Comfort Distance—A Single-Number Quantity Describing Spatial Attenuation in Open-Plan Offices

ISO 3382-3 is globally used to determine the room acoustic conditions of open-plan offices using in situ measurements. The key outcomes of the standard are three single-number quantities: distraction distance, rD, A-weighted sound pressure level of speech, Lp,A,S,4m, and spatial decay rate of speech, D2,S. Quantities Lp,A,S,4m and D2,S describe the attenuation properties of the office due to room and furniture absorption and geometry. Our purpose is to introduce a new single-number quantity, comfort distance rC, which integrates the quantities Lp,A,S,4m and D2,S. It describes the distance from an omnidirectional loudspeaker where the A-weighted sound pressure level of normal speech falls below 45 dB. The study explains why the comfort criterion level is set to 45 dB, explores the comfort distances in 185 offices reported in previous studies. Based on published data, the rC values lie typically within 3 m (strong attenuation) and 30 m (weak attenuation). Based on this data, a classification scheme was proposed. The new quantity could benefit the revised version of ISO 3382-3.

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Just noticeable difference of sound pressure level of speech in open-plan office

INTER-NOISE and NOISE-CON Congress and Conference Proceedings ◽

10.3397/in-2021-2990 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 263 (1) ◽

pp. 5166-5169

Author(s):

Haram Lee ◽

Hyunin Jo ◽

Jin Yong Jeon

Keyword(s):

Sound Pressure Level ◽

Sound Pressure ◽

Paired Comparison ◽

Subjective Evaluation ◽

Simulation Models ◽

Pressure Level ◽

Just Noticeable Difference ◽

Sound Sources ◽

Sound Environment ◽

Open Plan

In this study, the general sound environment characteristics of open-plan office (OPO) were investigated, and just noticeable difference (JND) of sound pressure level of speech at a distance of 4 m (Lp,A,S,4m) suggested in ISO 3382-3 was suggested. First, in order to understand the sound environment characteristics of OPO, one minute sound sources recorded in 8 offices were collected and physical and psychological acoustic characteristics were analyzed. A total of 30 office workers were subject to subjective evaluation on 8 sound sources, and they were asked to respond to questionnaires related to annoyance, work satisfaction, and speech privacy. Next, to investigate the JND, two computer simulation models identical to those of the actual OPO were implemented, and sound sources each having six different Lp,A,S,4m values were generated through the change of the sound absorption coefficient of the interior finish. The JND of Lp,A,S,4m was presented by performing paired comparison for the same subjects. It is expected that the JND of Lp,A,S,4m proposed in this study can be used for the sound environment rating of OPO.

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The assessment of the sawmill noise

Journal of Agricultural Engineering ◽

10.4081/jae.2013.397 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 44 (2s) ◽

Author(s):

P. D’Antonio ◽

C. D’Antonio ◽

C. Evangelista ◽

V. Doddato

Keyword(s):

Data Processing ◽

Sound Pressure Level ◽

Noise Level ◽

Sound Pressure ◽

Sound Level ◽

Pressure Level ◽

Published Data ◽

Noise Levels ◽

Different Types ◽

Level Meter

Noise is a serious and widespread problem in many workplaces like in sawmill. The published data for the year 2010 about the total number of pathologies from work in Italia due to the noise, showed 5222 cases divided by sex, in fact for females there are instances in number of 221 while the male has a number of cases is equal to 4961. The aim of this work was to detect the sound level caused by the use of the machineries in a sawmill. The measurements were carried out through an instrument known as noise level meter, equipped with a microphone and connected to a computer for data processing and analysis of variance to a factor in excel, and able to assess noise levels at any particular point in the mill. The machines were subjected in relief and with several different types of wood materials. Obviously, in our case a fundamental role takes the moisture of wood. The drying operation is intended to obtain that degree of humidity of the wood, generally it must be between 7 and 16%, compatible with the type of glue used and, above all, appropriate to the target structures. The machines that have the highest sound pressure levels were trimmer and profiler, with values ranging between 85 dB(A) and 110 dB(A). Finally, it’s possible conclude that the sound pressure level increases when the aspiration equipment is turned on, the noise of machinery decreases during the processing of wood and that, increasing the thickness, decreased the noise emitted by the machine.

