Some effects of infrasonic noise in transportation

Sound pressure level measurements in cars travelling at motorway speeds have shown that in many cases the overall level is very high in relation to the dB(A) and octave band levels, suggesting that much of the sound energy is in the low frequency and infrasonic regions. These levels have been measured down to the octave centred on 2 Hz. Experiments to investigate the effects of infrasound on balance and psychological awareness are described. The results show that levels of infrasound measured in moving vehicles can produce symptoms of balance disturbance, including vertical nystagmus, in normal observers, and also have profound effects on psychological awareness of normal human observers. Possible mechanisms for these effects are discussed.