Total Annoyance Research Articles

Annoyance caused by simultaneous exposure to noise and seat vibrations inside of a mini excavator: multimodal interaction and the effects of changes in low-frequency content of the sound signal

Drivers of commercial vehicles are exposed to noise and vibrations during their occupation. The signal characteristics of these exposures can lead to different degrees of annoyance perception, even below the legal daily exposure limits. In addition, simultaneous exposure to sound and vibration may lead to potential interaction effects between the two stimuli, influencing the total annoyance perception. Therefore, a perception experiment was designed to ask the participants about the perceived total annoyance caused by simultaneous noise and seat vibrations in commercial vehicles, presenting modified sound and seat vibrations, recorded inside of a mini-excavator. Multimodal interaction effects of noise and vibrations were investigated by changing the intensity of both stimuli. Furthermore, the influence of low-frequency signal components of the sound signal with and without simultaneous seat vibrations was investigated by specific changes in the sound spectrum.

Effect of perceived dominance and pleasantness on the total noise annoyance responses evoked by augmenting road traffic noise with birdsong/stream sound

Earlier studies suggested that sound preferences or soundscape quality could be improved by augmenting the acoustic environment originally dominated by road traffic noise by birdsong or water sound. However, little has been known on whether and how the total noise annoyance perceptions can also be moderated by augmenting road traffic noise with birdsong/water sound and there is a lack of models that can help portray the noise annoyance response of acoustic environments with traffic sound augmented by birdsong/stream sound. To this end, laboratory hearing experiments were designed to explore the moderating effects of augmenting road traffic noise with birdsong or stream sounds on the total annoyance responses. The responses collected from 94 human participants were employed to construct multivariate models for predicting the probability of evoking a high total noise annoyance response. Results show that multivariate models incorporating perceived level of road traffic dominance and pleasantness of birdsong or stream sound as perceptual factors can better portray the noise annoyance level rated by individuals. The probability of evoking a high total annoyance response tended to be lower when road traffic was not perceived as a dominant sound source, and/or birdsong/stream sound was perceived as pleasant. Of particular contribution of this study is the formulation of a model that can better portray the effects of augmenting road traffic noise with birdsong/stream sound on total noise annoyance responses by including perceived dominance and pleasantness as perceptual factors.

Influence of Seat Vibration Frequency on Total Annoyance and Interaction Effects Caused by Simultaneous Noise and Seat Vibrations in Commercial Vehicles

In vehicles, noise and seat vibrations can be perceived by the driver, depending on their signal properties, as annoying or unpleasant. Because perception is a complex process, it is necessary to consider both types of stimuli at the same time to assess annoyance in such situations. A perception experiment was carried out to investigate the interaction between simultaneous noise and seat vibrations, as well as the influence of seat vibration frequency in vehicle situations. For the experiment, acoustic and optical stimuli such as seat vibrations were recorded in a mini excavator and a refuse collection vehicle from the view of the driver. The recordings were prepared for plausible reproduction in a laboratory experiment. The participants of the experiment were presented with two different vehicle scenes with simultaneous noise, seat vibrations and visuals. The average total levels of vibration and noise, as well as the vibration frequency ranges of the various vehicle scenes, were varied. The results suggest that an interaction effect between noise and vibration should be accounted for when assessing total annoyance in such situations. Models for the prediction of the relative total annoyance causes of variations in noise and vibration levels were developed.

Annoyance provoked by single and combined sound sources from neighbours in wooden residential buildings

This study aimed to understand the annoyance provoked by the combination of impact and airborne sound sources from neighbours in wooden residential buildings. Footsteps (adult walking and child running), corresponding to noise from upstairs, were selected as impact sources. Music and speech from side dwellings were also chosen as airborne sound sources. A listening test was then performed on a group of adults who were asked to evaluate annoyance using an 11-point scale. During the experiment, participants were exposed to two different conditions (1) combined sounds (i.e., footsteps sound in combination with music or speech): and (2) individual sounds. The results showed that total annoyance ratings were affected by impact and airborne sound insulation of floors and partition walls and types of airborne sound sources. In particular, the airborne sound sources from side dwellings played a greater role in the total annoyance when impact sound insulation of the floor was poor. Perceptual models yielded better results in predicting the total annoyance ratings compared to physical models. Among the perceptual models, the mixed model was the best predictor for the impact and airborne sound sources. Overall noise sensitivity score from 35 items did not have a significant moderation effect on the total annoyance ratings, but the moderation effects of two subscales (‘work’ and ‘habitation’) were significant.

