Noise problems in cities. The main ways to combat noise Architectural and planning methods for reducing the noise level from internal sources in premises for various purposes

Scientists officially recognized that noise pollution is the third environmental factor in terms of poor health effects.

The problem of environmental noise pollution is as acute as possible in large cities of the world. In them, every resident is forced to face hundreds of noise sources every day - railway, air, road transport, public institutions - shops, clubs, etc.

A special place among these types of noise is occupied by the noise coming from numerous urban construction sites.

The active development of construction technologies reduces the time and cost of building civil and industrial facilities, which, as a rule, goes against the requirements of environmental safety. Today, the maximum noise levels in residential areas exceed the maximum permissible level by more than five times.

Administrative and organizational measures to combat noise pollution of the environment:

Differentiation of roads and streets according to their purpose, composition and speed of traffic flows;

Restriction of the movement of cargo modes of transport on intracity roads;

Drawing up noise maps of cities;

Removal of highways intended for transit transport outside the city;

Timely repair and maintenance of roads in proper condition;

Strengthening control over the technical condition of personal and public transport (technical inspections with checking the noise characteristics of vehicles).

Urban planning measures to combat noise pollution of the environment:

Functional zoning (allocation of medical, recreational, residential zones) and separation of zones from noisy (communication) territories;

Placement in the residential area of ​​buildings with reduced noise requirements. Use of terrain features. Laying roads in closed overpasses, in tunnels. Construction of bypass roads. Providing a system of garages and parking outside residential areas.

Reducing the number of intersections;

Creation of noise protection structures (screens).

Engineering and technical measures to combat noise pollution of the environment:

Construction of houses with a special architectural structure, spatial and volumetric solution, which provides for orientation relative to the noise source;

The construction of houses with balconies and windows with increased sound insulation, equipped with special ventilation devices that dampen noise.

Many of these countermeasures environmental noise pollution should be carried out by public authorities, as this requires multimillion-dollar investments and a centralized approach.

The problem of environmental noise pollution is also solved at the level of individual facilities and companies.

Special acoustic screens are being built. The design of these noise barriers is acoustic panels that absorb or reflect sound waves (vibrations), i.e. noise. They are mounted between each other, installed step by step between metal racks, which are load-bearing, and form a soundproof fence of the required length and height.

Noise protection structures are installed along railway lines, highways, industrial facilities (transformer substations, power plants) and protect residential, park, children's and other areas adjacent to them from the harmful effects of noise.

Noise is any sound that is undesirable for a person. Under normal atmospheric conditions, the speed of sound in air is 344 m/s.

The sound field is the region of space in which sound waves propagate. When a sound wave propagates, energy is transferred.

The noise level is measured in units expressing the degree of sound pressure - decibels (dB). This pressure is not perceived indefinitely. Noise of 20 - 30 dB is practically harmless to humans and constitutes a natural sound background, without which life is impossible. As for "loud sounds", here the permissible limit rises to about 80 dB. Noise at 130 dB already causes a painful sensation in a person, and reaching 150 dB becomes unbearable for him. Not without reason in the Middle Ages there was an execution - "under the bell"; the ringing of bells killed a man.

If in the 60-70s of the last century the noise in the streets did not exceed 80 dB, then at present it reaches 100 dB or more. On many busy highways, even at night, noise does not fall below 70 dB, while according to sanitary standards it should not exceed 40 dB.

According to experts, the noise in big cities increases by about 1 decibel every year. Bearing in mind the level already reached, it is easy to imagine the very sad consequences of this noise "invasion".

Depending on the level and nature of noise, its duration, as well as on the individual characteristics of a person, noise can have various effects on him.

Noise, even when it is small, creates a significant load on the human nervous system, exerting a psychological impact on him. This is especially often observed in people engaged in mental activity. Weak noise affects people differently. The reason for this may be: age, health status, type of work. The impact of noise also depends on the individual attitude to it. So, the noise produced by the person himself does not bother him, while a small extraneous noise can cause a strong irritating effect.

