MODULE 5-(NOISE REDUCTION AND CONTROL-II)

9). Industrial : sources of industrial noise — impact, friction, reciprocation, air turbulence and
other noise. Methods of reduction using enclosures and barriers.

10). Introduction to Urban Soundscape- Constructional measures of noise control and sound
insulation--- introduction to Urban noise - Air traffic, Rail traffic, Road traffic, Seashore and
inland. Traffic planning against outdoor noise. Noise reduction and control by site planning.
Town planning and regional planning consideration. Role of architects//urban planners in
shaping the urban soundscape. Sustainable design strategies in building acoustics.
SOURCES OF INDUSTRIAL NOISE
These are mostly of indoor origin either impulsive or continuous in character. The most
intense noise is caused by machine tools & various processes involved in the making &
handling of the product.
Vibration : Rotating machinery & reciprocating processes produce such noise. (low frequency +
continuous )
Industrial machinery and processes---are composed of various noise sources such as rotors,
gears, fans, vibrating panels, turbulent fluid flow, impact processes, electrical machines, etc.
The mechanisms of noise generation---depend on the particularly noisy operations and
equipment including crushing, riveting, blasting (quarries and mines, drilling), lathes, electric
furnaces metal cutting, grinders, pumps and compressors, and transport vehicles.etc.

IMPACT NOISE

Noise caused by the impact is of very high intensity depending on the impacting surface
which might be set into vibration . Some common sources are pressing, forging, chipping,
riveting, cutting and handling of materials etc. Impact noise occurs when an object collides
with another object, and you usually hear it from the floor above you. Examples include
footsteps, a chair sliding across a wood or tile floor, or an object falling on the floor. Impact
noise travels freely through a structure and through air pockets.
FRICTION NOISE :
Grinding, sawing, sanding, cutting edge of lathes, ill lubrication, worn out bearings, braking
etc. Friction of solids having rough surfaces produces a typical wideband noise with
generally a low sound level. Other examples are the sounds produced by a piece of
sandpaper or a scouring sponge on a saucepan.

RECIPROCATION :
A theorem which states that in the acoustic field due to a sound source at point A, the
sound pressure received at any other point B is the same as that which would be
produced at A if the source were placed at B, and that this can be generalized for
multiple sources and receivers.
 AIR TURBULENCE AND OTHER NOISE

• AIR TURBULENCE: Due to rapid vibration in air pressure produced by turbulence from higher
velocity air, gas or steam. Exhaust noise from pneumatic tools and jet engines are common
examples.
• CLEAR AIR TURBULANCE (CAT) --- is the turbulent movement of air masses in the absence
of any visual clues, such as clouds and is caused when bodies of air moving at widely
different speeds meet.
• In most extreme cases. Turbulence is not a danger to the safety of the flight, rather more of
an uncomfortable inconvenience.
• CAT is also caused by jet streams which are very strong wind found at high altitude. Jet
streams form between boundaries of warm and cold air and therefore vary in position
throughout the year.
• It is one of the most unpredictable of all weather phenomena. Turbulence is an irregular
motion of the air resulting from eddies and vertical currents. It may be as insignificant as a
few annoying bumps or severe enough to momentarily throw an airplane out of control or to
cause structural damage.

• Thermal turbulence—caused by surface heating. Different land surfaces absorb, reflect,

radiate varying amounts of heat. Warm air rises and mixes with other air moving across the
terrain. This mixing effects create gusty and erratic turbulence.
 METHODS OF REDUCTION USING ECLOSURES AND BARRIERS
• Sound enclosures are materials used to block or soundproof a small room or piece of noisy
equipment. There are various types of sound blocking systems, enclosures and materials are
available for existing and new soundproofing
• Acoustical sound blankets are used to erect walls and enclosures to block equipment noise in
factories and manufacturing facilities. Used in Floor reduce footfall noise from above.
• Several different materials are used for sound barriers. These materials include masonry,
earthwork (such as earth berm), steel, concrete, wood, plastics, insulating wool, or
composites. Walls that are made of absorptive material mitigate sound differently than hard
surfaces.
• Noise barriers reduce noise by blocking the direct travel of sound waves from a source (such
as a highway) to adjacent homes or businesses, forcing the waves over the top or around the
barrier. The barrier must be high enough and long enough to block the view (line of sight) of
the highway.

