It is commonly defined as it is the sound that is not desired by the recipient. Assessment of Noise Impact is an essential component of Environmental impact assessment. The primary goal of noise assessment is to determine the current noise quality assessments of areas of study, the impact of future developments on local noise, their effect and acceptance.
Noise Pollution Sources
Noise impacts usually rise from
Vehicles
Trains
Ships
Construction sites (including the vehicles and equipment movement)
The river is advancing in its depth
borrowing
Airplanes
Other Fixed Noise Sources like, Malls, Parking lots, bus depot, etc.
Noise Sensitive Zones
The possible areas of noise sensitive that could be affected by the high levels of noise.
Housing Areas: all residential housing areas
Institutional Locations: Schools, libraries and hospitals, colleges clinics Theatres, public workshops etc.
Other areas include hostels, gardens, etc.
Noise-Resistant Areas
Noise-tolerant zones where a certain amount of noise is tolerated due to small population density.
Multi-floor Car parking lots
Malls
Corporate office with noise insulation
Godown
Commercial and Community centres as well as Communities
Noise Impact Assessment Planning
Many industrial and residential zones require noise impact assessment reports to be completed for projects in the design phase. This ensures that proper protection for future residents by limiting the impact of noise. Planning for noise impact assessment can also minimize other negative effects on health and the quality of life caused by new developments.
Noise Impact Assessment Guidelines
Here are the noise impact assessment guidelines to be followed in a perfect scenario. In actual life, the steps could be combined based on the scope of the project.
Establish the project requirements and the Noise issue
When completing this process it is vital to establish the present and potential land usage around the proposed project. There are other factors be considered that will create noise disturbance during the construction process and in operation. The length of time that the impact will occur as well as the timing of day, night evening, week, and so on. and traffic noise in the construction zones due to more traffic and vehicles on nearby roads.
Set a Baseline for assessment of the impact of noise
Following the completion of the above steps, the noise experts should have a complete understanding of any potential impacts on residents. In this stage, they will offer current noise level records for their surroundings. The purpose of a baseline surveys is to determine those areas that are susceptible and most likely to be negatively affected by the proposed development project.
Assess the noise level that will impact the planned development
Following the completion of previous steps, the role of a Noise consultant is to determine the impact of noise on future development plans. It’s extremely difficult to determine the impact of noise in the beginning. Noise consultants play crucial role in the prediction of noise above the limits of software, based on their knowledge and experience.
Find options for noise mitigation
In this stage of noise impact assessment, noise consultants analyze the causes of noises in the development zone. They offer solutions to reduce noise levels at the source and relocating the receiver’s source so that it can minimize noise or installing noise barriers to lessen the impact of noise from sources.
Evaluation and evaluation of the significance of every mitigation strategy
When the options for assessment of noise impacts is identified, the proposer creates an document that summarises various options available to evaluate noise impacts, cost efficiency feasibility, cost effectiveness, etc. The most effective option is determined through discussion among the committee members that meet all the criteria for noise limit.
Choose the most effective noise control solution
In this stage, you evaluate alternatives to reduce the impact of noise to place them according to ranking, taking into consideration socio-economic aspects and the those with the highest level of innovation and competition are then selected for further consideration in the Noise impact assessment plan stage.
Noise Impact Assessment Survey Methods
Initial Process
In this method, all sensitive receptors to noise together with their the distance from the noise source, the magnitude of noise level generated from the noise source, as well as noise level and noise after the site is completed are identified.
Quantitative Noise Impact Assessment
For this Process Quantitative assessment it depends on the kind of development. i.e Noise generating development or Noise sensitive development.
The principal goal of this method is to determine the impact on the development
Qualitative Noise Impact Assessment
This procedure is more in-depth and with additional elements considered for Quantitative Study of Noise Impact Assessment. For eg. If a new development generating noise is being planned, then the impact on the existing receptors is examined. In the event that the construction of new hospitals or homes i.e. projects that are sensitive to noise are scheduled, then the noise levels are studied to assess the potential effects on the development.
The effects of noise on residential homes is taken into account for example. Inability to sleep, inability to concentrate, usage of outdoor facilities, etc.
Additionally, it is possible to take into account timing of the day of monitoring, the time of day as well as frequency of occurrence, the absolute level, etc.
Degree Of Significance
In this process, the effect of noise is examined on the receptors for noise and the magnitude of the impact. The results are then entered into the form of a sheet of noise impact. Eg. Very large, large, moderate, slight neutral etc.
Decision Process
Measurement of noise
In general, noise measurement is used to identify a specific place or within the current the noise surroundings. In order to ensure that developments proposed are be avoided from affecting the health of people
Noise Monitoring Locations
The location of the noise monitoring is usually chosen to safeguard the nearest the noise receptors. Therefore, the ideal location is in the vicinity of the sensitive zone but generally the same distance away from the source.
Noise Monitoring Time
It is suggested that 22:00 – 7:00 be thought of as night time and 7:00 to 22:00 is considered daytime.
Noise Impact assessment Report
Following the noise impact assessment process, an assessment report is produced that contains all the details about the effect of the development on residents.
Here is the summary of the report on noise impact assessment.
Details of the project: It consists of information about the project’s name, client information as well as the details of the consultant and the duration of the noise impact assessment.
Description of the project: It contains specifics about the development project and the impact it will have on society
Noise impact assessment Policy that includes an guidelines for the assessment of noise impacts on new developments.
Noise that affects development In this part of the Noise impact assessment report, the present noise levels and their impact are evaluated in depth to determine the areas of concern.
Survey Results: Survey result include readings recorded during the assessment time and a map has been made of high-impact and vulnerable areas.
In conclusion: This part discusses the outcomes of the Noise Impact Assessment in detail and the steps to be taken to minimize the impact of noise.
Noise Indices
Due to the fact that noise levels differ between locations and times, it is important to establish indices to define noise levels the same to Air Quality Indices.
The Equivalent Continuous Noise Level for the course of time L eq, T
LA10 Road Traffic Noise, 18H
Sound Impact Mitigation Measures
Find other land arrangements
Noise tolerant buildings
Treatment of the source of noise
Noise barrier/enclosure
Special or better building design
Alternative Location
Decking over
Construction site clearing
Indoor Acoustic Insulation
In short, using findings from noise impact assessments it is much easier to give recommendations to reduce the impact on residential areas and reduce noise pollution through changes in the sources of noise.
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