Noise Pollution

Asst. Professor Sugam Maharjan

Department of Automobile & Mechanical

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Engineering View of Human Ear
• Sound intercept first by
air drum
• The vibration is pick up
by hammer and is
transmitted further by
anvil
• From inner ear, the
vibration transmitted by
nerves to the brain
Air Drum
• The brain finally intercept
the sound and decide 2
 Facts about Sound and human Ear
•Sound is caused by any disturbance in the air

Sound is a form of energy which is emitted by a vibrating body

and on reaching the ear causes the sensation of hearing through
nerves

•Avg. Sound speed (C) at STP = 350 m/s

• Cair < C sea water (1500m/s ) < C mild steel (3235 m/s

•Hearing Range ( 20 Hz – 20 KHz) frequency

•In term of pressure, (20 μPa – 100 Pa )

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Sound propagation

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 Human hearing and Frequency

0 2oHz 20 kHz 5 MHz

• Low frequency sound : 20 – 400 Hz

• High frequency sound : 1 KHz – 20 KHz

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Frequency and pitch

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 NOISE POLLUTION
 Sound that is unwanted or disrupts one’s quality
of life is called as noise. When there is lot of noise
in the environment, it is termed as noise pollution.
 Thus noise can be taken as a group of loud, non
harmonious sounds or vibrations that are
unpleasant and irritating to ear

 Sound becomes undesirable when it disturbs the

normal activities such as working , sleeping , and
during conversations. ( music while study case )
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 Sound Level
The human ear can detect an extremely large range
of intensities
Range = 1* 10−12 W/𝑚2 to 1 W /𝑚2
• The absolute level of sound detectable by human
ear vary by 1 * 10−12 ∶ 1
• This ratio was compressed by using log scale and
was named in honor of Alexander Grahm Bel as
Bel
• Later on , even this scale was found to be too big
therefore it was further reduced by divide it by 10
and then started calling it decibel (dB).

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 Source of Noise
Outdoor Source Indoor Source
• Transportation Vehicles • TV/ Radio sound
• Industrial / factory noise • Musical instrument
(generator sets, boilers, • Domestic animals
plant operations, trolley
movement, transport
vehicles, pumps) motors
etc.
• Construction site noise
• Noise from airport
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 Effect of Noise
Discomfort and annoying the person
Drop in performance due to lack of concentration
( factory production rate case )
Speech interference in communication
Heath effect including headache, hearing loss, blood
pressure increase, memory loss, severe depression ,effect
nervous system
Disturb Sleeping

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• The instrumentation to determine sound level
or noise level is referred as a sound level
meter. (Mobile sound meter apps )

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 Normal Sound Level ((dB) Ranges

• Threshold of human hearing = sound • Push Mover = 88 dB

of mosquito flying 3 m away
• Very Calm room = 20 – 30 dB • Table sawing = 98 dB
• Chain Saw = 103 dB
• living room =40 dB
• Quiet garden= 30 • Paper folding M/c = 93 dB
• Normal Conversation = 40 – 60 dB
• business office =50 dB
• TV = 60 dB
• Computer rooms 55-60 dB
• Lathe Machine 87dB
• 110 KVA diesel generator 95
• Riveting 95 dB
• Air compressors 95-104 dB
• Trucks 90-100
• street-corner traffic =70 dB
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Physical response of Noise

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 Adding 2 sources Case

Heavy trucks 58.5 dB

Passenger vehicles 60 dB

-
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Difference = 60 – 58.5 = 1.5 dB
Add 2.3 dB to higher

60 + 2.3 = 62.3 dB due to both sources

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Adding decibels and
subtracting background noise

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Equal Loudness Curve
• Sensitivity of human ear
change as a function of
frequency as shown in
loudness graph
• Each line in this graph
shows that for
frequencies to be
perceived as equal loud.
.

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 Tribhuwan International Airport (TIA) Case Study

• Present work was carried out to collect primary data from the field with
the help of noise meter
• Seventeen sampling sites were chosen nearby Tribhuwan International
Airport (TIA) and air route of aircraft flyover.
• Noise measurements were carried out under normal atmospheric
environmental condition at temperature ranges from 25 oC-30 o C
excluding rainy and windy days.
• Among the sampling sites, the Equivalent Continuous Noise Level (L Aeq) of
background noise measured maximum at Balkumari (73.2 dBA) and
minimum at Datidol (49.2 dBA).
• . The maximum value of aircraft noise level, (L Aeq) measured at Gothatar
(101.5 dBA) which lies north east from the TIA and at the same height as
the airport ground and minimum at Datidol (63.5 dBA).
• The L Aeq of more than 60 percent sampling sites fall under the severe
noise exposure class (> 75 dBA) which causes substantial hearing loss.

Nepal Journal of Science and Technology 15(1)

February 2015
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DOI:10.3126/njst.v15i1.12031
 Environmental noise induced hearing loss in Nepal
Kathmandu University Medical Journal (2003) Vol. 1, No. 3, 177-183
Table : Respondents’ weighted complaints on noise induced health
effects. (Kupondole residential Area)
Noise related complaints of the respondents Percentage
Hard hearing 24
Fatigue 40
Irritation 40
Headache 35
Speech Disturbance 32
Sleep Disturbance 23
Chest Pain 16
Nausea 17
Dizziness 22
Lack of Concentration (decreased performance) 45
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Noise pollution alarming in Kathmandu
By Himalayan News Service Published: 09:30 am Jun 25, 2019