Combined road traffic, railway and aircraft noise sources: Total noise annoyance model appraisal from field data

Appraisal of environmental noise effects on health considers single noise exposure. In large cities, noise exposure is frequently due to multiple sources. Their combination, interaction or successive presence is known to affect people’s health. The prediction of their effects has been little studied and needs more investigation to address the problem. Studies dealing with annoyance due to combined noise sources proposed different total annoyance models. They were very rarely assessed using field annoyance data. The current work aims to assess them using data of annoyance due to different urban situations of two, and even three, combined transportation noise sources. The considered noises were from road, railway and aircraft traffic. Assessment of ten classical total annoyance models highlighted relevant existing models to account for combined transportation noise annoyance in cities. Perceptual total annoyance models, based on annoyance due to each transportation noise source, better performed total annoyance calculation than psychophysical total annoyance models based on the Lden index. As the dominant source effect mainly explained total annoyance responses from the residents, the strongest component model led to a good calculation of mean total annoyance ratings. But perceptual models with an interaction term, such as the vector summation and mixed models, better explained total annoyance judgments from residents as they account for the contribution of each combined noise source and their interaction. The perceptual linear regression model was also interesting as it accounted for the contribution of each combined noise source, and might be used for more than two combined noise sources. Those perceptual models accounted well for the resident feeling towards the different combined noise sources. These results might contribute to the endeavor aiming at filling the lack of consensus among the scientific community and the corresponding lack of regulations.

Visualization Study of the Relationship between the Orientation of Tube and the Flow Regimes Near the Expansion Valve

<div class="section abstract"><div class="htmlview paragraph">Several types of noise exist in automobiles. The flow-induced noise in the expansion device can be very disturbing since the expansion device is located near the occupants. In many studies, the flow-induced noise is found to be mitigated when the orientation of the tube is changed. However, no study explores the reason why flow-induced noise changes when the orientation of the tube is changed. The flow-induced noise varies along with the flow regimes near the expansion devices. In this paper, an experimental based research is used to study how the tube orientation changes the flow regimes under the same operating conditions. A pumped R134a system with transparent tubes (1/4-inch ID) is used to visualize the flow regimes near the manual expansion valve. The transparent tube is a continuous connection of horizontal tubes, 45° inclined tubes, and vertical tubes. It is interesting to find that the flow regimes can be very different at the same mass flux, the same quality, and the same pressure when the tube orientation is changed. When the horizontal flow is stratified-wavy flow, the downward vertical flow will either be annular flow or wavy, which depends on the mass flow rate in the system. The upward vertical flow will either be churn flow or plug flow. The 45° inclined downward flow can be wavy flow, while the 45° inclined upward flow can be either intermittent flow or wavy flow. The noise variation for different tubes with the same conditions is also explored in this paper. The results show that the flow regimes, the mass flux, and the vapor mass fraction jointly affect the level of annoyance of flow-induced noise. The vapor mass fraction influences the loudness of the noise, while the flow regimes influence the sharpness of the noise. The higher mass flux makes the flow more turbulent and therefore increases the total annoyance of noise. In the paper, the vertical upward tube installation is found to be the best.</div></div>

Annoyance due to combined railway noise and vibration: Comparison and testing of results from the literature

In situ surveys report some interactions between railway noise annoyance and the level of railway vibration on one hand, and between railway vibration annoyance and the level of railway noise on the other hand. Few studies have been conducted to investigate these interaction phenomena under laboratory conditions and their results are contradictory. During a laboratory experiment, recordings of noise and vibration from two train passages (1 freight train and 1 passenger train) were presented in combination to participants at different noise and vibration levels. The influence of noise level on participants’ annoyance due to vibration, as well as the influence of vibration level on participants’ noise annoyance was assessed in order to investigate two potential explanations for the contradictory results from the literature. Total annoyance responses due to combined noise and vibration were also analysed to further evaluate the influence of global noise and vibration levels on annoyance. No influence of vibration level on noise annoyance was detected. A weak influence of noise level on vibration annoyance was found, only when the vibration level was high (LVeq=116 dB). Several existing total annoyance models were tested. Among those, perceptual models showed good agreement with the laboratory data.

