well-being. A cross-sectional epidemiological study was carried out between May and September 2013 in southwestern Ontario and Prince Edward Island on 1238 randomly selected participants (606 males, 632 females) aged 18-79 years, living between 0.25 and 11.22 km from operational wind turbines. Calculated outdoor WTN levels at the dwelling reached 46 dBA. Response rate was 78.9% and did not significantly differ across sample strata. Self-reported health effects (e.g., migraines, tinnitus, dizziness, etc.), sleep disturbance, sleep disorders, quality of life, and perceived stress were not related to WTN levels. Visual and auditory perception of wind turbines as reported by respondents increased significantly with increasing WTN levels as did high annoyance toward several wind turbine features, including the following: noise, blinking lights, shadow flicker, visual impacts, and vibrations. Concern for physical safety and closing bedroom windows to reduce WTN during sleep also increased with increasing WTN levels. Other sample characteristics are discussed in relation to WTN levels. Beyond annoyance, results do not support an association between exposure to WTN up to 46 dBA and the evaluated health-related endpoints.

Acceptability of VTOL aircraft noise determined by absolute subjective testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sternfeld, H., Jr.; Hinterkeuser, E. G.; Hackman, R. B.; Davis, J.

1972-01-01

A program was conducted during which test subjects evaluated the simulated sounds of a helicopter, a tilt wing aircraft, and a 15 second, 90 PNdB (indoors) turbojet aircraft used as reference. Over 20,000 evaluations were made while the test subjects were engaged in work and leisure activities. The effects of level, exposure time, distance and aircraft design on subjective acceptability were evaluated. Some of the important conclusions are: (1) To be judged equal in annoyance to the reference jet sound, the helicopter and tilt wing sounds must be 4 to 5 PNdB lower when lasting 15 seconds in duration. (2) To be judged significantly more acceptable than the reference jet sound, the helicopter sound must be 10 PNdB lower when lasting 15 seconds in duration. (3) To be judged significantly more acceptable than the reference jet sound, the tilt wing sound must be 12 PNdB lower when lasting 15 seconds in duration. (4) The relative effect of changing the duration of a sound upon its subjectively rated annoyance diminishes with increasing duration. It varies from 2 PNdB per doubling of duration for intervals of 15 to 30 seconds, to 0.75 PNdB per doubling of duration for intervals of 120 to 240 seconds.

Evaluation of human response to blasting vibration from excavation of a large scale rock slope: A case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Peng; Lu, Wenbo; Zhang, Jing; Zou, Yujun; Chen, Ming

2017-04-01

Ground vibration, as the most critical public hazard of blasting, has received much attention from the community. Many countries established national standards to suppress vibration impact on structures, but a world-accepted blasting vibration criterion on human safety is still missing. In order to evaluate human response to the vibration from blasting excavation of a large-scale rock slope in China, this study aims to suggest a revised criterion. The vibration frequency was introduced to improve the existing single-factor (peak particle velocity) standard recommended by the United States Bureau of Mines (USBM). The feasibility of the new criterion was checked based on field vibration monitoring and investigation of human reactions. Moreover, the air overpressure or blast effects on human beings have also been discussed. The result indicates that the entire zone of influence can be divided into three subzones: severe-annoyance, light-annoyance and perception zone according to the revised safety standard. Both the construction company and local residents have provided positive comments on this influence degree assessment, which indicates that the presented criterion is suitable for evaluating human response to nearby blasts. Nevertheless, this specific criterion needs more field tests and verifications before it can be

A feasibility study of predictable and unpredictable surf-like sounds for tinnitus therapy using personal music players.

PubMed

Durai, Mithila; Kobayashi, Kei; Searchfield, Grant D

2018-05-28

To evaluate the feasibility of predictable or unpredictable amplitude-modulated sounds for tinnitus therapy. The study consisted of two parts. (1) An adaptation experiment. Loudness level matches and rating scales (10-point) for loudness and distress were obtained at a silent baseline and at the end of three counterbalanced 30-min exposures (silence, predictable and unpredictable). (2) A qualitative 2-week sound therapy feasibility trial. Participants took home a personal music player (PMP). Part 1: 23 individuals with chronic tinnitus and part 2: seven individuals randomly selected from Part 1. Self-reported tinnitus loudness and annoyance were significantly lower than baseline ratings after acute unpredictable sound exposure. Tinnitus annoyance ratings were also significantly lower than the baseline but the effect was small. The feasibility trial identified that participant preferences for sounds varied. Three participants did not obtain any benefit from either sound. Three participants preferred unpredictable compared to predictable sounds. Some participants had difficulty using the PMP, the average self-report hours of use were low (less <1 h/day). Unpredictable surf-like sounds played using a PMP is a feasible tinnitus treatment. Further work is required to improve the acceptance of the sound and ease of PMP use.

Community reappraisal of the perceived health effects of a petroleum refinery.

PubMed

Luginaah, Isaac N; Taylor, S Martin; Elliott, Susan J; Eyles, John D

2002-07-01

This paper presents results from a study of the community health impacts of a petroleum refinery in Oakville, Ontario in Canada. The research is informed by the environmental stress and coping literatures and the focus is on community reappraisal of the refinery's impacts before and after the implementation of a substantive odour reduction initiative on the part of the refinery operators. Community health surveys were conducted in 1992 (n = 391) and 1997 (n = 427) to examine changes in odour perception and annoyance and self-reported health status attributable to the odour reduction plan. The findings reported here suggest an on-going process of cognitive reappraisal, whereby negative perceptions and concerns decreased between 1992 and 1997. Irrespective of this positive reappraisal of the refinery efforts, those living close to the refinery continue to report negative health impacts. A strong mediating effect of odours on the refinery exposure-symptom reporting relationship was confirmed by our results. While the relationship between odour perception and symptom reporting indicates the importance of odour perception and annoyance as the principal mechanism mediating ill-health reporting, the plausibility of other causal pathways is recognized. Residents' sensitivity to the negative effects of the refinery on their health and the health of their children suggests a psychosocial reaction to the environmental stress associated with perceived and actual refinery emissions.

Psychoacoustic Testing of Modulated Blade Spacing for Main Rotors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edwards, Bryan; Booth, Earl R., Jr. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Psychoacoustic testing of simulated helicopter main rotor noise is described, and the subjective results are presented. The objective of these tests was to evaluate the potential acoustic benefits of main rotors with modulated (uneven) blade spacing. Sound simulations were prepared for six main rotor configurations. A baseline 4-blade main rotor with regular blade spacing was based on the Bell Model 427 helicopter. A 5-blade main rotor with regular spacing was designed to approximate the performance of the 427, but at reduced tipspeed. Four modulated rotors - one with "optimum" spacing and three alternate configurations - were derived from the 5 bladed regular spacing rotor. The sounds were played to 2 subjects at a time, with care being taken in the speaker selection and placement to ensure that the sounds were identical for each subject. A total of 40 subjects participated. For each rotor configuration, the listeners were asked to evaluate the sounds in terms of noisiness. The test results indicate little to no "annoyance" benefit for the modulated blade spacing. In general, the subjects preferred the sound of the 5-blade regular spaced rotor over any of the modulated ones. A conclusion is that modulated blade spacing is not a promising design feature to reduce the annoyance for helicopter main rotors.