The lack of necessary silence, especially at night, leads to premature fatigue. Noises at high levels can be a good breeding ground for the development of persistent insomnia, neurosis and atherosclerosis.

Under the influence of noise from 85 - 90 dB, hearing sensitivity at high frequencies decreases. For a long time, a person complains of malaise. Symptoms - headache, dizziness, nausea, excessive irritability. All this is the result of working in noisy conditions.

11. Measures to combat noise problems.

Noise protection equipment is divided into collective and individual protection equipment.

Noise reduction measures should be considered at the design stage of industrial facilities and equipment. Particular attention should be paid to the removal of noisy equipment in a separate room, which allows to reduce the number of employees in conditions of high noise levels and to implement measures to reduce noise with minimal costs,

equipment and materials. Noise reduction can only be achieved by noise reduction of all equipment with high noise levels.

Work on noise reduction of existing production equipment in the premises begins with the compilation of noise maps and noise spectra, equipment and production premises, on the basis of which a decision is made regarding the direction of work.

Fighting noise at its source - the most effective way to deal with noise. Low-noise mechanical transmissions are being created, methods are being developed to reduce noise in bearing assemblies and fans.

Architectural and planning aspect of collective noise protection associated with the need to take into account the requirements of noise protection in the planning and development projects of cities and microdistricts. It is supposed to reduce the noise level through the use of screens, territorial gaps, noise protection structures, zoning and zoning of sources and objects of protection, protective landscaping.

Organizational and technical means of noise protection associated with the study of the processes of noise generation in industrial plants and units, transport vehicles, technological and engineering equipment, as well as with the development of more advanced low-noise design solutions, norms for the maximum permissible noise levels of machine tools, units, vehicles, etc.

Acoustic noise protection are subdivided into means of sound insulation, sound absorption and silencers.

12. Electromagnetic field and man.

The electromagnetic field is a special form of matter, which is an interconnected electric and magnetic field.

The effect of electromagnetic radiation on the human body is mainly determined by the energy absorbed in it. It is known that the radiation falling on the human body is partially reflected and partially absorbed in it. The absorbed part of the energy of the electromagnetic field is converted into thermal energy. This part of the radiation passes through the skin and propagates in the human body, depending on the electrical properties of tissues (absolute permittivity, absolute magnetic permeability, specific conductivity) and the frequency of oscillations of the electromagnetic field.

In addition to the thermal effect, electromagnetic radiation causes the polarization of the molecules of the tissues of the human body, the movement of ions, the resonance of macromolecules and biological structures, nervous reactions and other effects.

It follows from the foregoing that when a person is irradiated with electromagnetic waves, the most complex physical and biological processes occur in the tissues of his body, which can cause disruption of the normal functioning of both individual organs and the body as a whole.

People working under excessive electromagnetic radiation usually get tired quickly, complain of headaches, general weakness, pain in the heart area. They have increased sweating, increased irritability, sleep becomes disturbing. In some individuals, with prolonged exposure, convulsions appear, memory loss is observed, trophic phenomena (hair loss, brittle nails, etc.) are noted.

Rice. 70. Noise from various sources (dB)

