Chapter Nine (Noise Pollution Control) Assit. Prof.Dr.

Nabaa Shakir Hadi

B.Sc. Course(Second Semester)

University of Babylon-College of Engineering
Environmental Engineering Department

Chapter Nine (Noise Pollution Control)

Noise Exposure Indices

1. Percentiles
2. Day-Night Equivalent Noise
3. Noise Climate
4. Noise Pollution Level

Percentiles
For highly fluctuating noises, is not enough. It is sometimes complemented by slightly
more refined statistical analysis of the noise based on percentiles. Thus ( ) where
x is a percentage and Y a dB level means that for the noise considered, the level Y dB(A) is
exceeded x% of the time. For example. ( ) means that the level of ( ) is
exceeded 10 percent of the time. This is a good indication of noise events which are extreme
but sporadic.
The variations in the emission of noise levels in a particular environment can be assessed
from the statistical distribution of noise levels in that environment. To draw a statistical
distribution curve, terms like L10, L50 and L90 play an important role. The sound levels
exceeding 10%, 50% and 90% of the total time intervals during a particular period are
designated as L10, L50 and L90 respectively. L90 represents the background noise levels.
( ) ⁄

Day-Night Equivalent Noise Level ( )

The day night equivalent noise levels of a community can be expressed as:
( )⁄
[ ⁄ ( ⁄ ) ⁄ ( )]
Where,
Ld=day-equivalent noise levels (from 6AM-9PM),
dB(A)Ln= night equivalent noise levels (from 9 PM-6 AM), dB(A).

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Chapter Nine (Noise Pollution Control) Assit. Prof.Dr. Nabaa Shakir Hadi

the day hours in respect to assessment of noise levels, is fixed from 6 AM-9 PM(i.e. 15 hrs) and
night hours from 9PM-6AM(i.e., 9 hrs). A sound level of 10 dB is added to Ln due to the low
ambient sound levels during night for assessing the Ldn values.

Noise Climate NC
Noise Climate NC is the range over which the sound levels are fluctuating in an interval of
time and is given by the following equation:

Noise Pollution Level Lnp

Another parameter, termed as noise pollution level Lnp , is also used to express varying level
of noise. It can be computed from the time varying noise level using the following equation:
( )
( )

takes into account the variations in sound signal and hence serves as better indicator of
noise pollution in the environmental for physiological and psychological disturbance of the
human system. is expressed in the units of dB(A)

Example:
Given the following noise data, calculate LAeq, L10, L90, NC and :
Time(min) SPL(dBA)
1 45
2 75
3 62
4 60
5 71
6 83
7 70
8 60
9 65
10 60

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Chapter Nine (Noise Pollution Control) Assit. Prof.Dr. Nabaa Shakir Hadi

Solution:
Time(min) SPL(dBA) Noise Level Exceeded Percent of the Time
(dBA)(x) (%)(Y)
1 45 10 100
2 75 20 100
3 62 30 100
4 60 40 100
5 71 50 90
6 83 60 70
7 70 70 40
8 60 80 10
9 65 90 0
10 60 100 0

Statistical distribution of noise levels

L10=80 dB
L90=50 dB
L50=67.5 dB
( ) ( )

( ) ( )
( ) ( )