Relationships among psychoacoustic judgments, speech understanding ability and self-perceived handicap in tinnitus subjects.

PubMed

Newman, C W; Wharton, J A; Shivapuja, B G; Jacobson, G P

1994-01-01

Tinnitus is often a disturbing symptom which affects 6-20% of the population. Relationships among tinnitus pitch and loudness judgments, audiometric speech understanding measures and self-perceived handicap were evaluated in a sample of subjects with tinnitus and hearing loss (THL). Data obtained from the THL sample on the audiometric speech measures were compared to the performance of an age-matched hearing loss only (HL) group. Both groups had normal hearing through 1 kHz with a sloping configuration of < or = 20 dB/octave between 2-12 kHz. The THL subjects performed more poorly on the low predictability items of the Speech Perception in Noise Test, suggesting that tinnitus may interfere with the perception of speech signals having reduced linguistic redundancy. The THL subjects rated their tinnitus as annoying at relatively low sensation levels using the pitch-match frequency as the reference tone. Further, significant relationships were found between loudness judgment measures and self-rated annoyance. No predictable relationships were observed between the audiometric speech measures and perceived handicap using the Tinnitus Handicap Questionnaire. These findings support the use of self-report measures in tinnitus patients in that audiometric speech tests alone may be insufficient in describing an individual's reaction to his/her communication breakdowns.

Acoustic noise generation by the DOE/NASA MOD-1 wind turbine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kelley, N. D.

1981-01-01

The results of a series of measurements taken over the past year of the acoustic emissions from the DOE/NASA MOD-1 Wind Turbine show the maximum acoustic energy is concentrated in the low frequency range, often below 100 Hz. The temporal as well as the frequency characteristics of the turbine sounds have been shown to be important since the MOD-1 is capable of radiating both coherent and incoherent noise. The coherent sounds are usually impulsive and are manifested in an averaged frequency domain plot as large numbers of discrete energy bands extending from the blade passage frequency to beyond 50 Hz on occasion. It is these impulsive sounds which are identified as the principal source of the annoyance to a dozen families living within 3 km of the turbine. The source of the coherent noise appears to be the rapid, unsteady blade loads encountered as the blade passes through the wake of the tower structure. Annoying levels are occasionally reached at nearby homes due to the interaction of the low frequency, high energy peaks in the acoustic impulses and the structural modes of the homes as well as by direct radiation outdoors. The peak levels of these impulses can be enhanced or subdued through complete propagation.

The relative importance of noise and vibration from railways.

PubMed

Howarth, H V; Griffin, M J

1990-06-01

An experiment was conducted to determine the subjective equivalence of railway noise and railway-induced building vibration, and hence the relative importance of the two stimuli. Six magnitudes of whole-body, vertical (z-axis) vibration and six levels of noise were presented simultaneously to each of 30 subjects in all 36 possible paired combinations. The stimuli were reproductions of the noise and vibration recorded inside a house during the passage of a train. The subjects were asked to indicate, after each presentation, which of the two stimuli (noise and vibration) they would prefer to be reduced. A seven-point scale was employed to indicate the total annoyance produced by the two stimuli. A subjective equivalence contour was determined from the levels at which 50% of the subjects preferred the reduction of noise and 50% preferred the reduction of vibration. The contour may be described by the relation L(AE) = 29.3 log10 VDV + 89.2, where L(AE) is the sound exposure level and VDV is the vibration dose value. This relation may be used to determine whether a reduction of noise or a reduction of vibration would be more beneficial to residents near railways. The total annoyance due to simultaneous noise and vibration was shown to depend on the magnitude of both stimuli.

Respondents' answers to community attitudinal surveys represent impressions of soundscapes and not merely reactions to the physical noise.

PubMed

Schomer, Paul; Mestre, Vincent; Schulte-Fortkamp, Brigitte; Boyle, James

2013-07-01

Noise dose as a sole independent variable accounts only for less than half of the variance in community response data. Non-acoustic factors, such as attitude to the noise source identified by Job [(1988). J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 83(3), 991-1001] and others, reduce the unexplained variance. This paper suggests that non-acoustic factors reflect the context in which the sonic environment is perceived; hence, these factors constitute the judgments of a soundscape. Fidell et al. [(2011). J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 130(2), 791-806] show that a "community tolerance level" (CTL) is a one-number, community-specific, independent variable that represents the aggregate influence on annoyance judgments of all non-acoustic influences. Taken together these findings suggest that: (i) CTL is a one-number quantification of a soundscape, and (ii) a soundscape can be quantified by a single, numeric variable. It follows, if one can predict or calculate the single numeric quantification of a soundscape, that number will be the CTL. These results can only be true for a soundscape judged on the basis of annoyance. Virtually no data exist for which the respondents even had the possibility to rate the sonic environment positively, i.e., pleasing, so the application of CTL to soundscapes judged positively is not clear.

White-Light Optical Information Processing and Holography.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-07-29

this technique is the processing system does not require to carry its own light source. It is very suitable for spaceborne and satellite application. We...developed a technique of generating a spatialtrequency color coded speech spectrogram with a white-light optical system . This system not only offers a low...that the annoying moire fringes can be eliminated. In short, we have once again demonstrated the versatility of the white-light progress system ; a

Final Environmental Assessment: C-17 Program Changes Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-07-01

speed aircraft on MTRs showed that there is little probability of structural damage from such operations ( Sutherland 1989). One finding in that...October. Plotkin, K.J., 1996. PCBoom3 Sonic Boom Prediction Model: Version 1.0c. Wyle Research Report WR 95-22C. May. Plotkin, K.J., Sutherland ...Rate on Aircraft Noise Annoyance. Volume 3: Hybrid Own-Home Experiment. Wyle Laboratories Research Report WR 93-22. December. Sutherland , L

Concepts of Interface Usability and the Enhancement of Design through Eye Tracking and Psychophysiology

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-09-01

attention. Heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability ( HRV ) are biometrics that can be used to identify periods of high mental effort and high stress...HR is known to increase when a person is exposed to mental stressors; HRV will decrease in the same situation. HRV is a much more sensitive measure...mistakes, the display is cluttered, meaningfulness. Measuring specific attitudes Annoyance, anxiety , complexity control, engagement, flexibility, fun

Evaluating and minimizing noise impact due to aircraft flyover

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jacobson, I. D.

1980-01-01

The results of a study on the evaluation and reduction of noise impact to a community due to aircraft landing and takeoff operations are presented. The case of multiple aircrafts flying on several trajectories, for either approach/landings or takeoffs was examined. An extremely realistic model of the flight path was developed. The annoyance criterion used was the noise impact index (NII). The algorithm was applied to Patrick Henry International Airport.

