Prediction and assessment

of impacts of noise on the

environment
⚫ Noise is unwanted sound considered unpleasant, loud or
disruptive to hearing.
⚫ In scientific terms, noise or sound is a pressure oscillation in
the air or water or any medium, which conducts and travels
(radiates) away from the source.
⚫ Noise as a pollutant produces contamination in environment
becoming a nuisance and a cause for annoyance, and affects
the health of a person, his activities and mental abilities.
⚫ Noise Impact assessment is important part of EIA.
⚫ The main objective of Noise impact assessment is to measure
current noise quality assessment of study area, impacts of
future projects on local noise, its impact and acceptability.
⚫ There are various noise sources.
⚫ They are as follows- Vehicles, trains, ships, construction sites,
deepening of river, borrowing, aeroplanes, other noise sources
like malls, parking lots, bus depot etc..
⚫ Flg. Day/night sound
level as a function of
population density.

Fig. Ambient noise

levels at different
land uses
⚫ Noise annoys, distracts, disturbs and with sufficient exposure
causes physiological effects leading to deafness.
⚫ Annoyance results from interference with concentrated work, rest
or sleep or with individual communication or speech.
⚫ Noise in the work place reduces productivity, efficiency, accuracy
and safety.
⚫ Noise measurements expressed by the term "sound-pressure level"
(SPL), which is the logarithmic ratio of the sound pressure to a
reference pressure and is expressed as a dimensionless unit of
power, the decibel (dB). The reference level is 0.0002 mbar, the
threshold of human hearing. The equation for sound-pressure level
is as follows:

⚫ where SPL = sound pressure level, dB

⚫ P = sound pressure, μbar
⚫ P₀ = reference pressure, 0.0002 μbar
⚫ A 30 dB increase in noise pollution level indicate:
⚫ 1. 30-fold increase in sound intensity
⚫ 2. 100- fold increase in sound intensity
⚫ 3. 1000-fol increase in sound intensity
⚫ 4. 150-fold increase in sound intensity
⚫ The decibel (dB) scale is a logarithmic scale used to measure
the intensity or level of sound. It is not a linear scale like the
regular numerical scale. Instead, it represents the ratio of two
sound intensities. Specifically, a 10 dB increase on the decibel
scale corresponds to a 10-fold increase in sound intensity.
⚫ Therefore, a 30 dB increase in noise pollution level represents
a 10 dB increase three times, which means: 10 dB + 10 dB +
10 dB = 30 dB
⚫ Since each 10 dB increase represents a 10-fold increase in
sound intensity, a 30 dB increase represents: 10-fold increase
× 10-fold increase × 10-fold increase = 1000-fold increase
⚫ So, option 3) "1000-fold increase in sound intensity" is the
correct answer
Effects of Noise on People
Normal Hearing
Frequency range and sensitivity
⚫ The ear of the healthy adult male responds to sound
waves in the frequency range of 20 to 16,000 Hz.
⚫ Young children and women often have the capacity to
respond to frequencies up to 20,000 Hz.
⚫ The speech zone lies in the frequency range of 500 to
2,000 Hz.
⚫ The ear is most sensitive in the frequency range from
2,000 to 5,000 Hz.
Effects of Noise on People

Repeated interference with sleep

⚫ Noise can awaken people from sleep and it can keep
them awake, frequent awakening or awakening for
long periods can be very disruptive.
⚫ Even if not awakened by noise, a person's sleep
pattern can be significantly disturbed, and a reduced
feeling of well-being can result next day.
⚫ Frequent and prolonged sleep disturbances can result
in physical, mental or emotional illness
Fig. Hearing impairment with years of exposure
Effects on Communication
⚫ External sounds are able to interfere with
convervation's and use of the telephone as well as the
enjoyment of radios and television programs.
⚫ It can thus affect the efficiency of the offices, schools
and other places, where communication is of vital
importance.
⚫ The maximum acceptable level of noise under such
conditions has been 55 dB.
⚫ 70 dB is considered very noisy and serious
interference with verbal communication is inevitable.
The procedure of prediction and assessment of
impacts of noise on the environment
1.Define Project requirements and Noise problem:
In this step, it is very important to define current and
future land usage in the vicinity of the proposal.
Also factors that should also to be considered which
will cause noise pollution during construction and
operation.
Also the length of time over impact will occur and the
time of the day, day, night, week etc. also traffic noise in
construction area due to increased cars and trucks in
surrounding roads.
2.Establish Baseline for noise impact assessment

