2.

0 Causes of noise pollution

2.1 Industrialization
Industrial noise, or occupational noise, is often a term used in relation to
environmental health and safety, rather than nuisance, as sustained exposure can cause
permanent hearing damage. Industrial noise is a hazard traditionally linked to heavy
industries such as ship-building and associated with noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), a
form of occupational hearing loss. Modern thinking in occupational safety and health further
identifies noise as hazardous to worker safety and health in many places of employment and
by a variety of means.
Noise can cause hearing impairment at long-term exposures of over 85 decibels,
known as an exposure action value, and it also acts as a factor for causing stress and raising
systolic blood pressure.
Noise can be a causal factor in work accidents, both by masking hazards and warning
signals, and by impeding concentration. Noise acts synergistically with other hazards to
increase the risk of harm to workers. In particular, noise and dangerous substances that have
some tendencies towards ototoxicity may give rise to rapid ear damage.
A-weighted measurements are commonly used to determine noise levels that can
cause harm to the human ear, and special exposure meters are available that integrate noise
over a period of time to give an Leq value which is the equivalent sound pressure level,
defined by standards.
Most of the industries use big machines which are capable of producing large amount
of noise. Apart from that, various equipment like compressors, generators, exhaust fans,
grinding mills also participate in producing big noise.
2.2 Poor Urban Planning
In most of the developing countries, poor urban planning also play a vital role.
Congested houses, large families sharing small space, fight over parking, frequent fights over
basic amenities leads to noise pollution which may disrupt the environment of society.
The city's incessant street noises are not just annoying. They can cause temporary
hearing loss, contribute to stress and sleep loss, and over a long period of time cause
permanent damage to health. Add to the toll taken by public noise are the many abuses of
private noise, like the music machines that people wire themselves up to while plodding half
consciously through the city's noisy streets. While urban noise may seem inevitable and
unavoidable, even the most dense and active places can take steps to limit noise.

2.3 Social Events

Noise is at its peak in most of the social events. Whether it is marriage, parties, pub,
disco or place of worship, people normally flout rules set by the local administration and
create nuisance in the area. People play songs on full volume and dance till midnight which
makes the condition of people living nearby pretty worse. In markets, you can see people
selling clothes via making loud noise to attract the attention of people.

2.4 Transportation
Large number of vehicles on roads, aeroplanes flying over houses, underground trains
produce heavy noise and people get it difficult to get accustomed to that. The high noise leads
to a situation wherein a normal person lose the ability to hear properly.
2.4.1 Aircraft noise
Aircraft noise is noise pollution produced by any aircraft or its components, during
various phases of a flight: on the ground while parked such as auxiliary power units, while
taxiing, on run-up from propeller and jet exhaust, during take off, underneath and lateral to
departure and arrival paths, over-flying while en route, or during landing.
A moving aircraft including the jet engine or propeller causes compression and
rarefaction of the air, producing motion of air molecules. This movement propagates through
the air as pressure waves. If these pressure waves are strong enough and within the
audible frequency spectrum, a sensation of hearing is produced.
Different aircraft types have different noise levels and frequencies. The noise
originates from three main sources which are Aerodynamic noise, Engine and other
mechanical noise and noise from aircraft systems.
Aerodynamic noise arises from the airflow around the aircraft fuselage and control
surfaces. This type of noise increases with aircraft speed and also at low altitudes due to the
density of the air. Jet-powered aircraft create intense noise from aerodynamics. Low-flying,
high-speed military aircraft produce especially loud aerodynamic noise.
The shape of the nose, windshield or canopy of an aircraft affects the sound produced.
Much of the noise of a propeller aircraft is of aerodynamic origin due to the flow of air
around the blades. The helicopter main and tail rotors also give rise to aerodynamic noise.
This type of aerodynamic noise is mostly low frequency determined by the rotor speed.
Typically noise is generated when flow passes an object on the aircraft, for example the
wings or landing gear.
Engine and other mechanical noise are much of the noise in propeller aircraft comes
equally from the propellers and aerodynamics. Helicopter noise is aerodynamically induced

noise from the main and tail rotors and mechanically induced noise from the main gearbox
and various transmission chains. The mechanical sources produce narrow band high intensity
peaks relating to the rotational speed and movement of the moving parts. In computer
modelling terms noise from a moving aircraft can be treated as a line source.
Aircraft gas turbine engines (jet engines) are responsible for much of the aircraft noise
during take-off and climb, such as the buzz saw noise generated when the tips of the fan
blades reach supersonic speeds. However, with advances in noise reduction technologies
the airframe is typically more noisy during landing.
The majority of engine noise is due to jet noisealthough high bypassratio turbofans do have considerable fan noise. The high velocity jet leaving the back of the
engine has an inherent shear layer instability if not thick enough and rolls up into ring
vortices. This later breaks down into turbulence. The SPL associated with engine noise is
proportional to the jet speed to a high power therefore, even modest reductions in exhaust
velocity will produce a large reduction in Jet Noise.
Noise from aircraft systems are Cockpit and cabin pressurization and
conditioning systems are often a major contributor within cabins of both
civilian and military aircraft. However, one of the most significant sources
of cabin noise from commercial jet aircraft, other than the engines, is
the Auxiliary Power Unit (APU), an on-board generator used in aircraft to
start the main engines, usually with compressed air, and to provide
electrical power while the aircraft is on the ground. Other internal aircraft
systems can also contribute, such as specialized electronic equipment in
some military aircraft.

2.4.2 Highway vehicle noise

Highway vehicle noise is the collective sound energy produced
from motor vehicles. It consists chiefly of road surface, tire,
engine/transmission,
aerodynamic,
and
braking
elements.
In developed and developing countries, roadway noise contributes a
proportionately large share of the total societal noise pollution. For most
automobiles, exhaust noise contributes the predominant source for normal
operation below about 55km/h. Although tire noise is much less of a
problem in automobiles than in trucks, it is the dominant noise source at
speeds above 80 km/h. Although not as noisy as trucks, the total
contribution of automobiles to the noise environment is significant
because of very large number in operation.

Diesel trucks are 8-10 dB noisier than gasoline powered ones. At

speed of above 80km/h, tire noise often become the dominant noise
source on the truck. The crossbar tread is the noisiest.
Motorcycle noise is highly dependent on the speed of the vehicle. The primary source of the
noise is the exhaust. The noise spectra of two cycle and four cycle engines are of somewhat
different character. Two cycle engines exbihition more frequency spectra energy content.

2.5 Construction Activities

Under construction activities like mining, construction of bridges, dams, buildings,
stations, roads, flyovers take place in almost every part of the world. These construction
activities take place every day as we need more buildings, bridges to accommodate more
people and to reduce traffic congestion. The down point is that these construction equipment
are too noisy. The following generalization appear to hold.
Single house construction in sub-urban communities will generate sporadic complains
if the boundary line 8-h Leq exceeds 10dBA. Major excavation and construction in a normal
sub-urban community will generate threats of legal action if the boundary line 8-h Leq
exceeds 85 dBA.

2.6 Household Chores

Humans are surrounded by gadgets and use them extensively in their daily life.
Gadgets like TV, mobile, mixer grinder, pressure cooker, vacuum cleaners, washing machine
and dryer, cooler, air conditioners are minor contributors to the amount of noise that is
produced but it affects the quality of life of the neighbourhood in a bad way.
While this form of pollution may seem harmless, it in fact has far reaching
consequences. The adverse effects on the health of the environment are quite severe. Not only
is the local wildlife affected by the pollution, humans also face a number of problems due to
it.