A comparison of models to predict annoyance reactions to noise from mixed sources

Many residential communities are exposed to environmental noise from a mixture of sources. A simple energy summation model provides a convenient method for predicting annoyance reactions in mixed source situations but there is research evidence that the validity of its application is questionable. In this paper various alternative models are discussed. Their predictive powers are compared by using noise and social survey data collected at residential sites in the vicinity of Toronto International Airport. Sites were purposely selected to represent a range of aircraft and road traffic noise combinations. Of the five models examined, the simple energy summation model gives the poorest prediction of average annoyance. The strongest predictions are achieved by using independent effects and energy difference models. The implications of the results for predicting annoyance reactions to mixed sources are considered.     

Effect of background noise levels on community annoyance from aircraft noise

A study of community annoyance caused by exposures to civil aircraft noise was carried out in 20 sites around Gimpo and Gimhae international airports to investigate the effect of background noise in terms of dose-effect relationships between aircraft noise levels and annoyance responses under real conditions. Aircraft noise levels were mainly measured using airport noise monitoring systems, B&K type 3597. Social surveys were administered to people living within 100 m of noise measurement sites. The question relating to the annoyance of aircraft noise was answered on an 11-point numerical scale. The randomly selected respondents, who were aged between 18 and 70 years, completed the questionnaire independently. In total, 753 respondents participated in social surveys. The result shows that annoyance responses in low background noise regions are much higher than those in high background noise regions, even though aircraft noise levels are the same. It can be concluded that the background noise level is one of the important factors on the estimation of community annoyance from aircraft noise exposure.     

Laboratory annoyance and different traffic noise sources

The acute annoyance reaction to different noise sources (lorries, aircraft, mopeds and trains) was investigated in a laboratory experiment. Students were exposed to different noise climates at noise levels 70 and 80 dB(A) for 25 minutes, and their reactions were subsequently assessed by using a questionnaire. Their general sensitivity to noise was also evaluated. The results demonstrated that L_eq gave the best correlation with annoyance. However, lorry noise was found to be less disturbing than aircraft noise at the same L_eq value. This was more pronounced if the different noises were compared at equal peak dB(A) levels. The results suggest that other factors such as the irregularity of the noise or the individual experience of the noise are of importance for the annoyance reaction. A relationship was found between the general annoyance score and annoyance reactions in the laboratory. Questionnaires could thus be a suitable tool for identifying noise sensitive persons.     

Relationship between exposure to multiple noise sources and noise annoyance

Relationships between exposure to noise [metric: day-night level (DNL) or day-evening-night level (DENL)] from a single source (aircraft, road traffic, or railways) and annoyance based on a large international dataset have been published earlier. Also for stationary sources relationships have been assessed. Here the annoyance equivalents model concerning noise annoyance from combined sources and the underlying assumptions are presented. The model first translates the noise from the individual sources into the equally annoying sound levels of a reference source, road traffic, and then sums these levels giving total level L. The annoyance from the combined sources is found by substituting exposure L in the road traffic exposure-annoyance relationship. The most important assumption, independence of the contributions of the sources, is discussed. It appears that independence will be violated substantially only due to the effect of the presence or absence of a quiet side of building which is not incorporated in the model. For use in practice the application of the model is broken down in five steps. The step by step procedure can be used for the assessment of the total noise level and the associated total annoyance on the basis of the DNL or DENL values of the individual sources.     

Comparison of models to predict annoyance from combined noise in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi

Seven models were compared in terms of the ability to predict the annoyance due to the combination of aircraft and road traffic noises on the basis of data collected around airports in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, Vietnam. The 24-h average sound levels L_Aeq,24h and unweighted means of annoyance scores for aircraft, road traffic, and combined noise were used to solve the regression equations for the seven models. The results indicate that road traffic noise exposure and annoyance were more than those of aircraft noise at almost all sites in both Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. Among the considered models, the dominant source model yielded the highest coefficients of determination, with R² values of 0.82 and 0.90 for surveys in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, respectively. These results suggest that the dominant source model is the most useful model in the vicinity of those airports in Vietnam where road traffic noise is more dominant than aircraft noise. This is convenient for situations in which dose-response curves are established separately for different noise sources.     

A comparison between exposure-response relationships for wind turbine annoyance and annoyance due to other noise sources

Surveys have shown that noise from wind turbines is perceived as annoying by a proportion of residents living in their vicinity, apparently at much lower noise levels than those inducing annoyance due to other environmental sources. The aim of the present study was to derive the exposure-response relationship between wind turbine noise exposure in L(den) and the expected percentage annoyed residents and to compare it to previously established relationships for industrial noise and transportation noise. In addition, the influence of several individual and situational factors was assessed. On the basis of available data from two surveys in Sweden (N=341, N=754) and one survey in the Netherlands (N=725), a relationship was derived for annoyance indoors and for annoyance outdoors at the dwelling. In comparison to other sources of environmental noise, annoyance due to wind turbine noise was found at relatively low noise exposure levels. Furthermore, annoyance was lower among residents who received economical benefit from wind turbines and higher among residents for whom the wind turbine was visible from the dwelling. Age and noise sensitivity had similar effects on annoyance to those found in research on annoyance by other sources.     