Passing It On: Fighting the Pushtun on Afghanistan’s Frontier

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-01-01

tribesman who preferred slashing weapons. The standard British handgun at the turn of the century was the Webley front-break revolver; however a wide...common annoyance, not done for military reasons but to secure a really stout material for stringing the family bed; and if as our friend runs...a locally-manufactured long- barreled , often highly-decorated, curved- stocked firearm of the Pathan. It is usually in excess of .50 caliber and

Environmental Impact Analysis Process. Volume 2

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-04-01

in producing stress on a person . Whatever else stress may be, it is certainly multidimensional (produced by an interaction of many factors). Each...dB. According to the National Academy of Sciences’ "Guidelines" referred to above (p. B-6) approximately 12% of the persons exposed to DNL of 60-65...area including highly populated Springfield and Chicopee, the number of persons "highly annoyed" will be substantially higher, possibly by orders of

Long-term associations of modeled and self-reported measures of exposure to air pollution and noise at residence on prevalent hypertension and blood pressure.

PubMed

Pitchika, Anitha; Hampel, Regina; Wolf, Kathrin; Kraus, Ute; Cyrys, Josef; Babisch, Wolfgang; Peters, Annette; Schneider, Alexandra

2017-09-01

Air pollution, traffic noise and noise annoyance are suggested to be associated with hypertension and blood pressure (BP); however, the evidence remains inconsistent. Our study examined the long-term associations of modeled and self-reported measures of air pollution and traffic noise on prevalent hypertension and BP. We analyzed cross-sectional data from 2552 participants aged 31-72years from the KORA F4 (2006-2008) study conducted in the region of Augsburg, Germany. Land-use regression models were used to estimate residential long-term exposure to particulate matter <2.5μm (PM 2.5 ), soot content of PM 2.5 (PM 2.5 abs) and nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ). Road traffic noise levels at the facade of the dwellings were estimated for the participants' residences. Participants filled-in a questionnaire on noise annoyance and heavy traffic passing their residence. Linear and logistic regression models adjusting for confounders were used to assess the association between exposure measures and hypertension and BP. An interquartile increase in annual mean PM 2.5 (1μg/m 3 ) was significantly associated with 15% higher prevalence of hypertension, without (95% CI: 2.5; 28.0%) and with (95% CI: 0.7; 30.8%) adjustment for traffic noise. Diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was associated with air pollutants and traffic noise with percent increases in mean of 0.7 (95% CI: 0.2; 1.2), 0.6 (95% CI: 0.1; 1.1) and 0.3 (95% CI: 0.0; 0.7) for an interquartile increase in PM 2.5 (1μg/m 3 ) and PM 2.5 abs (0.2∗10 -5 /m), and 5dB(A) increase in 24-hour road traffic noise, respectively. Associations of PM 2.5 abs and NO 2 with hypertension or DBP were stronger in men and diabetic individuals. No clear associations were seen with systolic BP or noise annoyance. In conclusion, self-reported measures of air pollution or noise did not perform better than the objective measures. Our findings provide further evidence for a link between air pollution, noise and cardiovascular disease and indicate a stronger association for men and diabetic individuals. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Conservative surgical and microsurgical techniques for the management of dental implants that impinge on the inferior alveolar nerve.

PubMed

Gennaro, Paolo; Chisci, Glauco; Gabriele, Guido; Iannetti, Giorgio

2014-07-01

Loss of sensation in the lip after insertion of an implant is annoying. The aim of this paper was to describe two techniques for management of osseointegrated dental implants that impinge on the mandibular nerve, the purpose of which is to improve sensation without unscrewing the dental implant. Copyright © 2014 The British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Multimodal urgency coding: auditory, visual, and tactile parameters and their impact on perceived urgency.

PubMed

Baldwin, Carryl L; Eisert, Jesse L; Garcia, Andre; Lewis, Bridget; Pratt, Stephanie M; Gonzalez, Christian

2012-01-01

Through a series of investigations involving different levels of contextual fidelity we developed scales of perceived urgency for several dimensions of the auditory, visual, and tactile modalities. Psychophysical ratings of perceived urgency, annoyance, and acceptability as well as behavioral responses to signals in each modality were obtained and analyzed using Steven's Power Law to allow comparison across modalities. Obtained results and their implications for use as in-vehicle alerts and warnings are discussed.

Adaptive Modulation Approach for Robust MPEG-4 AAC Encoded Audio Transmission

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-11-01

as shown in Table 1. Table 1 specifies the perceptual interpretation of the ODG. Subjective Difference Grade ( SDG ) = Grade Signal under test... SDG using human hearing and cognitive model [8], [9]. Freely available PEAQ basic model, “PQevalAudio,” is used in this paper which is available as...PEAQ-ODG Score [6] Impairment ITU-R Five Grade Impairment Scale SDG /PEAQ-ODG Score Imperceptible 5.00 0.00 Perceptible, but not Annoying 4.00

Acute and overuse injuries of the abdomen and groin in athletes.

PubMed

Atkins, Justin M; Taylor, Jonathan C; Kane, Shawn F

2010-01-01

Abdominal and groin injuries are common problems encountered by athletes across a wide variety of sports. They range from benign but annoying, such as exercise-related transient abdominal pain (ETAP), to the activity-limiting and possibly career-ending condition of athletic hernia. This article covers ETAP, rectus abdominus injuries, osteitis pubis, athletic hernia, and abdominal/groin hernias to provide an update on the current pathophysiology and treatment of common abdominal and pelvic conditions in the athlete.

Recommendations for measuring non-image-forming effects of light: A practical method to apply on cognitive impaired and unaffected participants.

PubMed

van Duijnhoven, J; Aarts, M P J; Aries, M B C; Böhmer, M N; Rosemann, A L P

2017-01-01

The non-image-forming effects of luminous radiation on people with intellectual disabilities or dementia received attention from researchers. Such studies, however, have generally been conducted using disparate methodologies which precludes generalization and reproducibility. The aim of this study was to determine the practical applicability of measurement devices for studies investigating non-image-forming effects of luminous radiation, specifically for people with intellectual disabilities or dementia. In three experiments, ten cognitive impaired people and thirty-nine unaffected subjects participated by wearing one or more portable devices. Six devices were assessed in total. Measurement data was accompanied with user experiences obtained from questionnaires, interviews and observations in order to assess the devices on practical and comfort issues. On average, the devices worn by the cognitive impaired subjects were not experienced as annoying or irritating. No significant differences are found between genders and for one of the portable devices significantly less annoyance was reported by the cognitive impaired participants compared to the unaffected group of participants. The three phases of the research process in towards measuring personal luminous exposures are: selection of the most suitable portable device, application of the assessment method, and the application of the device in the (pilot) study. However, the findings of this study suggest that inaccuracies potentially caused by practical and comfort issues associated with the portable devices need to be considered.

Adaptive neuro-fuzzy methodology for noise assessment of wind turbine.