Combined annoyance response from railroad and road traffic noise in an alpine valley.

Context:The aim of this study was to verify the contributing effect in the cases of combined road traffic noise and railroad traffic noise on total noise annoyance.Materials and Methods:After opening the four-track railway of the Lower Inn Valley Route in Austria, an evaluation study was conducted by an interview survey (n=1003). The data of this survey included answers on annoyance caused by railroad, road traffic noise and total annoyance as well as self-evaluated noise sensitivity.Results:When annoyance is only related to one of these sources, a 10% share of highly annoyed persons was observed at 59 dB for road noise and 60 dB for railroad noise. The annoyance model including both noise sources with a coefficient of 0.145 for road noise, 0.034 for railroad noise and 0.431 for noise sensitivity (all p-values < 0.01) showed a regression coefficient R2 of 0.299. The presence of road background noise did not influence the annoyance on railway noise.Conclusion:The combined influence of road and railway noise showed an increase of total annoyance.

The combined effects of temperature and noise on the comfort perceptions of young people with a normal Body Mass Index

This study aims to investigate the combined effects of temperature and noise on human perceptions. Eighteen subjects participated in the experiments, which contained three temperature conditions (20 ℃:RH50 %, 25 ℃:RH50 %, 30 ℃:RH50 %.) and four noise levels (construction noises, 55,65,75,85 dB). The results showed temperature and noise had combined effects on human perceptions. On the one hand, the noise had different impacts on thermal perceptions in different temperature environments. Although the effect of noise did not influence thermal sensation significantly at 20 ℃ and 25 ℃, thermal comfort was more uncomfortable when the noise increased. Thermal comfort increased 1.85 scales with an increase from 55 dB to 85 dB at 30 ℃. Variations of heart rate also reflected the same pattern. HR was not only significantly associated with the effect of temperature but noise as well. On the other hand, noises were perceived as more uncomfortable at 30 ℃. Total annoyance sensation was influenced by noise significantly. The vote of total annoyance sensation was higher 1.96 scales in 85 dB than 55 dB at 30 ℃. From the perspective of creating comfortable environments, noise control should be more stringent in a hot environment. It is worth mentioning the conclusions were based on eighteen young people and need a larger sample size to confirm the results.

Synergistic and dominant source effect of two simultaneous combined traffic sounds in outdoor settings

This study is concerned with annoyance resulting from a of combination transportation noise, namely, aircraft–road noises and railway–road noises. Eighty four listeners participated in a jury test in the laboratory and evaluated the annoyance from individual noise and combined noises. Each stimulus reflected the actual outdoor conditions. When there is road traffic background noise, the annoyance from aircraft and railway noise decreased owing to sound masking effects. The total annoyance from combined sources is equivalent to the annoyance from a single dominant source; however, when the two combined sources are of equal annoyance levels, the experienced overall annoyance is higher than that of either of the individual noises. Data from the laboratory experiment are used in an equivalent annoyance model, with slightly different results compared to those of prior research. In this study, annoyance summation (total annoyance) is similar to acoustic pressure summation in outdoor conditions.

Estimation of field psychoacoustic indices and predictive annoyance models for road traffic noise combined with aircraft noise.