Effect of season and meteorological conditions on community noise annoyance

More than 80 000 residents' responses to transportation noise from 42 studies conducted at different times of year provide statistical estimates of the effects of season and meteorological conditions on community response to noise. The strongest evidence for a seasonal effect comes from 7 years of continuous daily interviewing of nationally representative probability samples in the Netherlands. Long-term annoyance with noise is slightly, but statistically significantly, higher in the summer than in the winter. Analyses of 41 other surveys drawn from diverse countries, climates, and times of year also provide evidence that noise annoyance varies over the year, is increased by temperature, and may be increased by more sunshine, less precipitation, and reduced wind speeds. These findings are not sufficiently precise to determine whether the apparent relationships with meteorological conditions are only the result of seasonal variations or are also the result of differences in the climate at different locations. There is not consistent evidence that the meteorological conditions on the day of the interview or the immediately preceding days have any more effect on long-term noise annoyance measures than do the conditions over the immediately preceding weeks or months.     

The relationship between railway noise and community annoyance in Korea

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.     

Total annoyance from an industrial noise source with a main spectral component combined with a background noise

When living close to an industrial plant, people are exposed to a combination of industrial noise sources and a background noise composed of all the other noise sources in the environment. As a first step, noise annoyance indicators in laboratory conditions are proposed for a single exposure to an industrial noise source. The second step detailed in this paper involves determining total annoyance indicators in laboratory conditions for ambient noises composed of an industrial noise source and a background noise. Two types of steady and permanent industrial noise sources are studied: low frequency noises with a main spectral component at 100 Hz, and noises with a main spectral component in middle frequencies. Five background noises are assessed so as to take into account different sound environments which can usually be heard by people living around an industrial plant. One main conclusion of this study is that two different analyses are necessary to determine total annoyance indicators for this type of ambient noise, depending on the industrial noise source composing it. Therefore, two total annoyance indicators adapted to the ambient noises studied are proposed.     

The relationship between civil aircraft noise and community annoyance in Korea

Studies of community annoyance caused by civil aircraft noise exposure were carried out in 18 areas around Gimpo and Gimhae international airports in order to accumulate social survey data and assess the relationship between aircraft noise levels and annoyance responses in Korea. WECPNL, adopted as the aircraft noise index in Korea, and the percentage of respondents who felt highly annoyed (%HA) have been used to assess the dose-response of aircraft noise. Aircraft noise levels were measured automatically by airport noise monitoring system, B&K type 3597. Social surveys were carried out to people living within 100 m of noise measurement points. The Questionnaire used in the survey contained demographic factors, noise annoyance, interference with daily activities and health-related symptoms. The question relating to the aircraft noise annoyance was answered on an 11-point numerical scale. The randomly selected respondents who were aged between 18 and 70 years completed the questionnaire by themselves. In total, 705 respondents participated in the questionnaire. The results show that WECPNL, noise metric considering characteristics of event and intrusive noise, is more reasonable than L_dn, noise metric considering total sound, to assess the effects of aircraft noise on health. It is also shown that the annoyance responses caused by aircraft noise in Korea seems higher than those reported in other countries.     

城市道路交通噪声烦恼度社会调查

本文以烦恼度为主观反应指标,采用三种5级程度衡量尺度,对西安市内三条主要干道和两类典型交叉口附近区域内的道路交通噪声进行了烦恼度问卷调查。此次调查针对人口统计学因素(性别、年龄、文化程度、身体健康状况)上的个体差异与等级描述词不同的程度尺度可能对道路交通噪声烦恼度调查结果的影响,以及特定路况条件下的噪声烦恼度与不同机动车辆的行驶噪声烦恼度展开了研究。通过对调查数据的分析处理,发现并初步总结出:与选取不同的烦恼度尺度相比,人口统计学因素对调查结果的影响更加显著;人口统计学因素与特定路况条件下的噪声烦恼度及不同机动车辆的行驶噪声烦恼度无明显相关;但不同机动车辆的行驶噪声烦恼度不同,实际研究中需对摩托车噪声加以重视并区别对待。     

An assessment of certain causal models used in surveys on aircraft noise annoyance

The causal relationships which have so far been proposed between aircraft noise exposure, annoyance and certain “psycho-social” variables (fear of aircraft crashing, general attitude towards aviation, etc.), are re-analysed, and it is demonstrated that by using correlational analysis one can arrive at contradictory results. From the sociological surveys undertaken to date, one can derive only an ordered sequence of verbal reactions to aircraft noise, and not a causal sequence between these verbal reactions: the only clear cause of annoyance is the noise itself.It is suggested that future surveys on noise annoyance should include personality tests and health questionnaires, if one wishes to establish reliable causal sequences.     