After completion of above step noise consultants should

have clear understanding of potential noise impact on
the residents.
In this step they provide current noise level recordings
for surroundings.
Objective of baseline survey is to identify those
locations which are most sensitive and most likely to be
adversely affected by proposed development project.
3.Determine extent of noise level impact for
proposed development

After completion of pervious steps now Noise

consultant’s role is to predict the noise impact for
proposed development.
It is very difficult to predict the noise output at the
very early stage.
Here noise consultants play important roles in
predicting noise output beyond limitations of
softwares considering their experience and expertise.
4.Identify Noise mitigation options

⚫ In this step of Noise impact assessment planning, noise

consultants carefully examine the sources of noises in
development area.
⚫ They provide solutions on reducing noise level at
source level, relocating source of receiver to minimize
the noise impact or introducing noise barriers to reduce
the noise impact from source.
5.Evaluation and consideration of significance
of each mitigation option

⚫ Once option for noise impact assessment are established then

proposer produces a document that summarizes the all
available options to compare noise impacts, cost
effectiveness, feasibility, etc.
⚫ The best options is decided after discussion committee
members which meets all the goals for noise limits
6.Determine optimal noise control solution
In this step, evaluated options to mitigate noise impact to
arrange in ranking order by considering socioeconomic
factors and most innovative and competitive options are
selected to proceed further in Noise impact assessment
planning phase
Noise Impact Assessment Survey Methods-
a)Initial Process
⚫ In this process all Noise sensitive receptors along with
distance from noise source, magnitude of noise level
is generated from noise source, existing noise level
and noise level after site completion are identified
b)Quantitative Noise Impact Assessment
⚫ In this Process Quantitative assessment it depends on
type of development i.e Noise generating
development or Noise sensitive development.
⚫ The main objective of this procedure is to identify
impact of development
Noise Impact Assessment Survey Methods-
c)Qualitative Noise Impact Assessment
In this procedure more detailed and with some additional factors
taken into consideration to Quantitative Study of Noise Impact
Assessment.
For e.g. If new noise generating development is planned then its
impact on existing receptors is studied.
And if new housing or hospitals i.e. Noise sensitive development
is planned then current noise levels are studied to measure
probable impact on it.
Also effects of noise on human residential is also taken into
consideration e.g. Loss of sleep, unable to concentrate, use of
outdoor facilities etc.
Also it can consider time of day of monitoring, time period,
frequency of occurrence, absolute level etc.
Noise Impact Assessment Survey Methods-
d)Level Of Significance
In this procedure impact of noise is studied on noise receptors
and magnitude of Impact.
Results are entered into a sheet of noise impact. Eg. Very large,
large, moderate, slight neutral etc.
e)Decision Process
Noise measurement:
Normally noise measurement will be made to determine at
particular location or existing noise environment.
So that proposed developments can made to avoid impact on
human health
f)Noise Monitoring Locations:
Normally Noise monitoring location are chosen to protect
nearest noise receptors.
So ideal location would be outside the sensitive area but usually
same distance from source.
Noise Impact Assessment Survey Methods-
g) Noise Monitoring Time:
It is recommended that 22:00 to 7:00 is considered as night-time
and 7:00 to 22:00 as Daytime.
Mitigation measures for Noise Impact-
Seek other land arrangement
Noise tolerant buildings
Treatment of Noise source
Noise barrier/enclosure
Special or better building design
Alternative Location
Decking over
Construction site clearing
Indoor Acoustic Insulation