operating frequencies 63, 125, 250, 500, 1000, 2000, 4000, 8000 Hz. An approximate assessment of noise can also be carried out according to sound levels measured on the A scale of a sound level meter (dBA).
Intermittent noise is rated in terms of equivalent sound levels, which is the average statistical sound level of intermittent noise that has the same effect on a person as constant noise of the same level.
Natural sounds do not affect the ecological well-being of a person: the rustle of leaves and the steady sound of the sea surf correspond to about 20 dB. Sound discomfort is created by anthropogenic noise sources with high (more than 60 dB) noise levels, which cause numerous complaints. Noise levels below 80 dB do not pose a danger to hearing, at 85 dB some hearing loss begins, and at 90 dB severe hearing loss; at 95 dB, the probability of hearing loss is 50%, and at 105 dB, hearing loss occurs in almost all persons exposed to noise. Noise level of 110-120 dB is considered a pain threshold, and more than 130 dB is a destructive limit for the organ of hearing.
The human hearing organ can adapt to certain constant or repetitive noises (auditory adaptation). But this adaptability cannot protect against hearing loss, but only temporarily postpones the timing of its onset. In conditions of city noise, there is a constant voltage of the auditory analyzer. Ego causes an increase in the threshold of hearing by 10-25 dB. Noise makes it difficult to understand speech, especially at noise levels above 70 dB.
Currently, more than half of the population of Western Europe lives in areas with a noise level of 55-65 dB: in France - 57% of the population, in the Netherlands - 54%, Greece - 50%, Sweden - 37%, Denmark and Germany - 34%. On the territory of Moscow, zones with periodic excess of the permissible noise level reach 60%.
Noise as an environmental factor leads to increased fatigue, reduced mental activity, neurosis, increased cardiovascular disease, noise stress, visual impairment, etc. Constant noise can cause an overstrain of the central nervous system, which is why residents of noisy city areas are on average 20% more likely to suffer from cardiovascular diseases and 18-23% more likely to suffer from atherosclerosis and disorders of the nervous system. Noise has a particularly negative effect on the functional state of the cardiac system in children.
Excessive street noise is the cause of 80% of migraines in France, about 50% of memory disorders and the same number of spoiled characters.
Noise contributes to the development of neurosis, which affects a quarter of men and a third of women in the UK. According to French psychiatrists, a fifth of all psychiatric patients have lost their minds as a result of exposure to loud noise. In New York, children are lagging behind in growth and mental development due to excessive noise.
Noise in big cities shortens human life expectancy. According to Australian researchers, noise is 30% the cause of urban aging, reducing life expectancy by 8-12 years, pushing people to violence, suicide, and murder.
Currently, noise stimuli are among the important causes of sleep disorders, while such disturbances affect the effectiveness of rest and can lead to a state of chronic fatigue, drowsiness, with all the ensuing consequences for performance and susceptibility to disease. At night, Noise can accumulate cumulatively. Nocturnal noise at 55 dB produces the same physiological effects as daytime noise at 65 dB; noise of 65-67 dB, repeated more than 5 times a night, has significant harm to human health. The threshold value of the noise level that can cause sleep disturbance is, depending on various reasons, on average 40-70 dB: in children it reaches 50 dB, in adults - 30 dB, and in the elderly - much lower. Noise has the greatest concern for people engaged in mental work, compared with those working physically.
Depending on the origin, household noise, industrial, industrial, transport, aviation, traffic noise, etc. are distinguished. Household noise occurs in residential premises from the operation of television and radio equipment, household appliances and people's behavior. Industrial noise is created in industrial premises by working mechanisms and machines. The source of industrial noise is industrial enterprises, among which are power plants, compressor stations, metallurgical plants, construction enterprises that create a high noise level (more than 90-100 dB). Somewhat less noise occurs during the operation of machine-building plants (80 dB), printing houses, garment factories, woodworking plants (72-76 dB).
Vehicle noise is generated by the motors, wheels, brakes and aerodynamics of vehicles. The noise level generated by the operation of road transport (buses, cars and trucks) is 75-85 dB. Railway transport is capable of increasing the noise level up to 90-100 dB. The strongest noise - aviation - is created by the operation of the engine and the aerodynamic characteristics of the aircraft - up to 100-105 dB over the air transport route. In airport areas, the number of stillbirths and congenital anomalies is statistically significantly increased. Aircraft noise also leads to an increase in mental disorders. The maximum allowable level of this noise at the earth's surface is defined as 50 dB.
Traffic noise is a combination of traffic noise and all street sounds (whistles of traffic controllers, rustling steps of pedestrians, etc.).
Traffic noise generated by vehicular traffic accounts for up to 80% of all city noise. In recent decades, the noise level in large cities has increased by 10-15 dB. Traffic flows on regional highways near large cities during peak hours reach 2,000 cars per hour, on city highways - up to 6,000 cars per hour. The increase in noise in large cities is associated with an increase in the power and carrying capacity of vehicles, an increase in engine speed, with the introduction of new engines, etc. Rio de Janeiro is considered the noisiest city in the world, the noise level in one of its districts (Capacabana) significantly exceeds 80 dB. The noise level in Cairo - the largest city in Africa and the Middle East - is 90 dB, and on the main streets of the city it reaches 100 dB. On the highways of Moscow, St. Petersburg and other large cities of Russia, the noise level from vehicles in the daytime reaches 90-100 dB and even at night in some areas does not fall below 70 dB. In general, about 35 million people in Russia, which is 30% of the urban population, are significantly affected by traffic noise.
To protect the population from the harmful effects of urban noise, it is necessary to regulate its intensity, spectral composition, duration and other parameters. Norms of permissible levels of external noise from various sources are being developed.
In hygienic regulation, the permissible level of noise is set, the action of which for a long time does not cause changes in the complex of physiological indicators that reflect the reactions of the body systems most sensitive to noise.
Normative sound pressure levels and sound levels for premises of residential and public buildings, territories of microdistricts, recreation areas are established in accordance with sanitary standards for permissible noise (Table 42).
Permissible traffic noise near the walls of houses should not exceed 50 dB during the day and 40 dB at night, and the total noise level in residential premises should not exceed 40 dB during the day and 30 dB at night.
Permissible noise levels in the territories of various
economic purpose
Table 42

