Noise: Noise mapping
Industrial sources
To assist in the implementation of the Environmental Noise Directive (2002/49/EC) (END) and the development of the National Ambient Noise Strategy (NANS), this report was prepared by Bureau Veritas Acoustic Technology (BV-AT).
There is no formal national method for predicting noise from industry. In general, information regarding the sound power output for the various items of plant and machinery on an industrial site is combined with methodologies that determine the propagation of sound from such sources to determine the sound level at a particular location.
The END makes reference to ISO 9613-2 as a means of calculating the propagation of noise from industrial sources and mentions three other standards that could be used to determine the sound power information for the sources.
This study was designed to explore whether a method for characterising the source noise levels of an industrial complex could be derived that was simple, reproducible and robust. It took account of the advice in the END and explored the sensitivity of some of the variables to be found in ISO 9613. A possible methodology was identified.
Work is now underway refining the method and preparing a formal procedural document. It is then intended to carry out some trials of the approach as well as seeking peer group review of the proposed methodology.
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Page published: 10 March 2004