Annoyance due to urban road traffic noise combined with aircraft noise was studied using both laboratory and field survey data. Laboratory data were used to propose (i) partial annoyance models considering psychoacoustic indices and noise sensitivity, and (ii) total annoyance models considering noise indices or partial annoyance models. To predict partial and total annoyance in field, a methodology was proposed to estimate the different psychoacoustic indices, involved in annoyance models, from Ldenvalues. This methodology, interesting from a practical point of view, and the proposed annoyance models enable a good prediction of the field partial and total annoyance ratings compared to models based on Lden only. These results show that there is a need to develop the methodology of psychoacoustic index estimation from noise map Lden and also partial and total annoyance models.

Modeling fair air traffic assignment in the vicinity of airports

Aircraft noise is recognized as a serious environmental concern and creates significant political problems. This paper presents a new mathematical model to deal with the aircraft noise in the vicinity of airports. The problem to be solved is defined as an assignment of aircraft operations over the routes in order to minimize the total annoyance to citizens at the same time as respecting a fairness scheme. A social-welfare perspective on the noise distribution problem is taken, in contrast to more traditional acoustics-based approaches.Starting from the so-called α-fairness Social Welfare Function (SWF) used for maximization problems, we have defined a new α-fairness function for minimization problems. We show that this function has similar properties to the maximization α-fairness SWF. Analytic results (optimal air traffic assignment, bounds for the Price of Fairness) are provided for the basic case i.e. when routes do not intersect. For more complex cases, when routes cross each others, we show, using a case study (the Brussels Airports case), that modern solvers are able to solve the problem to optimality for realistic scenarios.The model can be used as a decision support tool for a Central Decision Maker (CDM) to allocate flight operations (take-off and landing) over the routes and establish policies in the vicinity of the airport. The paper also provides insights into understanding the relationship between efficiency and fairness.

Derivation and application of a composite annoyance reaction construct based on multiple wind turbine features

ObjectivesNoise emissions from wind turbines are one of multiple wind turbine features capable of generating annoyance that ranges in magnitude from not at all annoyed to extremely annoyed. No analysis to date can simultaneously reflect the change in all magnitudes of annoyance toward multiple wind turbine features. The primary objective in this study was to use principal component analysis (PCA) to provide a single construct for overall annoyance to wind turbines based on reactions to noise, blinking lights, shadow flicker, visual impacts, and vibrations evaluated as a function of proximity to wind turbines.MethodsThe analysis was based on data originally collected as part of Health Canada’s cross-sectional Community Noise & Health Study (CNHS). One adult participant (18–79 years), randomly selected from dwellings in Ontario (ON) (n = 1011) and Prince Edward Island (PEI) (n = 227), completed an in-person questionnaire. Content relevant to the current analysis included the annoyance responses to wind turbines.ResultsThe first construct tested in the PCA explained 58–69% of the variability in total annoyance. Reduced distance to turbines was associated with elevated aggregate annoyance scores among ON and PEI participants. In the ON sample, aggregate annoyance was effectively absent in areas beyond 5 km (mean 0.12; 95% CI 0.00, 1.19), increasing significantly between (2 and 5] km (mean 2.13; 95% CI 0.92, 3.33), remaining elevated, but with no further increase until (0.550–1] km (mean 3.37; 95% CI 3.02, 3.72). At ≤ 0.550 km, the average overall annoyance was 3.36 (95% CI 2.03, 4.69). In PEI, aggregate annoyance was essentially absent beyond 1 km; i.e., (1–2] km (mean 0.21; 95% CI 0.00, 0.88); (2–5] km (mean 0.00; 95% CI 0.00, 1.37); > 5 km (mean 0.00; 95% CI 0.00, 1.58). Annoyance significantly increased in areas between (0.550 and 1] km (mean 1.59; 95% CI 1.02, 2.15) and was highest within 550 m (mean 4.25; 95% CI 3.34, 5.16).ConclusionThe advantages and disadvantages to an aggregated annoyance analysis, including how it should not yet be considered a substitute for relationships based on changes in high annoyance, are discussed.

Partial and Total Annoyance Due to Road Traffic Noise Combined with Aircraft or Railway Noise: Structural Equation Analysis.