• EX. Steel sound enclosures are a highly effective means of noise control for industrial and
mechanical equipment.
 NOISE CONTROL BY SCREENING AND ENCLOSURES

• Obstruction by walls and partitions has a far greater effect on propagation of sound and
this effectiveness depends on the effective height and location of the obstacle with
respect to the source and the receiver.
• These should be placed as close to the source as possible. Particularly in order to screen
the open space between source and receiver, walls or partitions are used for this must
extend laterally over the site limits. Lowering the level of road has an appreciable effect.
To avoid reflections, walls or partitions on the loud side should be covered with absorbent
materials or inclined away from the vertical. Avoid opening in the screens.

• These should be placed as close to the source as possible. Particularly in order to screen
the open space between source and receiver, walls or partitions are used for this they must
extend laterally over the site limits. Lowering the level of road has an appreciable effect. To
avoid reflections, walls or partitions on the loud side should be covered with absorbent
materials or inclined away from the vertical. Avoid opening in the screens.
10) INTRODUCTION TO URBAN SOUDSCAPE
The increase in urban population, haphazard urban growth, industrialization and motorized
transport has caused enormous problems of noise pollution in the urban areas. Urban noise
disturbance has detrimental effect on the tranquility of the area.

The analysis of all types of sounds in a given area or region is called soundscape .
INTRODUCTION TO URBAN NOISE
The study of urban noise examines the problem of noise pollution in the wake of its ill effect
on the life of the people. Main sources of noise pollution are loudspeakers and automobiles.

However, female population is affected by religious noise a little more than male population.
Major effects of noise pollution include interference with communication, sleeplessness, and
reduced efficiency.

The extreme effects e.g. deafness and mental breakdown neither is ruled out. Generally, a
request to reduce or stop the noise is made out by the aggrieved party. However, complaints
to the administration and police have also been accepted as a way of solving this menace.

As it is evident that primarily noise problem is the result of growing busy traffic. Each year
there is an increase in the number of vehicles in India. The noise levels are showing an
alarming rise and in fact, the levels exceed the prescribed levels in most of the areas.
 URBAN NOISE CLIMATE

• Birds sing at a higher pitch due to urban noise

• Urban environments present an opportunity to study the evolution of animal
communication in acoustically novel habitats. Several species of birds raise the minimum
frequency of vocalizations in urban noise. We found that raising the minimum frequency is
common in urban birds and is not restricted to passerine(all singing birds) song, but also
occurs in other vocalizations of parrots.
• This suggests that high-frequency species, which are less affected by urban noise, do not
need to adjust the frequency of vocalizations as much.
• This indicates that frequency differences between species influence the way in which they
respond to the same communication problem (masking by low-frequency noise)
EFFECT OF EXTERNAL NOISE(TRAFFIC, INDUSTRIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL) ON
DESIGN.

 DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
– Orientation and form of buildings
– The construction and embankment and fences.
– Effect of planting
– Spacing of screens
– Approach and departure of roads
– General lay out of individual buildings.
– Construction of doors , windows and balconies.
 CONTROL OF AIR PORT AND AIR CRAFT NOISE
• AIR PORT : In places like airports, noise pollution is bound to be higher than at any other
places, the noise levels created by landing aircraft, when they fly at a low height of 200-300
feet, cause disturbance to the patients in nearby hospitals. As a result, many patients suffer
from sleeplessness regularly and doctors while performing surgery loose concentration by
environmental noise pollution levels that disturbs them during the plane landings and the
noise created by these planes spanned 75 decibel to 94 decibel, which went beyond the
stipulated standards laid down under the Noise Pollution.
• AIRCRAFT NOISE : The problem of noise from aircraft has increased day by day and the jet
aero planes have made it worse. One can not do much where an existing small aerodrome
located is in the outskirts of the city had to be expanded to cater to bigger and noisier air
crafts. A town ship automatically grows around it and the community around it. Tolerating
the unbearable noise or taking it for granted. Hence, planners should disallow residential
areas, hospitals & schools within certain area of the aerodrome. New aerodromes to be
located sufficiently away from the city with future expansion. (4 to 5 miles).
 
 AIR PORT
• Baffles were recommended for suspension from the ceiling. Baffles provide significantly
better sound absorption than treatments that attach direct to the face of walls and
ceilings. The reason is that a free hanging baffle can absorb sound on all sides, rather
than on a single surface.