PubMed

Shamshirband, Shahaboddin; Petković, Dalibor; Hashim, Roslan; Motamedi, Shervin

2014-01-01

Wind turbine noise is one of the major obstacles for the widespread use of wind energy. Noise tone can greatly increase the annoyance factor and the negative impact on human health. Noise annoyance caused by wind turbines has become an emerging problem in recent years, due to the rapid increase in number of wind turbines, triggered by sustainable energy goals set forward at the national and international level. Up to now, not all aspects of the generation, propagation and perception of wind turbine noise are well understood. For a modern large wind turbine, aerodynamic noise from the blades is generally considered to be the dominant noise source, provided that mechanical noise is adequately eliminated. The sources of aerodynamic noise can be divided into tonal noise, inflow turbulence noise, and airfoil self-noise. Many analytical and experimental acoustical studies performed the wind turbines. Since the wind turbine noise level analyzing by numerical methods or computational fluid dynamics (CFD) could be very challenging and time consuming, soft computing techniques are preferred. To estimate noise level of wind turbine, this paper constructed a process which simulates the wind turbine noise levels in regard to wind speed and sound frequency with adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS). This intelligent estimator is implemented using Matlab/Simulink and the performances are investigated. The simulation results presented in this paper show the effectiveness of the developed method.

Possible psychological mechanisms for "wind turbine syndrome". On the windmills of your mind.

PubMed

Rubin, G James; Burns, Miriam; Wessely, Simon

2014-01-01

Throughout history, people have suffered from physical symptoms that they have attributed to modern technologies. Often these attributions are strongly held, but not supported by scientific evidence. Symptoms attributed to the operation of wind turbines (called "wind turbine syndrome" by some) may fit into this category. Several psychological mechanisms might account for symptoms attributed to wind turbines. First, the "nocebo effect" is a well-recognized phenomenon in which the expectation of symptoms can become self-fulfilling. Second, misattribution of pre-existing or new symptoms to a novel technology can also occur. Third worry about a modern technology increases the chances of someone attributing symptoms to it. Fourth, social factors, including media reporting and interaction with lobby groups can increase symptom reporting. For wind turbines, there is already some evidence that a nocebo effect can explain the attributed symptoms while misattribution seems likely. Although worry has not been directly studied, research has shown that people who are annoyed by the sound that turbines produce are more likely to report symptoms and that annoyance is associated with attitudes toward the visual impact of wind farms and whether a person benefits economically from a wind farm. Given that these mechanisms may be sufficient to account for the experiences reported by sufferers, policy-makers, clinicians and patients should insist on good-quality evidence before accepting a more direct causal link.

Changes in quality of life and perceptions of general health before and after operation of wind turbines.

PubMed

Jalali, Leila; Bigelow, Philip; McColl, Stephen; Majowicz, Shannon; Gohari, Mahmood; Waterhouse, Ryan

2016-09-01

Ontario is Canada's provincial leader in wind energy, with over 4000 MW of installed capacity supplying approximately five percent of the province's electricity demand. Wind energy is now one of the fastest-growing sources of renewable power in Canada and many other countries. However, its possible negative impact on population health, as a new source of environmental noise, has raised concerns for people living in proximity to wind turbines (WTs). The aims of this study were to assess the effect of individual differences and annoyance on the self-reported general health and health-related quality of life (QOL) of nearby residents, using a pre- and post-exposure design. Prospective cohort data were collected before and after WT operations, from the individuals (n = 43) in Ontario, Canada. General health and QOL metrics were measured using standard scales, such as SF12, life satisfaction scales developed by Diener (SWLS) and the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS-SWL). The mean values for the Mental Component Score of SF12 (p = 0.002), SWLS (p < 0.001), and CCHS-SWL (p = 0.044) significantly worsened after WT operation for those participants who had a negative attitude to WTs, who voiced concerns about property devaluation, and/or who reported being visually or noise annoyed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Methodology for Noise Assessment of Wind Turbine

PubMed Central

Shamshirband, Shahaboddin; Petković, Dalibor; Hashim, Roslan; Motamedi, Shervin

2014-01-01

Wind turbine noise is one of the major obstacles for the widespread use of wind energy. Noise tone can greatly increase the annoyance factor and the negative impact on human health. Noise annoyance caused by wind turbines has become an emerging problem in recent years, due to the rapid increase in number of wind turbines, triggered by sustainable energy goals set forward at the national and international level. Up to now, not all aspects of the generation, propagation and perception of wind turbine noise are well understood. For a modern large wind turbine, aerodynamic noise from the blades is generally considered to be the dominant noise source, provided that mechanical noise is adequately eliminated. The sources of aerodynamic noise can be divided into tonal noise, inflow turbulence noise, and airfoil self-noise. Many analytical and experimental acoustical studies performed the wind turbines. Since the wind turbine noise level analyzing by numerical methods or computational fluid dynamics (CFD) could be very challenging and time consuming, soft computing techniques are preferred. To estimate noise level of wind turbine, this paper constructed a process which simulates the wind turbine noise levels in regard to wind speed and sound frequency with adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS). This intelligent estimator is implemented using Matlab/Simulink and the performances are investigated. The simulation results presented in this paper show the effectiveness of the developed method. PMID:25075621

The impact of draught related to air velocity, air temperature and workload.

PubMed

Griefahn, B; Künemund, C; Gehring, U

2001-08-01

This experimental study was designed to test the hypotheses that the effects of draught increase with higher air velocity, with lower air temperature, and with lower workload. Thirty healthy young males were exposed to horizontal draught during 55 min while they operated an arm ergometer in a standing posture. Air velocity, air temperature, and workload were varied in 3 steps each, between 11 and 23 degrees C, 0.1 and 0.3 m/s, and 104 to 156 W/m2, respectively. The 27 combinations were distributed over subjects in a fractional factorial 3(3)-design. The participants were clothed for thermal neutrality. Workload was measured at the end of the sessions by respirometry. Draught-induced annoyance was determined every 5 min, separately for 10 body sites. Corresponding skin temperature was also recorded. The hypotheses were verified for the influence of air velocity and air temperature. Regarding workload, local heat production is probably decisive, meaning that draft-induced local annoyance is inversely related to workload in active but independent from workload in non-active body areas. To improve the situation for the workers concerned it is suggested to apply protective gloves that cover an as great area of the forearms as possible and to limit airflows to mean velocities of less than 0.2 m/s (with turbulence intensities of 50%).

Effects of Road Traffic Noise on Inhabitants of Tokyo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoshida, T.; Osada, Y.; Kawaguchi, T.; Hoshiyama, Y.; Yoshida, K.; Yamamoto, K.

1997-08-01

A questionnaire-based study was performed in an area of about 16 ha near a main road in Tokyo to elucidate any relations between road traffic noise and the effects of this noise among women living on both sides of the road. Questions concerned annoyance, sleep disturbance, interference with daily activities, health-related symptoms and disease histories. 366 inhabitants were analyzed. Dose-response relationships were found in high reported responses to noisiness, annoyance, dissatisfaction with the nearby environment and interference with listening to TV, conversation and reading. It was also found that the number of high responses to questions increases clearly at noise levels above 70 dB(A),Leq(24h), with regard to interference with thinking and sleep disturbance (waking during the night), fatigue, headache, gastroenteric disorders, loss of appetite, depression and irritation. Furthermore, there was an increase in reports of disease histories with noise above 70 dB(A) for climacteric disturbances, and at noise above 65 dB(A) for deafness, heart disease and hypercholestrolemia. These all suggest that noise may be related to the health status of inhabitants living in areas with heavy road traffic. A noise level of 65 dB(A) or 70 dB(A) inLeq(24h)was the critical point above which respondents indicated increased effects on health and reports of disease increased.

