UNIVERSITI KUALA LUMPUR

INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

SUBJECT : NMB 31303 Noise & Vibration

Tutorial 10 : Noise Control Concept

A: SOUND ABSORPTION

Q1 :

B SOUND BARRIER

Q1. A barrier exists between a source and receiver and results in a sound pressure level at the
receiver of 60dB(A). There are four sound wave paths over the top of the barrier with
corresponding noise reductions of 8, 13, 13 and 8dB(A) respectively. There are two paths
around each end of the barrier with noise reductions of 18 and 12dB(A) respectively. What
would the receiver sound level be if the barrier were removed and if the noise reduction of a
ground reflected wave is 5dB(A)?
(answer : NR = 3.6 dB., SPL when barrier removed = 63.6 dB)

Q2. If an obstacle is placed on the line-of-sight between the source and receiver, sound will
reach the receiver by diffracting around the obstacle. Sound reaches a receiver by three paths.
Over path A it suffers 4dB loss on reflection from the ground and 7dB loss on diffracting over
the obstacle. Over path B it suffers 5dB loss due to diffraction and 5dB on reflection from the
ground. Over path C (with no ground reflections) it suffers a 4dB loss due to diffraction.
Assuming incoherent addition and that the situation is initially as in part (a) (with the reflected
wave included) what will the sound pressure level be at the receiver after the placement of the
obstacle.
(Answer : 74.1 dB)
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INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

Q3. Alternatively if phase is not random, destructive interference may occur between the direct
and reflected signals at the position of the receiver. For the case of two coherent signals (one of
which has been reflected from the ground with a 5dB loss) the level at the receiver is 65dB re
20μPa. When an obstacle (the same as in part b) is placed between the noise source and
receiver, the level at the receiver increases to 70dB and the waves diffracting around it may be
considered to combine incoherently (random phase). What was the sound reducing effect (in
dB) of the destructive interference prior to placement of the obstacle.
(Answer :reduction due to destructive interference = 7.4 dB)

Q4. When the phase difference between two signals is random the signals are incoherent, in
which case square pressures add. If the level at a receiver is 75dB re 20μPa and it is composed
of a signal which has travelled over line-of-sight from the source and a second signal which has
been once reflected from the ground with a 5dB loss, assuming incoherent addition what would
be the level at the receiver if the reflected signal were absent?
(Answer = 73.8 db)

Q5. A 74.6 kW motor operating at 3,600 RPM produces excessive noise levels in the nearby
community. The noise from the motor is dominated by a 500 Hz tone. The sound power Lw of
the motor for the 500 Hz octave band is give by:

Lw = 12 + 10log(Power in kW) + 20log(Speed in RPM)

The sound pressure level in the community should not exceed 50 dB(A). Determine how much
noise level reduction (at 500 Hz Octave band) is required in order to meet the noise level
regulation for the community . Assume a 1 meter source height, 1.5 meter receiver height, and
25 meter distance along the ground from source to receiver

(Answer : Further NR of 12.7 dB(A))

 UNIVERSITI KUALA LUMPUR
INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

Q6. A 4 meter by 4 meter office is located next to a 6 meter by 8 meter mechanical equipment

room. Between the two rooms is a wall with a very high transmission loss (TL) (assume

> 60 dB). In the wall between the two rooms is a door, area 2 m2 . There are gaps all

around the door. The only absorption in the office is provided by the acoustical tile

ceiling. The following 1000 Hz octave frequency band sound pressure levels are

measured in the rooms.

Location Sound Pressure Level Condition

1000 Hz Octave Band
(dB)

Office 69 Door open

Mechanical 77 Door open

Equipment Room

Office 54 Door closed

Mechanical 80 Door closed

Equipment
Room

Office 47 Door closed and

gaps
temporarily sealed
with high
TL treatment
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INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

Assume acoustical fields are diffuse in both rooms. All the noise is from a sound source

in the mechanical equipment room. There are no wave effects in the gaps around the

door. Determine:

(i) The absorption coefficient of the ceiling in the office.

(ii) The TL of the door.
(iii) The total area of the gaps around the door.

(Answer : Ave absorption coefficient = 0.78, 𝑇𝐿𝑑𝑜𝑜𝑟 = 25 dB, Area gap = 0.025 𝑚2 )

Q7 . A 2m X 2m X 2m enclosure is constructed around a small compressor. The enclosure is

made of a lightweight metal with a transmission loss of 26 dB at 500 Hz. The average
absorption coefficient in the enclosure is 0.3 in the 500 Hz octave frequency band. The
compressor generates a sound power level of 105 dB in the 500 Hz octave band. Calculate the
A-weighted sound power level radiated by the exterior of the enclosure. Assume the interior of
the enclosure is diffuse.
(Answer : 84.7 dB(A))