AIR CRAFT NOISE

• Variations in aircraft types, flight patterns and local meteorology can be analyzed before
acoustical strategies such as roof upgrading, increase in thickness of glass or double
pane window glazing , fireplace and chimney baffling, caulking construction seams,
external sound proof doors, acoustical ducts and filters to A.C. units etc.
 CONTROL OF RAIL TRAFFIC NOISE

• RAIL TRAFFIC: Railway traffic --- Noise from railways is equally disturbing to the
community as Industrial noise depending on the type of train ---- passenger or goods
train, its speed, the frequency of service and the time of occurrence. In addition noise is
also created by vibration, from the horns, whistles and steam etc. especially at night time
when conditions of noise would certainly worse than day time disturbing the sleeps. In
view of this comprehensive development plan of city must take into account lay out of rail
& road traffic since it is rather difficult to contain these source of noise.
• When residential , commercial buildings are to be located in proximity of railway tracker
main road it is necessary to have set back of at least 150’ to 200’. Or wall barriers to be
provided to screen the noise source.
 TRAFFIC NOISE
• Either in close vicinity or at a distance.

• Noises due to HEAVY TRAFFIC in

(i) commercial area (ii) main and arterial roads and routes which carry high speed traffic
during day and night (iii) road corners where automatically vehicles take a turn and
accelerate speed (down or up).
• Noises due to MEDIUM TRAFFIC

• Noises due to LIGHT TRAFFIC The sound level increases by 6 db each time the density of
traffic is doubled—it also increases when the speed increases or when a hill is being
negotiated. It also increases on express highways, slopes, road junctions and entrances.
Again on rough road or paved roads due to friction of tire. One lorry or Bus is = 4 cars, one
motor cycle is = 2 cars. It increases in multi-storied car parking during parking hours and at
the end of office hours.

• Noise level due to traffic is usually higher in busy areas of the city. In view of the fact that
the residential buildings, schools, hospitals, offices etc. are located in these areas
“excessive” noise is naturally objectionable. Even in residential areas the background noise
is attributed to distant road traffic.
 CONTROL OF ROAD TRAFFIC NOISE

• Many a times it is impossible to avoid heavy automobile vehicular traffic since they are
essential for the life of the local community. But if the lay out of roads and freight transport
points are suitably arranged the adverse effect could be minimized. Noisy buildings such as
stock exchanges , restaurants, offices, theaters etc. could be located on the main streets
while quiet buildings such as hospitals, schools, dwellings etc. could be along the side
streets.

• Trees, shrubs & hedges help in screening the noise from the buildings. These should be
planted near and along the roads. Trees and shrubbery when densely planted extending
between source of noise and recipient is very effective in reducing the noise. This can be
observed when roads run through the forest and jungles.

• Surfacing roads and streets: hard metal roads to be discouraged when horse drawn carriages
are used. Asphalt road surfaces being soft are less conducive to impact noise.
 SEASHORE AND ISLAND NOISE
• The shape of seashells just happens to make them great amplifiers of ambient noise. Any air
that makes its way into a shell's cavity gets bounced around by its hard, curved inner
surfaces. The resonating air produces sound. The pitch of the sound depends on the size of
the shell.
• What sound does the ocean make? First the wind starts blowing, producing small waves.
Some of these small waves combine with other small waves to form a single, larger wave.
But anyone who loves the beach can tell you about the distinctive sound of the ocean hitting
the sand.
• Water temperature and pressure determine how far sound travels in the ocean. While sound
moves at a much faster speed in the water than in air , the distance that sound waves travel
is primarily dependant upon ocean temperature and pressure. ... The whale produces sound
waves that move like ripples in the water.
 TRAFFIC PLANNING AGAINST OUTDOOR NOISE.

• Some of the physical methods which architects, developers and builders can employ to
reduce noise impacts. There are four major actions which can be taken to improve noise
compatibility for any type of land use or activity. These are site planning, architectural
design, construction methods, and barrier construction.
• Acoustical site design uses the arrangement of buildings on a tract of land to minimize noise
impacts by capitalizing on the site’s natural shape and contours.
• Open space, nonresidential land uses, and barrier buildings can be arranged to shield
residential areas or other noise sensitive activities from noise, and residences can be
oriented away from noise.
 NOISE REDUCTION & CONTROL BY SITE PLANNING

• Acoustical architectural design incorporates noise reducing concepts in the details of

individual buildings. The areas of architectural concern include building height, room
arrangement, window placement, and balcony and courtyard design.
• Acoustical construction involves the use of building materials and techniques to reduce noise
transmission through walls, windows, doors, ceilings, and floors. Noise barriers can be
erected between noise sources and noise-sensitive areas.
• Barrier types include berms(artificial ridge or embarkment/raised barrier separating two
areas by soil or grass strip) made of sloping mounds of earth, walls and fences constructed of
a variety of materials, thick plantings of trees and shrubs, and combinations of these
materials.
• Its purpose is to illustrate the wide range of possible alternatives which could be considered
in the architectural planning process.
 NOISE REDUCTION & CONTROL BY SITE PLANNING
• The arrangement of buildings on a site can be used to minimize noise impacts, acoustical
site planning often provides a successful technique for noise impact reduction.