Maximum sound levels of 75 dB at night and 85 dB during the day and equivalent sound levels of 55 dB at night and 65 dB during the day can be taken as acceptable parameters for aircraft noise on the ground in a residential area.
The noise map provides an idea of ​​the location of noise sources and the distribution of noise in the city. Using this map, one can judge the state of the noise regime of streets, microdistricts, and the entire urban area. The city noise map makes it possible to regulate the noise level in the residential area of ​​the city, and also serves as the basis for the development of comprehensive urban planning measures to protect residential buildings from noise.
When compiling a city noise map, the conditions of traffic on the main streets, the intensity and speed of traffic, the number of units of freight and public transport in the stream, the location of industrial facilities, transformer substations, external transport, paid housing stock, etc. are taken into account. The map should contain information about the types of buildings being built, the location of medical institutions, research institutes, and parks. Existing noise sources with their levels obtained by field measurements are plotted on the city map.
The map can be used to judge the state of the noise regime on the highways and the residential area immediately adjacent to them, to identify the most acoustically dangerous areas. The maps of different years make it possible to judge the effectiveness of measures aimed at reducing noise.
On fig. 71 shows a fragment of the noise map of one of the districts of Karaganda.

Rice. 71. Fragment of the noise map of the city:
1-6 - city streets; noise levels: I - 80 dB A; II - 76 dB A;
III - 65 dB A; IV - 79 dB A; V - 78 dB A; VI - 70 dB A