Structural equation modeling was used to analyze partial and total in situ annoyance in combined transportation noise situations. A psychophysical total annoyance model and a perceptual total annoyance model were proposed. Results show a high contribution of Noise exposure and Noise sensitivity to Noise annoyance, as well as a causal relationship between noise annoyance and lower Dwelling satisfaction. Moreover, the Visibility of noise source may increase noise annoyance, even when the visible noise source is different from the annoying source under study. With regards to total annoyance due to road traffic noise combined with railway or aircraft noise, even though in both situations road traffic noise may be considered background noise and the other noise source event noise, the contribution of road traffic noise to the models is greater than railway noise and smaller than aircraft noise. This finding may be explained by the difference in sound pressure levels between these two types of combined exposures or by the aircraft noise level, which may also indicate the city in which the respondents live. Finally, the results highlight the importance of sample size and variable distribution in the database, as different results can be observed depending on the sample or variables considered.

Structural equation modeling of partial and total annoyances due to urban road traffic and aircraft noises

Data of a French in situ socio-acoustic survey were used to model partial annoyance due to urban road traffic noise, partial annoyance due to aircraft noise and total annoyance due to these combined noises. Structural equation modeling carried out on the in situ data showed that long-term noise annoyance depends on noise exposure but also on noise disturbance, dwelling satisfaction, visibility of a main road from the dwelling and noise sensitivity. Both noise exposure and noise sensitivity were introduced as independent variables in structural equation modeling of partial and total noise annoyances. Their contributions to the models highlight the necessity to consider these two variables in annoyance model prediction. Finally, in total noise annoyance models, whereas partial annoyance due to aircraft noise contributes to total noise annoyance as much as partial road traffic annoyance, aircraft noise exposure contributes to total noise annoyance much more than road traffic noise. Several reasons may explai...

Implementation of Integrated Nuisances Action Plan

In everyday life people are simultaneously exposed to several annoying sources (sounds, vibrations and odours), which emerge from background of considerable variability of land uses, infrastructures, residential patterns, topography, meteorology condition, and standards quality of life. The European Union has provided in recent years (and is going to update) several tools to harmonize noise mapping methodologies and relative Noise Action Plans through directives and guidelines. Unfortunately the same efforts have not been put in the harmonization of approaches in other annoying sources like odours. As a consequence, each European Member State at national or even at local level defined its own direct or indirect approach to limit odour impacts, usually considerably different one from the others. The most common approach to deal with noise impact at a policy, economic and strategy level is the use of priority indices focused to highlight areas more sensitive and where mitigation actions will be more advisable or urgent. Locations that for their specific land use are more sensitive to noise impacts (e.g. residential areas) are generally also sensitive to odour impacts. According these, the aim of the present research is to provide a brief review of the most used European strategies in noise action plans end try to extend their approaches for the definition of a nuisance action plan, able to control both odour and noise. Paper present a possible implementation of integrated nuisances action plan in the municipality of Palma Campania (Campania Region, Italy). The analysis underlines that is possible define, under the same set of nuisance indicators, the degree of sensitivity of areas according to population, land uses, levels of exposures and/or distance from the annoying sources. Nuisance acceptability levels are then definable according to the sensitivity degree of the locations. Factors related to vibrations and visual perception of the landscape can further contribute to control total sensorial annoyance in the land planning.

Testing of the European Union exposure-response relationships and annoyance equivalents model for annoyance due to transportation noises: The need of revised exposure-response relationships and annoyance equivalents model

An in situ survey was performed in 8 French cities in 2012 to study the annoyance due to combined transportation noises. As the European Commission recommends to use the exposure–response relationships suggested by Miedema and Oudshoorn [Environmental Health Perspective, 2001] to predict annoyance due to single transportation noise, these exposure–response relationships were tested using the annoyance due to each transportation noise measured during the French survey. These relationships only enabled a good prediction in terms of the percentages of people highly annoyed by road traffic noise. For the percentages of people annoyed and a little annoyed by road traffic noise, the quality of prediction is weak. For aircraft and railway noises, prediction of annoyance is not satisfactory either. As a consequence, the annoyance equivalents model of Miedema [The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 2004], based on these exposure-response relationships did not enable a good prediction of annoyance due to combined transportation noises. Local exposure-response relationships were derived, following the whole computation suggested by Miedema and Oudshoorn [Environmental Health Perspective, 2001]. They led to a better calculation of annoyance due to each transportation noise in the French cities. A new version of the annoyance equivalents model was proposed using these new exposure-response relationships. This model enabled a better prediction of the total annoyance due to the combined transportation noises. These results encourage therefore to improve the annoyance prediction for noise in isolation with local or revised exposure-response relationships, which will also contribute to improve annoyance modeling for combined noises. With this aim in mind, a methodology is proposed to consider noise sensitivity in exposure-response relationships and in the annoyance equivalents model. The results showed that taking into account such variable did not enable to enhance both exposure-response relationships and the annoyance equivalents model.