• Many site planning techniques can be employed to shield a residential development from
noise. These can include: increasing the distance between the noise source and the
receiver; placing nonresidential land uses such as parking lots, maintenance facilities, and
utility areas between the source and the receiver;

• locating barrier-type buildings parallel to the noise source or the highway; and orienting the
residences away from the noise.

• Distance: Noise can be effectively reduced by increasing the distance between a residential
building and a highway. Distance itself reduces sound: doubling the distance from a noise
source can reduce its intensity
 SITE PLANNING

• In the case of high rise buildings, distance may be the only means, besides acoustical design
and construction, of reducing noise impacts. This is because it is nearly impossible to provide
physical shielding for the higher stories from adjacent noise.

• Noise barriers can shield only the lowest floors of a building. Noise Compatible Land Uses as
Buffers: Noise protection can be achieved by locating noise-compatible land uses between
the highway and residential units.

• In addition to protecting the residential development from the noise and dirt of highway
traffic, the parking garage provides needed facilities for the residents.

• Buildings as Noise Shields: Additional noise protection can be achieved by arranging the site
plan to use buildings as noise barriers. A long building, or a row of buildings parallel to a
highway can shield other more distant structures or open areas from noise.

• The wall/building will contain apartments in which the kitchens and bathrooms are placed
towards the noise, and the bedrooms and living rooms face away from the highway. The wall
facing the highway will be soundproofed and windows, when they exist, are sealed.
• Orientation: The orientation of buildings or activities on a site affects the impact of noise,
and the building or activity area may be oriented in such a way as to reduce this impact.
• Noise impacts can be severe for rooms facing the roadway since they are closest to the noise
source.
• Once the most severely impacted wall or walls are determined, noise impacts may be
minimized by reducing or eliminating windows from these walls.
• Buildings can also be oriented on a site in such a way as to exploit the site’s natural features.
With reference to noise, natural topography can be exploited and buildings placed in low
noise pockets if they exist. If no natural noise pockets exist, it is possible to create them by
excavating pockets for buildings and piling up earth mounds between them and the noise.
Such a structure would obstruct the sound paths and reduce the noise impacts on the
residences.

Placement of noise compatible

land uses near highway in Planned
Unit Development—considering
town panning and regional
planning
 ACOUSTICAL ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN
• Noise can be controlled in a building with proper architectural design. By giving attention to
acoustical considerations in the planning of room arrangement, placement of windows,
building height, balconies, and courtyards, the architect may achieve significant noise impact
reduction, without the need for costly acoustical construction .

• Room Arrangement: Noise impacts can be substantially reduced by separating more noise
sensitive rooms from less noise sensitive rooms; and placing the former in the part of the
building which is furthest away from the noise source. The less sensitive rooms should then
be placed closest to the noise source where they can act as noise buffers for the more
sensitive rooms.

• Bedrooms, living rooms, and dining rooms are usually noise sensitive, while kitchens,
bathrooms, and playrooms are less so.

• Solid Walls: Noise can be reduced by eliminating windows and other openings from the
walls of a building close to noise sources.

• The solid wall can then have the effect of a sound barrier for the rest of the building.
The effectiveness of the barrier is dependent on the mass and height of the barrier, and its
distance from the noise source and the receiver. To be effective a barrier must block the “line of
sight” between the highest point of a noise source and the highest part of the receiver. Plants
absorb and scatter sound waves. Plantings in a buffer strip, high, dense, and thick enough to be
visually opaque, will provide more attenuation than that provided by the mere distance which
the buffer strip represents. Shrubs or other ground cover are necessary in this respect to provide
the required density near the ground.
 ROLE OF ARCHITECTS IN SHAPING THE URBAN SOUNDSCAPE
• The awareness of these effects by architects and urban planners is therefore important.
Taking into account the soundscape as an integral part of the urban environment from the
start of the urban project is essential to prevent noise problems in our cities.