The presented area is mainly influenced by highways (streets 1-2, 4-6) with high traffic intensity, especially freight transport. The area surrounded by these streets is exposed to high intensity noise (78-80 dB A) throughout the day. Even at a distance of 100 m from the roadway, the noise intensity reaches 65 dB A.
An analysis of the noise map shows that the constant growth of the car park in the presence of a large number of narrow streets and sidewalks, the lack of the necessary improvement and isolation of microdistricts and quarters from penetrating traffic noise created the preconditions for an increased noise background of the city. To ensure the acoustic comfort of the population, the width of the highway with such heavy traffic should be at least 100-120 m.
The noise map makes it possible to identify a set of factors affecting the acoustic regime, to recommend a rational placement of the city's functional areas, which makes it possible to weaken or completely eliminate the influence of the main sources of noise.
The most common causes of increased noise levels are: insufficient territorial gap to ensure noise protection of settlements, public recreation areas, resorts, medical centers; violation of regulatory documents or lack of consideration of sanitary standards in the construction and design of main roads and railways, airport locations; an increase in the noise level from year to year due to the lack of new silent modes of transport, an increase in the power of aircraft jet engines; high cost of noise protection structures, lack of technical and economic developments in this area.
These reasons basically determine a promising set of measures to protect against noise.
The most important is the method of reducing noise along the path of its propagation, including various measures: organizing the necessary territorial gaps between sources of external noise and zones for various economic purposes with a normalized noise regime, rational planning and development of the territory, using the terrain as natural screens, noise-protective landscaping .
Special territorial gaps make it possible to significantly reduce the noise level in residential areas. Sanitary norms and rules provide for the creation of sanitary protection zones between production facilities, highways, airfields, sea and river ports and residential areas. Within the sanitary protection zones, it is allowed to place non-residential screening buildings, in which a noise level of 55-60 dB A is allowed. The noise-protective properties of screen houses are quite high. Extended buildings such as shopping arcades are especially effective. They reduce traffic noise by 20-30 dB A and reliably protect the intra-quarter territory. Garages, workshops, reception centers for consumer services, canteens, cafes, restaurants, ateliers, hairdressers, etc. can be located in screen buildings. Only pharmacies, libraries and other institutions should not be placed in this zone, in which the noise level should not exceed 40 dB A.
Optimal planning and development of the territory, which helps to reduce the noise level, provides for the rational tracing of transit highways, laying them outside populated areas and recreation areas; construction of ring and semi-ring roads and bypass railway lines in the suburban areas of cities with a population of more than 250 thousand people; localization of intense noise sources in the territory under consideration and separation of residential areas, public recreation areas, tourism from industrial and factory zones and transport sources; removal of the most powerful noise sources outside the territory under consideration or, conversely, removal of housing from the zone of increased noise.
Highways of I and II categories and railway lines, creating, respectively, an equivalent noise level of 85-87 and 80-83 dB A, should not cross the territory of the suburban zone, where forest parks, rest houses, boarding houses, children's camps and medical institutions and sanatoriums, universities and research institutes. Rest houses must be located at a distance of at least 500 m from roads and industrial enterprises and 1 km from the railway.
Industrial enterprises, districts or industrial zones that are sources of noise at elevated levels (70-80 dB A) should be separated from residential buildings by protective zones and placed taking into account the prevailing wind direction. At the same time, other factors that negatively affect the environment are also taken into account.
Industrial enterprises with equivalent noise levels less than 60 dB A can be located in industrial and residential areas if they are not sources of other negative impacts.
Airports should be located outside the city, outside the recreation areas. The distance from the boundaries of the runways of the aerodrome to the boundaries of the residential area depends on the class of the aerodrome, the intersection of the flight route with the residential area, and can vary from 1 to 30 km.
To reduce noise in urban planning practice, natural shielding structures are used, based on the use of the terrain - excavations, embankments, ravines, etc.
Tree and shrub plantations planted along highways have an exceptional ability to delay and absorb noise impacts. A multi-row strip of tree and shrub plantations 5-6 m high can significantly reduce the noise level; Wide bands have the greatest effect - with a band width of 25–30 m, a decrease in noise level by 10–12 dB A is observed. However, in winter, the protective function of green spaces decreases by 3–4 times.
When developing projects for detailed planning and development of highways, a protective effect can be achieved by zoning residential areas. In the zone immediately adjacent to the highway, low-rise non-residential buildings should be located, in the next zone - low-rise residential buildings, then - residential buildings with an increased number of storeys, and in the zone farthest from the highway - children's institutions, schools, clinics, hospitals, etc.
A significant reduction in the noise level is achieved with a closed type of development (Table 43).
Efficiency of gas-noise building and relief elements
Table 43

Federal Agency for Agriculture

Federal State Educational Institution
higher professional education

State University for Land Management

Department of Land Use and Cadastres

Noise in the city and means of protection

Completed: Art. gr. 22 to-2

Reshetnikova A.A.

