NOISE/NOTES

By Eoin A. King, NNI Editor

NNI is on Facebook and Twitter – we try to keep our readers informed with noise news from all across the globe by highlighting interesting research and projects. Here is a roundup of some of the stories that have been making headlines.

Follow @NNIEditor to stay up to date with all noise-related news.

A Quieter America – A new INCE-USA

INCE-USA is proud to announce the launch of a new website – A Quieter America – to provide knowledge about noise and noise control for the public. This is part of the INCE-USA Mission: “The Institute of Noise Control Engineering of the USA enables a quieter world through education, awareness, advocacy, and technical advancement.”

This site provides information defining noise and its impact on health and the quality of life in an easy-to-understand format for readers from school age to professionals in related fields. In addition, there is information about controlling noise with detailed information on specific noise issues. Have a look at the website here.


The Acoustics of Concrete[KE1] 

The National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA), in conjunction with Acentech (acoustics and vibrations consultancy, based in Boston, MA), has produced a new guide that compiles the available data regarding the acoustical properties of concrete construction into one place. The guide has been available for free download on the NRMCA Website here.

The purpose of the project was to gather the available concrete acoustic performance information into one document to make it easier to access and use in project design. Included in this database are both concrete floor-ceiling assemblies as well as concrete walls of varying construction types such as pan joists, flat slabs, ICFs, concrete metal decks, etc. The focus is primarily on these main types of ready mixed concrete assemblies, but also included is additional information on related structural systems, such as precast slab, wood joist, mass timber (CLT), etc. The report has also compiled the benefits of different types of available acoustical treatments for these systems, such as resilient flooring underlayment and acoustical ceiling treatments for comparison. Finally, resources for all associated acoustics topics have been compiled for users who would like further information about specific items. It will be a valuable resource for anyone working in the field.

Marion Burgess elected as Honorary Fellow of the IOA

At the recent INTER-NOISE 2022 congress in Glasgow, the President of the Institute of Acoustics (UK) Stephen Turner, announced that Marion Burgess has been elected as an Honorary Fellow of the Institute, in recognition of her service to the field. Congratulations Marion!

Can Noise pollution affect our mental health

A recent article published asked if noise pollution affects our mental health. The article examined the negative effects of noise on the body and mind, including, for example, the noise pollution can trigger the body’s stress response resulting in circulatory issues, increased pulse rate, changes in breathing, and the release of adrenaline and cortisol (fight or flight response). One Danish study cited found that residents living in multi-story housing who indicated annoyance about neighborhood noise had experienced an “adverse impact on a broad range of physical and mental health symptoms”.

TikTok – a new source of Noise/News

“According to TikTok…” I never envisioned writing those words, but hey, you learn something new every day! There is a new TikTok trend that suggests users listen to brown noise at night to help them sleep. According to The Conversation, TikTokers are reporting that listening to brown noise helps them relax and quickly fall into a deep sleep. It’s even been reported on in the New York Times, which asks if Brown Noise can ‘turn off your brain’.

UECNA to host an online conference regarding aviation noise.

UECNA will host a major international conference on Tackling Aviation Noise. It will be held on Zoom on 5th November from 2.00 pm – 6.30 pm (Brussels time). The conference is available to all, you do not need to be a UECNA member to attend. The keynote lecture will be from Marco Paviottii, Policy Officer European Commission with responsibility for noise. Overall the conference will provide updates on some key aviation noise issues, and will include speakers from four continents.