• The study of soundscape is the subject of acoustic ecology and refers to both the natural
acoustic environment — consisting of natural sounds, including animal and sounds from
trees, the sounds of water, weather — and environmental sounds created by humans —
through musical composition, sound design, and other human activities, including sounds of
mechanical origin resulting from use of industrial technology.
 URBAN SOUNDSCAPE-AN EXAMPLE

• We can learn that there is a complexity that is appealing to us, no matter the context. Urban
sounds can be enjoyable for people in need of high complexity information. At the same
time urban planners need to respect those who do not find the high complexity of sounds as
attractive.
• The solution for this would be the creation of zones with varying acoustical complexity.
Complete silence is impossible to achieve, but much city noise can be masked and dimmed.
• Using natural sound sources in urban planning, such as water and vegetation, has proved to
be effective for this purpose and pleasing for the general public. Green walls can, if properly
constructed, reduce up to 40dB of outdoor noise and vibration.

• A small park between buildings in Midtown Manhattan, with a waterfall and a green wall.
Green walls may reduce up to 40dB of outdoor noise and vibration. ne thing that works really
well is the use of water to mask certain sounds, like traffic.

• On the small neighborhood scale we could work on developing innovative design and
materials — green spaces, green walls, water walls and other unrecognized ecosystem
services.
• On the larger district or city scale we could work on the composition of urban soundscapes
— e.g. “the dual soundscape”, including zoning areas with “silent parts” intermixed with
more “noisy parts” and designing individual acoustic profiles for specific zones in a city.
 CONCLUSION

• Urban planning should involve more explicit zoning requirements for new constructions,
which offers us the possibility to design soundscapes.
• However, there must also be an opportunity for people to choose their sonic environment. It
would be unwise to impose a general sound aesthetic in ways we may have general visual
aesthetics, since sounds are often perceived more subjectively than visual objects.
• Acoustic ecology is not just an interesting new aspect of urban studies. We believe that
through novel integration of landscape architecture, ecology, acoustics, psychology,
innovative design, etc., soundscape design will be crucial for future city planning — building
sustainable and pleasant cities.
 SUSTAINABLE DESIGN(GREEN BUILDING) STRATEGIES IN BUILDING ACOUSTICS
• Sustainable Design Criteria for Acoustics --- The positive relationship between proper
acoustic design and sustainable design is a true win-win for designers and end users alike.

• It is largely stemmed from the synergy of acoustic strategies with eco-friendly and energy
efficient design practices. Energy-efficient HVAC systems with lower velocities and smaller
loads are great at keeping background noise levels down; energy-efficient, tightly sealed
building envelopes are great at reducing both air and sound infiltration.

• sustainability has broadened to ensure spaces are healthy and comfortable for their
occupants, where proper acoustics is key.

• There have been many recent studies supporting how thoughtful acoustical design can
reduce workplace stress and distraction, improve information retention in schools, speed up
recovery time in hospitals, and much more.
 5--LEED RATING GROUPS
• 1. Building Design and Construction-- It contains 10 LEED rating systems. These rating
systems are guidelines for new buildings and old buildings undergoing major renovations.

• 2. Interior Design and Construction--which was designed specifically for tenants leasing a
portion of a larger building. Interior spaces in commercial buildings, retail, and hospitals
would fall into this category.

• 3. Building Operations and Maintenance--which can be used by building owners and

operators to measure operations and maintenance as well as make minor improvements.

• 4. LEED for Homes --which was specifically designed for single and multi-family residential
structures that are three stories or less.

• 5. LEED for Neighborhood Development --which integrates the principles of smart growth,
urbanism, and green building into the first national program for neighborhood design.
 GREEN BUILDINGS V/S ACOUSTICS
• Unfortunately, some of the approaches that make green buildings green also result in poor
acoustics.

• “Many of the strategies employed to produce energy savings, reduce waste, and increase
indoor environmental quality can contribute to a workplace that has less background noise
and fewer barriers between the sources of distracting noises, speech, etc., and don’t include
the proper amount of absorption,” Not only are acoustics often ignored by architecture
professionals when it comes to green buildings.

• Glass often has low sound isolation; an excessive number of windows let street noise into a
building, and interior glass doesn’t absorb sound. Even the ideal shape for a daylight building
can be detrimental.

• Changing the space plan to accommodate day lighting can cut down on speech privacy, too.
This creates an increase in the amount of conversations surrounding the private office and
the potential for confidential conversations to be overheard.

• Operable windows let in more exterior background noise, especially in urban settings.
“When you open the windows for air, there’s always noise. To prevent airflow from being
restricted in green buildings with natural ventilation, the interior is designed with as few
barriers as possible; this open design, however, can limit speech privacy.