Checked: st. teacher

Introduction

Noise pollution in cities almost always has a local character and is mainly caused by means of transport - urban, rail and air. Already now, on the main highways of large cities, noise levels exceed 90 dB and tend to increase by 0.5 dB annually, which is the greatest danger to the environment in areas of busy transport routes. Medical studies show that increased noise levels contribute to the development of neuropsychiatric diseases and hypertension. The fight against noise in the central areas of cities is hampered by the density of existing buildings, which makes it impossible to build noise barriers, expand highways and plant trees that reduce noise levels on roads. Thus, the most promising solutions to this problem are to reduce the inherent noise of vehicles (especially trams) and the use of new noise-absorbing materials in buildings facing the busiest highways, vertical gardening of houses and triple glazing of windows (with the simultaneous use of forced ventilation).

A particular problem is the increase in the level of vibration in urban areas, the main source of which is transport. This problem has been little studied, but it is certain that its importance will increase. Vibration contributes to faster wear and destruction of buildings and structures, but the most significant is that it can adversely affect the most accurate technological processes. It is especially important to emphasize that vibration brings the greatest harm to advanced industries and, accordingly, its growth can have a limiting effect on the possibilities of scientific and technological progress in cities.

The state of the problem of reducing traffic noise

An important problem of Moscow, like any other large city with a large amount of transport and industry, is the high level of noise, which, according to environmental scientists, causes a lot of trouble for Europeans.

Over 75% of the territory of the capital is under the influence of acoustic load 5-10 dB above the norm (55 dB during the day and 45 dB at night). At the same time, according to various sources, 3-6 million Muscovites live in areas of increased noise pollution, who are constantly exposed to noise equal to 90-100 dB during the day and 70 dB at night. According to experts, the most unfavorable situation has developed in the South Butovo, and the calmest - in the North-Western District.

The main culprit of noise, of course, is transport, which accounts for 70-90% of all noise pollution. So, due to the proximity of the Vnukovo airport, the areas of Solntsevo, Teply Stan, Yasenevo and Troparevo suffer the most. In turn, Sheremetyevo affects Mitino, Molzhaninovsky district affects Zelenograd, and Ostafyevo affects the same South Butovo.

In second place in terms of noise generated are industrial facilities that affect 10-15% of the capital's territory. In addition, there are many other sources of noise pollution: for example, elevators, heating units, boilers, pumping and switchboard substations. Therefore, it is not surprising that in the last 10 years, the majority of young residents of the capital have noticeably weakened hearing by the age of majority: they hear 5-20% worse than the norm, as if they were not 18, but 85 years old.

In general, methods for reducing traffic noise can be classified in the following three areas: reducing noise at the source of its occurrence, including the removal of vehicles from service and changing their routes; noise reduction in the way of its propagation; use of means of sound protection in the perception of sound.

The use of one or another method or a combination of them depends to a large extent on the degree and nature of the required noise reduction, taking into account both economic and operational constraints.

Any attempt to regulate noise must begin by identifying the sources of that noise. Despite the presence of significant analogy of various sources, they are quite dissimilar to each other for the three modes of transport,
- road, rail and air.

Of the three main modes of transport, road transport has the most adverse acoustic impact. Cars are the predominant source of intense and sustained noise that cannot be compared to any other. The noise generated by moving vehicles is part of the traffic noise. In general, the most noise is generated by heavy vehicles. At low road speeds and high engine speeds, the main source of noise is usually the power plant, while at high speeds, lower speeds and lower power plant power, noise due to the interaction of tires with the road surface can become dominant. In the presence of irregularities on the road surface, the noise of the spring suspension system, as well as the roar of the load and the body, may become predominant.