Noise annoyance assessment of various urban road vehicle pass-by noises in isolation and combined with industrial noise: A laboratory study

Noise maps are diagnosis tools which represent the noise exposure situation using the energy-based index Lden (the day–evening–night level). Two major drawbacks may be attributed to noise maps: (1) energy-based indices only account for one acoustical factor (exposure level) that may give rise to annoyance; (2) combined exposures situations are left unframed.In order to contribute to the overcoming of these flaws, two laboratory experiments were undertaken. Experiment 1 consists in listening tests where perceptual and cognitive categories of various urban road vehicle pass-by noises including two-wheeled vehicle pass-by noises are studied from the annoyance point of view. This experiment allows to highlight spectral and temporal features, and to propose noise annoyance indicators based on common acoustical and psychoacoustical indices in order to take these acoustical features into account.Experiment 2 consists in assessing annoyance due to the previous urban road vehicle pass-by noises heard in the presence of a steady industrial noise. Interactions effects are found and attributed to the temporal evolution of combined noises. Perceptual total annoyance models are found to be better models than psychophysical ones. This last result highlights the necessity to continue efforts to improve the characterization of annoyance due to noise in isolation.

A Simulated Environment Experiment on Annoyance Due to Combined Road Traffic and Industrial Noises.

Total annoyance due to combined noises is still difficult to predict adequately. This scientific gap is an obstacle for noise action planning, especially in urban areas where inhabitants are usually exposed to high noise levels from multiple sources. In this context, this work aims to highlight potential to enhance the prediction of total annoyance. The work is based on a simulated environment experiment where participants performed activities in a living room while exposed to combined road traffic and industrial noises. The first objective of the experiment presented in this paper was to gain further understanding of the effects on annoyance of some acoustical factors, non-acoustical factors and potential interactions between the combined noise sources. The second one was to assess total annoyance models constructed from the data collected during the experiment and tested using data gathered in situ. The results obtained in this work highlighted the superiority of perceptual models. In particular, perceptual models with an interaction term seemed to be the best predictors for the two combined noise sources under study, even with high differences in sound pressure level. Thus, these results reinforced the need to focus on perceptual models and to improve the prediction of partial annoyances.

Combined effect of noise and vibration produced by high-speed trains on annoyance in buildings

The effects of noise and vibration on annoyance in buildings during the passage of a nearby high-speed train have been investigated in a laboratory experiment with recorded train noise and 20 Hz vibration. The noises included the effects of two types of façade: windows-open and windows-closed. Subjects were exposed to six levels of noise and six magnitudes of vibration, and asked to rate annoyance using an 11-point numerical scale. The experiment consisted of four sessions: (1) evaluation of noise annoyance in the absence of vibration, (2) evaluation of total annoyance from simultaneous noise and vibration, (3) evaluation of noise annoyance in the presence of vibration, and (4) evaluation of vibration annoyance in the absence of noise. The results show that vibration did not influence ratings of noise annoyance, but that total annoyance caused by combined noise and vibration was considerably greater than the annoyance caused by noise alone. The noise annoyance and the total annoyance caused by combined noise and vibration were associated with subject self-ratings of noise sensitivity. Two classical models of total annoyance due to combined noise sources (maximum of the single source annoyance or the integration of individual annoyance ratings) provided useful predictions of the total annoyance caused by simultaneous noise and vibration.