Appropriateness of selecting different averaging times for modelling chronic and acute exposure to environmental odours

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drew, G. H.; Smith, R.; Gerard, V.; Burge, C.; Lowe, M.; Kinnersley, R.; Sneath, R.; Longhurst, P. J.

Odour emissions are episodic, characterised by periods of high emission rates, interspersed with periods of low emissions. It is frequently the short term, high concentration peaks that result in annoyance in the surrounding population. Dispersion modelling is accepted as a useful tool for odour impact assessment, and two approaches can be adopted. The first approach of modelling the hourly average concentration can underestimate total odour concentration peaks, resulting in annoyance and complaints. The second modelling approach involves the use of short averaging times. This study assesses the appropriateness of using different averaging times to model the dispersion of odour from a landfill site. We also examine perception of odour in the community in conjunction with the modelled odour dispersal, by using community monitors to record incidents of odour. The results show that with the shorter averaging times, the modelled pattern of dispersal reflects the pattern of observed odour incidents recorded in the community monitoring database, with the modelled odour dispersing further in a north easterly direction. Therefore, the current regulatory method of dispersion modelling, using hourly averaging times, is less successful at capturing peak concentrations, and does not capture the pattern of odour emission as indicated by the community monitoring database. The use of short averaging times is therefore of greater value in predicting the likely nuisance impact of an odour source and in framing appropriate regulatory controls.

[Attention diversion in tinnitus therapy. Comparison of the effects of different treatment methods].

PubMed

Eysel-Gosepath, K; Gerhards, F; Schicketanz, K-H; Teichmann, K; Benthien, M

2004-05-01

Diversion or distraction of auditory attention is a core principle of tinnitus retraining therapy as introduced by P. Jastreboff and J. Hazell. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a different form of attention diversion in tinnitus therapy. In a prospective and randomized study, 40 patients suffering from chronic tinnitus were assigned to two different groups, A or B. All patients received appropriate counselling and were instructed in relaxation training. Patients in group A learned to distract attention away from the tinnitus by using sound or music. White noise generators or hearing aids were applied in this group. Patients in group B were instructed to direct their attention away from the tinnitus using imagination that was facilitated by the use of light and warmth stimuli as distracters. Different standardized questionnaires were used for an evaluation of therapy effectiveness. In both groups, patients were significantly less annoyed and disabled by their tinnitus immediately after therapy and after 6 months. Tinnitus annoyance still proved to be reduced 1 year after the end of the therapy. There were no significant differences in the effects of each treatment. Attention diversion is an important method for decreasing tinnitus-related distress. Patients should be instructed to use not only auditory but also visual and thermal sensations in order to distract attention away from their tinnitus.

One-year follow up of patients with chronic tinnitus treated with left temporoparietal rTMS.

PubMed

Khedr, E M; Rothwell, J C; El-Atar, A

2009-03-01

Although there are a number of positive reports on the therapeutic effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) for treatment of tinnitus, there are few details about the duration of treatment effects or the relative efficiency of different rTMS protocols. Sixty six patients with chronic tinnitus were divided into four groups, receiving sham rTMS, 1, 10 and 25 Hz rTMS applied each day for 10 days over left temporoparietal cortex. They were followed up at 4 months and 1 year using the tinnitus questionnaire [Tinnitus Handicap Inventory(THI)] and self ratings of annoyance as well as measures of residual inhibition. A two factor anova revealed a significant 'rTMS' x 'time' interaction indicating that real and sham rTMS had different effects on the THI scale and annoyance of tinnitus (P = 0.026 and 0.046 respectively). After 1 year, the tinnitus was absent in one or both ears of 10 patients who had received real rTMS: one of these was in the 1 Hz group, four patients were in the 10 Hz group and five patients were in the 25 Hz group. Some patients show a lasting benefit at 1 year after 10 days of rTMS treatment. It appears that treatment at 10 or 25 Hz may be more beneficial than at 1 Hz, although more work is necessary to validate this conclusion.

Advances in local anesthesia in dentistry.

PubMed

Ogle, Orrett E; Mahjoubi, Ghazal

2011-07-01

Local pain management is the most critical aspect of patient care in dentistry. The improvements in agents and techniques for local anesthesia are probably the most significant advances that have occurred in dental science. This article provides an update on the most recently introduced local anesthetic agents along with new technologies used to deliver local anesthetics. Safety devices are also discussed, along with an innovative method for reducing the annoying numbness of the lip and tongue following local anesthesia. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparisons of Methods for Predicting Community Annoyance Due to Sonic Booms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hubbard, Harvey H.; Shepherd, Kevin P.

1996-01-01

Two approaches to the prediction of community response to sonic boom exposure are examined and compared. The first approach is based on the wealth of data concerning community response to common transportation noises coupled with results of a sonic boom/aircraft noise comparison study. The second approach is based on limited field studies of community response to sonic booms. Substantial differences between indoor and outdoor listening conditions are observed. Reasonable agreement is observed between predicted community responses and available measured responses.

The noise impact of proposed runway alternatives at Craig Airport

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deloach, R.

1982-01-01

Four proposed runway expansion alternatives at Craig Airport in Jacksonville, Florida have been assessed with respect to their forecasted noise impact in the year 2005. The assessment accounts for population distributions around the airport and human subjective response to noise, as well as the distribution of noise levels in the surrounding community (footprints). The impact analysis was performed using the Airport-noise Levels and Annoyance Model (ALAMO), an airport community response model recently developd at Langley Research Center.

Optimization of a New Cell-Based Fluorescence Assay for U.S. Army Global Malaria Surveillance Efforts in Support of the Warfighter

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-11-01

humans. Of these, Plasmodium falciparum is the most deadly. P . vivax, although it rarely causes death, is a constant annoyance and the leading...liver hepatocytes. Both P . vivax and P . falciparum have developed resistance to numerous antimalarial drugs, which has undermined the available...assay in our own laboratory. P . falciparum strains D6 and W2 were treated with a panel of known anti-malarial drugs and their respective IC50s were

The effect of noise-abatement profiles on noise immissions and human annoyance underneath a subsequent climbpath

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garbell, Maurice A.

1990-01-01

En route noise emissions on the ground can be affected by the detailed characteristics of intended noise-abatement climb profiles and procedures to an extent of 10 or more nautical miles from the start of the takeoff roll of a large or heavy air-carrier-type aircraft. Suggestions submitted to the noise abatement officials of the airports at Frankfurt, Federal Republic of Germany, and Zurick, Switzerland, and the aircarriers Lufthansa German Airlines and SWISSAIR are explained and discussed.

Pest Prevention 101 | Poster

Cancer.gov

During the summer months, along with rising temperatures and more daylight, comes the nuisance of mosquitoes, ticks, and other insects. In the United States, mosquito bites are largely no more than an annoyance, but worldwide, mosquitoes transmit disease to more than 700 million people every year, according to the Annals of Internal Medicine. And the recent outbreaks of the Zika virus have made people especially wary. The best way to avoid the threat of any insect-borne disease is to prevent bites from occurring in the first place.