It is often difficult to determine the relative contributions of different noise sources in complex vehicles. Therefore, if the problem arises to reduce the noise of a given vehicle, valuable information can be obtained based on understanding the mechanism of noise generation of these sources when the operating conditions of the vehicle change. Due to the fact that the overall noise of the vehicle is determined by a number of sources, it is necessary to try to obtain data on the characteristics of the emission of each of these sources separately and determine the most effective methods for reducing the noise of a particular source, as well as which of the methods for reducing the overall noise of vehicles means will be the most economical in this case. This will be discussed in detail below.

It should be noted the great importance of measures to limit the spread of noise that has already occurred, along with the main method of reducing road transport noise by suppressing the source of its occurrence. These measures include improved road design and routing, traffic control, the use of screens and barriers, and a review of general land use concepts near major highways.
An additional measure, which is applicable to all modes of transport, is to improve the design and soundproofing characteristics of buildings to reduce noise inside them.

Rail transport, in contrast to road and air, is not developing at such a rapid pace. However, there were signs that the railroads would take on a new role. After the introduction of high-speed trains in Japan and France, many countries decided to increase the speed of trains and the volume of passenger traffic, thereby increasing the competitiveness of railways. The expansion of the railway network and the increase in the speed of trains will cause an increase in noise and the associated problems of protecting the environment from it. Similar situations have already arisen in Japan, where the public protested against high-speed trains. As a result of these protests, the Japanese National Railways Administration decided to postpone the construction of new lines leading to Tokyo Narita Airport.

The annoyance caused by air traffic noise is mainly due to the introduction of jet aircraft on civil airlines in the late 1950s. Since then, the number of commercial and private jets in daily service has exceeded 7,000. During this period, significant attention was paid to reducing aircraft noise. The solution of the problem under consideration was carried out in the following three main directions. The first and probably the most important direction is to study the main sources of noise and the development, in particular, of less noisy power plants. The second direction is related to streamlining and introducing control of aircraft flights in the vicinity of airports. Finally, the third direction - measures not directly related to changes in the operating conditions of aircraft - the rational use of land both on the territory of the airport itself and in its vicinity with increased sound insulation of buildings and structures exposed to high-level noise.

Means and methods of noise protection

General classification of means and methods of noise protection.

It applies to the means and methods of noise protection used at workplaces of industrial and auxiliary premises, on the territory of industrial enterprises, in the premises of residential and public buildings, as well as in the residential areas of cities and towns.

1 Means and methods of protection against noise in relation to the protected object are divided into:

means and methods of collective protection;

· individual protection means.

2 The means of collective protection in relation to the source of noise excitation are divided into:

means that reduce noise at the source of its occurrence;

means that reduce noise on the way of its propagation from the source to the protected object.

2.1 Means that reduce noise at the source of its occurrence, depending on the nature of the impact, are divided into:

means that reduce the excitation of noise;

means that reduce the sound-emitting ability of the noise source.

2.2 Means that reduce noise at the source of its occurrence, depending on the nature of noise generation, are divided into:

means that reduce noise of vibrational (mechanical) origin;

means that reduce noise of aerodynamic origin;

means that reduce the noise of electromagnetic origin;

means that reduce the noise of hydrodynamic origin.

2.3 Means that reduce noise along the path of its propagation, depending on the environment, are divided into:

means that reduce the transmission of airborne noise;

means that reduce the transmission of structure-borne noise.

3 Noise protection means, depending on the use of an additional energy source, are divided into:

passive, which does not use an additional source of energy;

active, in which an additional source of energy is used.

4 Means and methods of collective noise protection, depending on the method of implementation, are divided into:

· acoustic;

architectural planning;

organizational and technical.

4.1 Acoustic noise protection, depending on the principle of operation, are divided into:

means of soundproofing;

means of sound absorption;

means of vibration isolation;

means of damping;

noise silencers.

4.2 Soundproofing means, depending on the design, are divided into:

soundproofing fences of buildings and premises;

· soundproof casings;

· soundproof cabins;

acoustic screens.

