Department of Manufacturing EngineeringExperiment on Measuring Noise Level

EXPERIMENT 2
MEASURING NOISE LEVEL

I. OBJECTIVES
 Help students familiarize themselves with the NL-20 handheld noise meter.
 Know how to set up position, measurement points, record the data and process the
measurement results.
 Give individual or group comments, opinions on the status of noise pollution,
propose specific measures to reduce noise.
II. CONTENTS
As guided by the instructor, groups of students will observe, record, measure noise
level caused by the noise source, draw the noise level curve based on measured and
calculated data, then give comments.
III. FORMULA FOR DETERMININATION OF NOISE LEVEL REDUCING
ACCORDING TO DISTANCE
If the typical noise level of the noise source (usually measured at a height of 1.5 m) is
at a known distance r1 from the noise source (r1 is usually equal to 1 m for noise from
industrial machinery and equipment, and is equal to 7.5 m for noise sources from traffic
vehicles), the noise level at a distance r2 from the noise source will be less than the noise
level at the distance with r1 and is determined according to the following formula:
 For point sources:

L = 20.lg , (dB) (1)

 For stream sources:

Ld = 10.lg , (dB) (2)

Where a is the noise absorption coefficient of terrain:

- For asphalt and concrete surfaces: a = - 0.1.
- For empty land without tree: a = 0.
- For arable land: a = 0.1

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Department of Manufacturing EngineeringExperiment on Measuring Noise Level

IV. RION NL-20 METER

Fig.1: Handheld noise meter NL-20

Fig.2: Functional buttons Fig.3: How to hold the meter

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Department of Manufacturing EngineeringExperiment on Measuring Noise Level

* Introducing functional buttons:

Button Function
Start/Stop Start / stop the preset measurement process.
Store Store measured data into memory.
Mode Used to read measured results. Each time this button is pressed, the
screen changes the measurement result display mode in memory.
Pause/Cont During measurement, this button can be used to pause the measurement
process to remove unwanted values.
Menu When this button is selected, a 1/3 menu will be displayed and allow to
set options, which can be switched between three different menus by
pressing the Page button.
A/C/FLAT Set the frequency to A, C or FLAT.
Fast/Slow Set the measuring time to Fast or Slow.
Range Select the measuring range of the device. There are six different
options: 20 to 80, 20 to 90, 20 to 100, 20 to 110, 30 to 120, 40 to 130.
Recall Used to review data stored in memory.
Recall Data Used to switch between different values stored in memory.

Light Used to turn on / off the backlight to support reading data without light.
Print When connected to a printer such as DPU-414, CP-11 or CP-10, the
measured data will be printed when this button is pressed.
Cal Used to activate calibration mode.
Power Used to turn the meter on/ off for more than 1 second.

Note: The strap is worn as shown in figure 3 to avoid dropping the meter.
Guide for measurement:
Step 1: Hold down the Power button for more than 1 second to open the meter.
Step 2: (Used in low light) Press the Light button to open the lamp of display screen.
Step 3: To measure the normal sound, press A / C / FLAT button, select "A", press Fast /
Slow button, to select "Fast" and press Range button to select the appropriate
measurement range.
Step 4: The device is ready, can be used in the experiment.

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Department of Manufacturing EngineeringExperiment on Measuring Noise Level

Step 5: After the experiment, hold down the Power button for more than 1 second to turn
off the meter.
V. EXPERIMENT IMPLEMENTATION
Measure the noise level, calculate and draw the noise level curve at a noise source
point:
V.1 Select a noise point source which is a machine tool or an operating machine,
equipment that is creating noise.
V.2 Place or hold the meter at a height of 1.5 m away from the center of the noise
source, put the microphone in direction of the center of the noise source, measure the
noise level (measured in decibels - dB) and record the measured values (see the
experimental equipment section to know how to manipulate). Only read round numbers
to dB, no need to read odd numbers. Every second read the number in sync with your
breathing. When encountering unusual numbers such as too large, then ignore to make
data processing be favorable. Read and record approximately 30 values per measurement
into the following tables.
A. Recording noise level in C1 workshop

Figure 1. Students do the experiments

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 Department of Manufacturing EngineeringExperiment on Measuring Noise Level

Table 1: Record measured data at a distance of 1 meter from noise source

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
55.4 56.1 56.3 56.1 56.4 55.7 54.9 58.6 54.3 53.2 53.0 54.6 55.4 54.7 54.4
16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
54.0 54.3 53.9 54.1 54.2 54.6 54.7 53.9 54.6 54.3 53.8 55.1 55.5 55.1 54.2

1) Calculate the mean value of the measured results from Table 1: 54.8467
2) Move the meter away from the noise source by 3m, then measure and record
continuously 30 values into Table 2.

Table 2: Record measured data at a distance of 3 meter from noise source

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
55.4 55.3 55.0 53.1 52.5 53.6 54.5 54.0 53.3 53.1 53.0 52.6 53.4 53.8 54.0

16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
54.3 53.2 53.9 52.2 52.4 52.8 53.2 53.7 52.5 54.5 54.0 54.3 55.8 53.8 55.4

1) Calculate the mean value of the measured results from Table 2: 53.7533
2) Calculate the noise reduction calculated according to formula (1): 10.2753
3) Determine the calculated noise level using the formula: 44.5714
Hint: The noise level calculated according to the formula at the distance of 3m =
the average value from Table 1 (at a distance of 1m) - the noise reduction
calculated according to the formula at the position of 3 m compared to 1 m.
For example: the mean value of the measured result from Table 1 is 90 dB, the
noise reduction by formula (1) is calculated as 20 dB, the noise value calculated
by the formula is: 90 dB - 20 dB = 70 dB.
4) Take the meter away from the 5 m noise source, then measure and record
continuously 30 values into Table 3.

Table 3: Record measured data at a distance of 5 meter from noise source

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
52.4 51.7 52.5 53.9 53.3 53.2 53.8 53.4 52.8 52.3 52.0 52.9 52.2 52.3 52.7

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 Department of Manufacturing EngineeringExperiment on Measuring Noise Level

16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
52.8 52.0 52.7 52.6 53.0 53.7 51.9 52.7 52.6 52.5 51.9 52.8 52.1 52.7 52.4

1) Calculate the mean value of the measured results from Table 3: 52.66
2) Calculate the noise reduction calculated according to the formula (1): 14.489
3) Determine the calculated noise level by the formula: 40.3577
Hint: The calculation is the same as in Table 2, but this time, the noise level is
calculated as 5 m compared to 1 m.
4) Draw graphs with the vertical axis is the measured mean value, the horizontal
axis is the distance to the noise source.
Hint: Plotting line shows the mean of the measured results, dashed line shows the
calculated noise values according to the formula.
dB

1,5 m 3m 5m

Comments
In the distance of 1 meter:
- Noise level: 54.4867 dB

In the distance of 1 meter:

- Noise level: 54.4867 dB
- Noise reduction: 10.2753 dB
- Noise level according to calculation: 44.5714 dB
- The difference of noise level between reality and calculation:
54.4867 - 44.5714 = 9.9153 dB

In the distance of 1 meter:

- Noise level: 52.66
- Noise reduction: 14.489 dB

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Department of Manufacturing EngineeringExperiment on Measuring Noise Level

- Noise level according to calculation: 40.3577 dB

- The difference of noise level between reality and calculation:
52.66 - 40.3577 = 12.3023 dB

 The further away from the measurement location, the lower the measured noise level.
 There are many differences between the theoretical and actual noise levels. Because
in reality, when measuring, there are many other influences from the environment.

Student
(signature and full name)

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