The Role of Habituation and Sensitization in Understanding the Annoyance of Community Exposures to Impulsive Noise

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-05-15

an orienting re- sponse followed by a defense response at 64 dBA ( impulse ). The 80 dB ERDC/CERL TR-09-14 25 impulses produced by the small firearm...literature, shorter response latencies are generally attributed to a greater degree of arousal. With impulsive sounds repeated in rapid succession...ERDC–CERL, SERDP-funded project focusing on evaluating responses to military noise. The research team’s decision was based on time burden

Final Supplemental Environmental Assessment of Proposed Actions by the 58th Special Operations Wing, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-06-01

New York) 90 Food Blender at 3 ft. 80 Garbage Disposal at 3 ft. Shouting at 3 ft. 70 Vacuum Cleanerr at 10ft. 60 Normal Speech at 3ft. 50...Manufacturing, general Photographic & optical Agriculture (except livestock) & forestry Livestock farming & breeding Mining & fishing, resource production...1.1586400; NASA -TM-86400. 1 March 1985. Finegold et al. 1994 Finegold, L.S., C.S. Harris, and H.E. von Gierke. 1994. “Community Annoyance and Sleep

The subjective evaluation of noise from light aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shepherd, K. P.

1976-01-01

A study was conducted in which subjects evaluated the sounds of a light aircraft and a motorcycle. Particular emphasis was placed on examining the duration of the sounds. Thirty subjects gave annoyance ratings to a total of 50 sounds, with peak levels between 65 and 85dB(A). It was found that aircraft and motorcycles have differing optimum duration corrections. The conventional duration correction used in the calculation of EPNL is far from being the optimum for light aircraft.

Impulse Noise and Neurosensory Hearing Loss—Relationship to Small Arms Fire

PubMed Central

Keim, Robert J.

1970-01-01

The problems of noise are not limited to the simple annoyance of an individual. Noise can produce a permanent hearing handicap. Many everyday activities and hobbies are associated with hazardous exposure to noise. The hunter and the sport shooter are potential subjects of severe and unresolvable hearing loss. Noise-induced hearing loss develops insidiously. The means of prevention are far more simple than is correction of the loss. Wearing ear protectors, plugs or earmuffs, is advisable during exposure to hazardous noise. PMID:5460217

Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Kauai Acoustic Thermometry of Ocean Climate Project and Its Associated Marine Mammal Research Program: Vol 1

DTIC Science & Technology

1995-05-01

at zero source level to allow time for any mobile marine animal who was annoyed by the sound to depart the affected area; and project facilities would...using conventional thermometers); autonomous polar hydrophones; and a dual site experiment using mobile playback experiments. Of the twelve alternatives...HYDROPHONES (ICE NOISE 2-43 MEASUREMENTS) (ALTERNATIVE 11) 2.2.12 DUAL SITE EXPERIMENT; ALTERNATIVE MMRP 2-44 TECHNIQUES -- MOBILE PLAYBACK EXPERIMENTS

Speech Auditory Alerts Promote Memory for Alerted Events in a Video-Simulated Self-Driving Car Ride.

PubMed

Nees, Michael A; Helbein, Benji; Porter, Anna

2016-05-01

Auditory displays could be essential to helping drivers maintain situation awareness in autonomous vehicles, but to date, few or no studies have examined the effectiveness of different types of auditory displays for this application scenario. Recent advances in the development of autonomous vehicles (i.e., self-driving cars) have suggested that widespread automation of driving may be tenable in the near future. Drivers may be required to monitor the status of automation programs and vehicle conditions as they engage in secondary leisure or work tasks (entertainment, communication, etc.) in autonomous vehicles. An experiment compared memory for alerted events-a component of Level 1 situation awareness-using speech alerts, auditory icons, and a visual control condition during a video-simulated self-driving car ride with a visual secondary task. The alerts gave information about the vehicle's operating status and the driving scenario. Speech alerts resulted in better memory for alerted events. Both auditory display types resulted in less perceived effort devoted toward the study tasks but also greater perceived annoyance with the alerts. Speech auditory displays promoted Level 1 situation awareness during a simulation of a ride in a self-driving vehicle under routine conditions, but annoyance remains a concern with auditory displays. Speech auditory displays showed promise as a means of increasing Level 1 situation awareness of routine scenarios during an autonomous vehicle ride with an unrelated secondary task. © 2016, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

Attractive "quiet" courtyards: a potential modifier of urban residents' responses to road traffic noise?

PubMed

Gidlöf-Gunnarsson, Anita; Ohrström, Evy

2010-09-01

The present paper explores the influence of the physical environmental qualities of "quiet". courtyards (degree of naturalness and utilization) on residents' noise responses. A questionnaire study was conducted in urban residential areas with road-traffic noise exposure between L(Aeq,24h) 58 to 68 dB at the most exposed façade. The dwellings had "quiet" indoor section/s and faced a "quiet" outdoor courtyard (L(Aeq,24h) < 48 dB façade reflex included). Data were collected from 385 residents and four groups were formed based on sound-level categories (58-62 and 63-68 dB) and classification of the "quiet" courtyards into groups with low and high physical environmental quality. At both sound-level categories, the results indicate that access to high-quality "quiet" courtyards is associated with less noise annoyance and noise-disturbed outdoor activities among the residents. Compared to low-quality "quiet" courtyards, high-quality courtyards can function as an attractive restorative environment providing residents with a positive soundscape, opportunities for rest, relaxation and play as well as social relations that potentially reduce the adverse effects of noise. However, access to quietness and a high-quality courtyard can only compensate partly for high sound levels at façades facing the streets, thus, 16% and 29% were still noise annoyed at 58-62 and 63-68 dB, respectively. Implications of the "quiet"-side concept are discussed.

Attractive “Quiet” Courtyards: A Potential Modifier of Urban Residents’ Responses to Road Traffic Noise?

PubMed Central

Gidlöf-Gunnarsson, Anita; Öhrström, Evy

2010-01-01

The present paper explores the influence of the physical environmental qualities of “quiet”. courtyards (degree of naturalness and utilization) on residents’ noise responses. A questionnaire study was conducted in urban residential areas with road-traffic noise exposure between LAeq,24h 58 to 68 dB at the most exposed façade. The dwellings had “quiet” indoor section/s and faced a “quiet” outdoor courtyard (LAeq,24h < 48 dB façade reflex included). Data were collected from 385 residents and four groups were formed based on sound-level categories (58–62 and 63–68 dB) and classification of the “quiet” courtyards into groups with low and high physical environmental quality. At both sound-level categories, the results indicate that access to high-quality “quiet” courtyards is associated with less noise annoyance and noise-disturbed outdoor activities among the residents. Compared to low-quality “quiet” courtyards, high-quality courtyards can function as an attractive restorative environment providing residents with a positive soundscape, opportunities for rest, relaxation and play as well as social relations that potentially reduce the adverse effects of noise. However, access to quietness and a high-quality courtyard can only compensate partly for high sound levels at façades facing the streets, thus, 16% and 29% were still noise annoyed at 58–62 and 63–68 dB, respectively. Implications of the “quiet”-side concept are discussed. PMID:20948929

Evaluation of community response to wind turbine-related noise in western New York state.

