Architecture Commons^™

Understanding The Impact Of Room Acoustic Conditions On The Kurtosis Levels Of Various Noise Signals, William Spallino

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Dissertations, Thesis, and Student Research

Impulsive noise can be common in certain occupational and recreational settings, such as manufacturing plants, construction sites, and firing ranges. While many regulations and guidelines for noise exposure exist, their mathematical basis is stronger for continuous noise, and concerns have been raised about the possibility that impulsive noise may be more harmful to people’s hearing than those metrics would let on. Much work has been done on establishing metrics that accurately assess the severity and hearing risk associated with impulsive noise, but the effects of room acoustic conditions on those metrics have been heretofore understudied.

This study calculated room impulse …

The Effects Of Tones In Noise On Human Annoyance And Performance, Joonhee Lee

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Dissertations, Thesis, and Student Research

Building mechanical equipment often generates prominent tones because most systems include rotating parts like fans and pumps. These tonal noises can cause unpleasant user experiences in spaces and, in turn, lead to increased complaints by building occupants. Currently, architectural engineers can apply the noise criteria guidelines in standards or publications to achieve acceptable noise conditions for assorted types of spaces. However, these criteria do not apply well if the noise contains perceptible tones. The annoyance thresholds experienced by the general population with regards to the degree of tones in noise is a significant piece of knowledge that has not been …