• Beside air and water pollution ,noise pollution is growing at an alarming rate with the pollution limits
exceeding in most of the places inside Kathmandu valley.
• A report prepared by Environment Statistics of Nepal 2019 shows that areas with heavy traffic,
commercial-cum-residential areas and industrial areas inside Kathmandu valley have exceeded the
noise pollution limit set by the World Health Organisation.
• According to the WHO, continuous exposure to noise pollution with more than 90 dBA could cause
hearing problems and adversely affect the nervous system.
• The WHO has set limit of 70 dBA in ‘High Traffic Area’.
• The government research based on 11 such areas shows that only three cities had noise pollution
between 65 to 70 dBA. Majority of such places such as Kalanki, Putalisadak, Maitighar, Kupondol and
Suryabinayak had exceeded the limit both in the night and day time.
• Similar picture was seen in ‘Commercial-Cum-Residence Area’ such as Asan, Naya Bazaar and
Manbhawan where the research was conducted.
• The WHO limit for such areas is 64 dBA, all these areas have exceeded the limit, reaching up to 74
dBA at day time in Asan Chowk.
• The research conducted at various industrial areas such as Balaju Yantra Shala, Balaju Industrial Area
and Patan Industrial Gate showed that all the areas exceeded the 70dBa limit. Balaju Industrial area
had recorded noise pollution up to 78 dBA in the day time.
• While, the government lacks control mechanism to bring down the noise pollution level, out of 4,076
industries across the country only 1.6 per cent had installed equipment to control sound pollution.
These industries were divided into 19 sub-categories such as textile, food and beverage, wood
products, tobacco, paper and so on.
• Doctors suggest that exposure to loud noise for a long time can cause permanent hearing loss besides
other mental and physical disorders.
• ENT specialist Dr Mira Bista said extreme noise pollution could cause various ailments such as sleep
disturbance, hypertension and high blood pressure.
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Status of Noise Pollution in Educational Institutions of Kathmandu Valley,
Nepal.
Raju Chauhan and Sijar Bhatta.2019, http://dx.doi.org/10.24327/ijrsr.2019.1001.3031
• This study addresses the current status of noise pollution in
educational institutions located at high traffic (HT), low traffic (LT),
commercial (C) and residential (R) areas of Kathmandu valley, using
sound level meter and questionnaire supplied to teachers and students.
• Results show that more than 90% of the studied educational
institutions in Kathmandu Valley have noise pollution problem,
exceeding the national noise standards and WHO standard.
• Institutions located at HT areas have highest exposure level
• . The six-hour average noise level for educational institutions located
at different zones follows the order HT (70.1 dBA) > C (66.2 dBA) >
LT (65.7 dBA) > R (56.3 dBA).
• The major sources of noise in educational institutions of Kathmandu
are noise from students themselves and vehicular traffic.

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 Method to Control of Noise Pollution
• Industries/ Factories must be set up away from residential
area
• Use of sound amplifier and loudspeaker must be restricted
in open area (Party palace Case )

• Sound absorbing material must be used in interior of

building where loudness level is high
• People should kept the volume of TV set and radio low
• More trees must be planted in surrounding of residential
area on both side of road
• Silencing device must be installed in aircraft engine and
transport vehicles

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 Control of Noise Pollution
The techniques employed for noise control can
be broadly classified as
(1) Control at source
(2) Control in the transmission path
(3) Using protective equipment

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 1.Control at Source
• Reducing the noise levels from domestic sectors
• Maintenance of automobiles
• Control over vibrations
• Prohibition on usage of loud speakers
• Low voice speaking
• Selection of machinery
• Maintenance of machines
• Vehicle control devices – maintenance, traffic and highway
design controls

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http://www.nonoise.org/library/highway/traffic/traffic.htm
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Noise
Source

http://www.nonoise.org/library/highway/traffic/traffic.htm
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 2.Control in the transmission path
The change in the transmission path will increase
the length of travel for the wave and get
absorbed/refracted/radiated in the surrounding
environment.
The available techniques are:
(a) Installation of barriers
(b) Installation of panels or enclosures
(c) Green belt development
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 Noise Barriers (how they work)
Noise is "diffracted" over the
barrier, this increases the A+B>C
distance it travel to the
(Distance)
listener, thus decreasing the
noise

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Source:http://www.urbislighting.com/uap1.html
Installation of panels or enclosures 34
Green belt development
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3.Using protection equipment at Receiver
• Protective equipment usage is the ultimate step in
noise control technology, i.e. after noise reduction
at source and/or after the diversion or engineered
control of transmission path of noise.
• The usage of protective equipment and the
worker’s exposure to the high noise levels can be
minimized by following.
(a) Job rotation
(b) Exposure reduction
(c) Hearing protection

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Ear muff for protecting Ear

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 Noise Reduction
• Substitute less noisy process
• Purchase less noisy equipment
• Use quite construction machine
• Separate noise and people
• Modify noise source
• Reduce driving force
• Reduce response of vibrating surface
• Minimize velocity and turbulence
• Use personal protection
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 Engineering Noise Control
• Reduce rotating speed
• Centrifugal Fan > Axial Flow fan
• Increase no. of blade i.e reduce noise of fan
• Welding Joint > Rivetting Joint
• Rubber tyre > steel wheel
• Roof > sound absorbing material
• Wearing ear plug/ear muff
• Transportation sectors:
– ‘One Way’ by the Traffic Police to control noise
– No horn policy in major city

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 Noise control Acts in Nepal
• Few laws that provide provisions on noise
pollution in Nepal are :
• The Civil Aviation Act, 1958 provides a
provision to control airplane noise,
• the Explosives Act, 1961 is to regulate noise from
the use of explosives to some extent.
• But the major noise pollution in the city is from
vehicular traffic and saw mill ,textile/metal
cutting industries, which have not been covered
by any legal framework in Nepal.
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THANK YOU

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