PubMed

Magari, Shannon R; Smith, Clinton E; Schiff, Martin; Rohr, Annette C

2014-01-01

As the boundaries of harvesting wind energy expand to meet the ever-increasing societal energy demands, the number and size of wind turbines being constructed rises. As part of a larger project to monitor sound in an operating wind park in western New York State, a cross-sectional survey was conducted among individuals living in and around the wind park to characterize the perception, level of annoyance, and self-reported health effects of residents. We conducted the study in a 126 MW wind park consisting of 84 turbines spanning approximately 19 square miles of farmland. Short-term outdoor and indoor sound level measurements were also performed at each dwelling in which a questionnaire was administered. To our knowledge, this study is the first to collect sound measurements at individual residences. There was no apparent exposure-response relationship between an individual's level of annoyance and the short duration sound measurements collected at the time of the survey. There was a correlation between an individual's concern regarding health effects and the prevalence of sleep disturbance and stress among the study population. The siting process is unique to each community with varying degrees of success. Additional sound level measurements inside and outside homes in larger cohorts in concert with detailed questionnaires would be useful in verifying those exposure-response relationships found in studies using calculated sound level data. Additional research should include a detailed investigation of sleep patterns and possible disturbance in those living in and near operating wind turbine projects.

[ACOUSTIC CR®-NEUROMODULATION -- FIRST EXPERIENCIES IN HUNGARY WITH A NOVEL METHOD IN THE THERAPY OF CHRONIC SUBJECTIVE TINNITUS].

PubMed

Bencsik, Beáta; Gáborján, Anita; Harnos, Andrea; László, Klára; Végső, Péter; Tamás Laszló

2015-05-30

Acoustic CR®-neuromodulation is a novel patented method for the therapy of chronic subjective tinnitus and has been tested in Hungary, as one of the first European countries introducing this procedure. It can be used for the treatment of monaural or binaural tonal tinnitus. Suitability of patients for this therapy was assessed by the help of an appropriate set of criteria. Aim of our study was to analyze 6-month therapy and related measurement data of patients first treated with this method in Hungary and evaluate the results. 27 outpatients (20 males, seven females) with a minimum of 6-month long history of subjective tinnitus were assessed (four detected on the right side, six on the left side, 17 on both sides) who were treated for six months by Acoustic CR®-neuromodulation. On 44 treated ears (21 right, 23 left), changes of tinnitus frequency and loudness were measured and analysed, using Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) loudness/annoyance/pitch scores and Tinnitus Handicap Inventory tests, which were performed at defined intervals during the treatment period. During this 6-month treatment period, significant decrease was detected in tinnitus frequency and loudness by tinnitometry (irrespective of the affected side), and an improvement in VAS annoyance/pitch scores and THI test results. VAS loudness did not show any significant changes. Acoustic CR®-neuromodulation therapy may be a useful treatment of subjective chronic tinnitus, but its efficacy should be proved in controlled clinical trials.

Biting behaviour of Tabanidae on cattle in mountainous summer pastures, Pyrenees, France, and effects of weather variables.

PubMed

Baldacchino, F; Puech, L; Manon, S; Hertzog, Lionel R; Jay-Robert, P

2014-08-01

In France, during the summer, cattle in mountainous pastures can be highly exposed to tabanid bites. The persistent biting behaviour of tabanids not only causes disturbance, but is also responsible for transmitting diseases, such as bovine besnoitiosis. The purpose of this study was to better identify the level of tabanid annoyance on cattle by means of insect trapping and direct observation of cows. Tabanids were active during the entire daily observation period (10:00-16:00), except for Haematopota sp., which were less active in the morning. The tabanids collected in Nzi traps were generally representative of those that landed on cattle, except for Haematopota sp., as Nzi traps were not very effective for these species. The preferred feeding sites for most species appeared to be cow's legs or udder. Leg stamping was the defensive reaction most related to a tabanid alighting on a host. Generalized linear mixed models showed that the parameters associated with tabanid landings on hosts were related to weather and altitude, but not to landscape structure. Increased landings were mostly associated with the higher temperatures and lower wind speeds at midday, but some differences were observed between species. The results indicate that cattle-protection measures should be taken during the peak of tabanid abundance when climatic conditions favour intense biting activity. Nzi traps set close to livestock were very effective to catch tabanids and could help in reducing the annoyance caused by horse flies.

Burden of disease from road traffic and railway noise - a quantification of healthy life years lost in Sweden.

PubMed

Eriksson, Charlotta; Bodin, Theo; Selander, Jenny

2017-11-01

Objectives National quantifications of the health burden related to traffic noise are still rare. In this study, we use disability-adjusted life-years (DALY) measure to assess the burden of disease from road traffic and railway noise in Sweden. Methods The number of DALY was assessed for annoyance, sleep disturbance, hypertension, myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke using a method previously implemented by the World Health Organization (WHO). Population exposure to noise was obtained from the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency and the Swedish Transport Administration. Data on disease occurrence were gathered from registers held by the National Board of Health and Welfare and Statistics Sweden. Disability weights (DW) and duration were based on WHO definitions. Finally, we used research-based exposure-response functions or relative risks to estimate disease attributable to noise in each exposure category. Results The number of DALY attributed to traffic noise in Sweden was estimated to be 41 033 years; 36 711 (90%) related to road traffic and 4322 (10%) related to railway traffic. The most important contributor to the disease burden was sleep disturbances, accounting for 22 218 DALY (54%), followed by annoyance, 12 090 DALY (30%), and cardiovascular diseases, 6725 DALY (16%). Conclusions Road traffic and railway noise contribute significantly to the burden of disease in Sweden each year. The total number of DALY should, however, be interpreted with caution due to limitations in data quality.

Disturbance of Traffic Noise: Evaluation on the Effects and Management on Road Corridors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mutalib, Nur Hazliyana Abdul; Mashros, Nordiana; Aminudin, Eeydzah; Zakaria, Rozana; Haron, Zaiton; Talib, Muhammad Hilmi Abd; Hamid, Abdul Rahim Abdul

2018-04-01

Several adverse of stimuli can cause annoyance due to the characterized by such effects of distraction on health and delay in activities. Noise annoyance mainly due to the increasing in traffic volume has recognized as important environmental stressor which associated to anxiety and depression. In this manner, it can impose serious damage to human wellbeing, human comfort ability and reduces labour productivity. Hence, this paper aims in evaluating the effects on traffic noise and managing the precaution on road corridors in order to reduce the traffic noise. This case study had been conducted at residential area which is located at Taman Mutiara Rini, residential area located in the southern region of West Peninsular Malaysia. The traffic noise index (TNI) and noise pollution level (NPL) were recorded for a whole day in order to evaluate noise performance with different time durations. From the study, it was shown that the noise level at the Mutiara Rini is above than 75 dBA at most of time which is exceed the permissible limit from the guidelines recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Department of Environment (DOE). According to the guidelines, the maximum limitation for noise pollution during daytime at residential area is about 55 dBA. From the interviewed conducted, it shows that reduction on the traffic noise can be improved by proposing and providing the noise barrier which includes the restoration of trees and concrete wall which can reduce the effects on the traffic noise.