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Contributions of Voice and Nonverbal Communication to Perceived Masculinity–Femininity for Cisgender and Transgender Communicators

Journal of Speech Language and Hearing Research ◽

10.1044/2019_jslhr-19-00387 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 63 (4) ◽

pp. 931-947

Author(s):

Teresa L. D. Hardy ◽

Carol A. Boliek ◽

Daniel Aalto ◽

Justin Lewicke ◽

Kristopher Wells ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fundamental Frequency ◽

Sound Pressure Level ◽

Sound Pressure ◽

Vocal Tract ◽

Presentation Mode ◽

Pressure Level ◽

Presentation Modes ◽

Audiovisual Stimuli ◽

Vocal Tract Resonance ◽

Point Light

Purpose The purpose of this study was twofold: (a) to identify a set of communication-based predictors (including both acoustic and gestural variables) of masculinity–femininity ratings and (b) to explore differences in ratings between audio and audiovisual presentation modes for transgender and cisgender communicators. Method The voices and gestures of a group of cisgender men and women ( n = 10 of each) and transgender women ( n = 20) communicators were recorded while they recounted the story of a cartoon using acoustic and motion capture recording systems. A total of 17 acoustic and gestural variables were measured from these recordings. A group of observers ( n = 20) rated each communicator's masculinity–femininity based on 30- to 45-s samples of the cartoon description presented in three modes: audio, visual, and audio visual. Visual and audiovisual stimuli contained point light displays standardized for size. Ratings were made using a direct magnitude estimation scale without modulus. Communication-based predictors of masculinity–femininity ratings were identified using multiple regression, and analysis of variance was used to determine the effect of presentation mode on perceptual ratings. Results Fundamental frequency, average vowel formant, and sound pressure level were identified as significant predictors of masculinity–femininity ratings for these communicators. Communicators were rated significantly more feminine in the audio than the audiovisual mode and unreliably in the visual-only mode. Conclusions Both study purposes were met. Results support continued emphasis on fundamental frequency and vocal tract resonance in voice and communication modification training with transgender individuals and provide evidence for the potential benefit of modifying sound pressure level, especially when a masculine presentation is desired.

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Computers and Electronics in Agriculture The sensor to estimate the sound pressure level in eggs

Qeios ◽

10.32388/7x11uf ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Iran Oliveira Silva

Keyword(s):

Sound Pressure Level ◽

Sound Pressure ◽

Pressure Level

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Case study: Theoretical calculation model and variable condition analysis research on the water-splashing noise for natural draft wet cooling towers

Noise Control Engineering Journal ◽

10.3397/1/376812 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 68 (2) ◽

pp. 137-145

Author(s):

Yang Zhouo ◽

Ming Gao ◽

Suoying He ◽

Yuetao Shi ◽

Fengzhong Sun

Keyword(s):

Theoretical Model ◽

Sound Pressure Level ◽

Water Droplet ◽

Water Distribution ◽

Sound Pressure ◽

Cooling Tower ◽

Distribution Patterns ◽

Calculation Model ◽

Pressure Level ◽

Cooling Towers

Based on the basic theory of water droplets impact noise, the generation mechanism and calculation model of the water-splashing noise for natural draft wet cooling towers were established in this study, and then by means of the custom software, the water-splashing noise was studied under different water droplet diameters and water-spraying densities as well as partition water distribution patterns conditions. Comparedwith the water-splashing noise of the field test, the average difference of the theoretical and the measured value is 0.82 dB, which validates the accuracy of the established theoretical model. The results based on theoretical model showed that, when the water droplet diameters are smaller in cooling tower, the attenuation of total sound pressure level of the water-splashing noise is greater. From 0 m to 8 m away from the cooling tower, the sound pressure level of the watersplashing noise of 3 mm and 6 mm water droplets decreases by 8.20 dB and 4.36 dB, respectively. Additionally, when the water-spraying density becomes twice of the designed value, the sound pressure level of water-splashing noise all increases by 3.01 dB for the cooling towers of 300 MW, 600 MW and 1000 MW units. Finally, under the partition water distribution patterns, the change of the sound pressure level is small. For the R s/2 and Rs/3 partition radius (Rs is the radius of water-spraying area), when the water-spraying density ratio between the outer and inner zone increases from 1 to 3, the sound pressure level of water-splashing noise increases by 0.7 dB and 0.3 dB, respectively.

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