车辆噪声烦恼度的音色表达

烦恼度作为评价噪声对人影响的重要指标,受到广泛重视并获得应用。通过主观评价实验和数据统计分析,从音色角度对城市典型车辆噪声烦恼度进行建模并给予物理解释。研究发现:(1)车辆噪声烦恼度音色空间由四个维度构成;(2)利用多元线性回归方法给出的车辆噪声烦恼度模型与声样本烦恼度拟合较好;(3)烦恼度空间维度与特定频谱特性具有较高的相关性。研究结果为车辆噪声烦恼度建模及降噪设计提供了新的思路。     

考虑噪声烦恼度的机场飞机噪声收费模型和应用研究

随着我国民航运输业的飞速发展,机场噪声影响问题日趋严重。通过向航空公司或旅客收取噪声费来进行治理,是民航发达国家的普遍做法,也是我国未来的发展方向。该文在国外机场飞机噪声收费模型的基础上,提出了基于飞机噪声特性、噪声烦恼度、噪声治理投入费用和资金回收周期等因素的机场噪声收费模型。模型将机场噪声治理费用通过合理的回收周期按一定比例分配到各年度,再根据飞机噪声特性、噪声烦恼度将每年噪声收费分配到每架次飞机(或每位旅客)。飞机噪声特性根据ACI的机场噪声分级R1～R8来确定,噪声烦恼度借助Mamdani模型构建。应用表明,该收费模型关键因素考虑全面,计算方法先进简洁,费率合理。对于噪声较高飞机,夜间起飞收费为1219.06元/架次,客均收费10.16元;对于噪声很低的飞机,昼间着陆收费为66.10元/架次,客均收费仅0.15元。费率确定符合国际民航组织倡导的以支定收原则,有助于形成航空公司/旅客减噪激励机制同时又不致抑制机场航空业务增长。     

A path model of aircraft noise annoyance

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 L_eq(24) and sensitivity. Overall the model explains 41% 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.     

Penalty for impulse noise, derived from annoyance ratings for impulse and road-traffic sounds

In the laboratory, four groups of 16 subjects rated the annoyance caused by three types of impulse sounds (regular and irregular gunfire noise and metal-construction noise) and by road-traffic sounds, all presented in background noise. The subjects were presented with the sounds for 5-min periods. The annoyance ratings were related to the A-weighted equivalent level (Leq) of the sounds. From these annoyance ratings a correction term or penalty was derived, which, added to the Leq of the impulse sounds, gives the level of equally annoying traffic noise. The correction was determined for conditions in which (1) only the annoyance caused by specific sources, or (2) the annoyance caused by the total sound (specific source plus background) had to be rated. In addition, the indoor Leq of the constantly present background noise was 35 or 55 dB(A) by and large, the results showed that for lower levels of the sounds an impulse-noise correction of at least 10 dB was required, whereas for higher levels the derived correction was about equal to the ISO/R 1996 penalty of 5 dB. This conclusion, based on the relation between Leq and annoyance ratings, is consistent with the correction based on Leq and the percentage of subjects who reported to be "very much annoyed." For equivalent levels of the impulse sounds at which 33% of the subjects claimed to be very much annoyed, the correction was 10 dB for the conditions in which the indoor Leq of the background noise was 35 dB(A), and 5 dB when this Leq was 55 dB(A).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

A fuzzy rule based framework for noise annoyance modeling

Predicting the effect of noise on individual people and small groups is an extremely difficult task due to the influence of a multitude of factors that vary from person to person and from context to context. Moreover, noise annoyance is inherently a vague concept. That is why, in this paper, it is argued that noise annoyance models should identify a fuzzy set of possible effects rather than seek a very accurate crisp prediction. Fuzzy rule based models seem ideal candidates for this task. This paper provides the theoretical background for building these models. Existing empirical knowledge is used to extract a few typical rules that allow making the model more specific for small groups of individuals. The resulting model is tested on two large-scale social surveys augmented with exposure simulations. The testing demonstrates how this new way of thinking about noise effect modeling can be used in practice both in management support as a "noise annoyance adviser" and in social science for testing hypotheses such as the effect of noise sensitivity or the degree of urbanization.     

关于噪声社会反应测定方法的国际共同研究——中国语噪声调查问题和评价尺度的建构

在有关噪声问题的社会调查中,由于不同的研究者采用了不同的调查问题和反应尺度,使得这些研究结果难以进行比较和借鉴。为了解决这个问题,ICBEN Team 6提出了制订标准的噪声社会反应测定方法的提案。本文就是在国际噪声联合专家研究结果的基础上,尝试建立中国语标准噪声调查问题和5级噪声反应言语尺度。     

Synthesis of social surveys on noise annoyance.

Since noise was first recognized as a serious environmental pollutant, a number of social surveys have been conducted in order to assess the magnitude of the problem and to develop suitable noise ratings, such that, from a measurement of certain physical characteristics of community noise, one could reliably predict the community's subjective response to the noise. Recently, the author has reviewed the data from social surveys concerning the noise of aircraft, street traffic, expressway traffic, and railroads. Going back to the original published data, the various survey noise ratings were translated to day-night average sound level, and an independent judgment was make, where choice was possible, as to which respondents should be counted as "highly annoyed." The results of 11 of these surveys show a remarkable consistency. It is proposed that the average of these curves is the best currently available relationship for predicting community annoyance due to transportation noise of all kinds.