Health impact of wind farms.

PubMed

Kurpas, Donata; Mroczek, Bozena; Karakiewicz, Beata; Kassolik, Krzysztof; Andrzejewski, Waldemar

2013-01-01

Wind power is employed worldwide as an alternative source of energy. At the same time, however, the health effects of wind turbines have become a matter of discussion. The purpose of this study is a critical review of available reports providing arguments both for and against the construction of wind farms. The authors also attempt to propose recommendations in accordance with the Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM) guidelines. In the case of exposure to wind farms, a randomized controlled trial (RCT) is impossible. To obtain the highest-level recommendations, analysis of case-control studies or cohort studies with control groups should be performed. Preferably, it should include geostatistical analysis conducted with the use of variograms and the kriging technique. Combinations of key words were entered into the Thomson Reuters Web of Knowledge (SM) and the Internet search engine Google. SHORT DESCRIPTION OF STATE OF THE ART: The nuisance caused by wind turbines is stereotypically linked with the noise that they produce. Nevertheless, the visual aspect of wind farms, opinions about them, and sensitivity to sound seem to be of the greater importance. To date, the direct correlations between the vicinity of modern wind farms, the noise that wind turbines make, and possible consequences to health have not been described in peer reviewed articles. Health effects are more probably associated with some environmental factors leading to annoyance or frustration. All types of studies share the same conclusion: wind turbines can provoke annoyance. As with any project involving changes in the local environment, a certain level of irritation among the population can be expected. There are elected officials and government representatives who should decide what level of social annoyance is acceptable, and whether wind power advantages outweigh its potential drawbacks. The influence of wind turbines on human emotional and physical health is a relatively new field of research. Further analyses of these issues are justified, especially because none of the studies published in peer-reviewed journals so far meet the criteria for cohort or case-control studies. Due to methodology, currently available research results do not allow for higher than C-level recommendations. In the case of wind farms, the ideal types of research would be: a retrospective observation of a particular group of residents before and after the wind farm construction, case-control studies or cohort studies with control groups matched in respect of socioeconomic factors, predisposition for chronic diseases, exposure to environmental risk factors, and only one variable which would differentiate cases from controls--the distance between place of residence and a wind farm.

Subjective Response to Simulated Sonic Booms in Homes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McCurdy, David A.; Brown, Sherilyn A.

1996-01-01

One of the environmental issues affecting the development of a second-generation supersonic commercial transport is the impact of sonic booms on people. Aircraft designers are attempting to design the transport to produce sonic boom signatures that will have minimum impact on the public. Current supersonic commercial aircraft produce an 'N-wave' sonic boom pressure signature that is considered unacceptable by the public. This has resulted in first-generation supersonic transports being banned from flying supersonic over land in the United States, a severe economic constraint. By tailoring aircraft volume and lift distributions, designers hope to produce sonic boom signatures having specific shapes other than 'N-wave' that may be more acceptable to the public. As part of the effort to develop a second-generation supersonic commercial transport, Langley Research Center is conducting research to study people's subjective response to sonic booms. As part of that research, a system was developed for performing studies of the subjective response of people to the occurrence of simulated sonic booms in their homes. The In-Home Noise Generation/Response System (IHONORS) provides a degree of situational realism not available in the laboratory and a degree of control over the noise exposure not found in community surveys. The computer-controlled audio system generates the simulated sonic booms, measures the noise levels, and records the subjects' ratings and can be placed and operated in individual homes for extended periods of time. The system was used to conduct an in-home study of subjective response to simulated sonic booms. The primary objective of the study was to determine the effect on annoyance of the number of sonic boom occurrences in a realistic environment. The effects on annoyance of several other parameters were also examined. Initially, data analyses were based on all the data collected. However, further analyser found that test subjects adapted to the sonic booms during the first few days of exposure. The first eight days of each testing period consisted of eight introductory exposures that were repeated on randomly selected days later in the testing period. Comparison of the introductory exposures with their repeats indicated that the test subjects adapted to the new sonic boom noise environment during the first days of the testing period. Because of the adaptation occurring, the introductory days were deleted from the ds set and the analyses redone. This paper presents the updated analyses. Elimination of the introductory days did not significantly affect the results and conclusions of the initial analyses. This paper also presents analyses of the effects on annoyance of additional factors in the study not previously examined.

Investigation of the relationship between convenient visits and doctors' fatigue using burnout and work engagement scales.

PubMed

Matsumoto, Yuuki; Hoshiko, Michiko; Morimatsu, Yoshitaka; Mori, Mihoko; Kushino, Nanae; Ishitake, Tatsuya

2015-01-01

Fatigue caused by high workload is often responsible for the high attrition among doctors, and has contributed to a disruption in community medicine. In order to address this problem, institutional mechanisms at the hospital level are required. Previous studies have shown that systemic measures at the hospital level and a change in the mindset of patients can help manage the problem. "Convenient visits" refer to emergency visits for non-emergency problems. It is an avoidable cause of high workload on doctors. Convenient visits also refer to emergency consultation for non-emergency symptoms. As this is a new phenomenon, its relationship with doctors' fatigue needs further research. We investigated the relationship between convenient visits and doctors' fatigue using burnout and work engagement scales. We selected 44 hospitals, with >200 beds each, in provincial cities of prefectures with a doctor-population ratio lower than the national average. These cities were considered likely to manifest the phenomenon of 24-hour society and include overworked doctors. Ordinance-designated cities were excluded from this study owing to wide population variability. Three doctors from each hospital were randomly selected from among physicians, surgeons, and pediatricians. We distributed questionnaires (a questionnaire concerning convenient visits, Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey, and Utrecht Work Engagement Scale) to 132 doctors. Forty-two doctors responded to the survey. The median proportion of convenient visits among emergency visits was 50%. Sixty percent of the doctors surveyed were annoyed by convenient visits. Other doctors indicated good collaboration between the hospitals and communities or that they were not currently annoyed by convenient visits, although they had been annoyed previously. The emotional exhaustion in doctors, who worked in hospitals that did not restrict convenient visits, was significantly higher than in those who worked in hospitals that restricted these visits. A significant risk of serious burnout was found via crude and multiple logistic regression analysis (adjusted for age and gender, or adjusted for age, gender, clinical department, frequency of work shifts, and sleep duration during work shifts). Doctors working in hospitals that do not protect them against convenient visits are more prone to burnout. Although the number of convenient visitors is increasing, many hospitals lack systemic measures to manage them. This contributes to doctors' burnout. We suggest that hospitals control convenient visits for preventing doctors' burnout. Collaboration between hospitals and communities is required to help alleviate this problem.

Evaluating and minimizing noise impact due to aircraft flyover

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jacobson, I. D.; Cook, G.

1979-01-01

Existing techniques were used to assess the noise impact on a community due to aircraft operation and to optimize the flight paths of an approaching aircraft with respect to the annoyance produced. Major achievements are: (1) the development of a population model suitable for determining the noise impact, (2) generation of a numerical computer code which uses this population model along with the steepest descent algorithm to optimize approach/landing trajectories, (3) implementation of this optimization code in several fictitious cases as well as for the community surrounding Patrick Henry International Airport, Virginia.