4.3 The means of sound absorption, depending on the design, are divided into:

· sound-absorbing facings;

volumetric (piece) sound absorbers.

4.4 Means of vibration isolation, depending on the design, are divided into:

Vibration isolation mounts

elastic pads;

Structural breaks.

4.5 Damping means, depending on the damping characteristic, are divided into:

· linear;

non-linear.

4.6 Damping means, depending on the type of damping, are divided into:

Elements with dry friction;

elements with viscous friction;

Elements with internal friction.

4.7 Silencers, depending on the principle of operation, are divided into:

absorption;

reactive (reflex);

combined.

4.8 Architectural and planning methods of noise protection include:

rational acoustic solutions for building layouts and master plans for facilities;

rational placement of technological equipment, machines and mechanisms;

Rational placement of jobs;

rational acoustic planning of zones and mode of movement of vehicles and traffic flows;

Creation of noise-protected zones in various locations of a person.

4.9 Organizational and technical methods of noise protection include:

· application of low-noise technological processes (change of production technology, method of processing and transportation of material, etc.);

equipping noisy machines with remote control and automatic control;

use of low-noise machines, changing the structural elements of machines, their assembly units;

Improving the technology of repair and maintenance of machines;

Use of rational modes of work and rest of workers in noisy enterprises.

5 Personal protective equipment against noise, depending on the design, are divided into:

Anti-noise headphones that cover the auricle from the outside;

Anti-noise inserts blocking the external auditory canal or adjacent to it;

anti-noise helmets and helmets;

anti-noise suits.

5.1 Anti-noise headphones according to the method of attachment to the head are divided into:

independent, having a hard and soft headband;

built into a headgear or other protective device.

5.2 Anti-noise earplugs, depending on the nature of use, are divided into:

Multiple use

single use.

5.3 Anti-noise inserts, depending on the material used, are divided into:

solid;

Every year the noise pollution of big cities is continuously growing. The main sources of noise are auto, air and rail transport, manufacturing enterprises. 80% of the total noise comes from vehicles.

Normal background noise is considered to be sounds of twenty to thirty decibels. A sound background of about 80 decibels is considered acceptable for human perception. Noises of 140 decibels cause pain in people. And with a sound louder than 190 decibels, metal structures begin to collapse.

Effects of noise on health

It is difficult to overestimate the impact of noise on human health. Noises depress the nervous system, interfere with concentration, tire, cause irritability. Constant presence in the zone of noise pollution leads to sleep disturbances and hearing impairment. Noise exposure can even cause mental disorders.

The magnitude of noise exposure is different for each person. The highest risk group includes children, the elderly, people suffering from chronic diseases, residents of busy city areas around the clock, living in buildings without sound insulation.

With a long stay on busy avenues, where the noise level is about 60 dB, for example, while standing in a traffic jam, a person may have impaired cardiovascular activity.

Noise protection

WHO recommends a number of measures to protect the public from noise pollution. Among them is a ban on construction work at night. Another ban, according to the WHO, should concern the loud operation of any acoustic devices, both at home and in cars and public institutions located not far from residential buildings.
Noise must be dealt with!

The methods of resisting noise pollution include acoustic screens, which have recently been widely used near highways, especially in Moscow and the region. Soft asphalt and electric vehicles, unfortunately not yet widespread, are also ways to combat acoustic pollution in cities. To this list, one can add soundproof insulation of apartment buildings and landscaping of city squares.

Legislative acts in the field of noise control

In Russia, from time to time, interesting studies of the problem of noise in urban-type settlements appear, but at the federal, regional and municipal levels, there are no adopted special-purpose legal acts to combat noise pollution. To date, the legislation of the Russian Federation has only separate provisions on the protection of the environment from noise and the protection of humans from its harmful effects.

In many European countries. America and Asia have special laws. It's time for our turn to come. The Russian Federation should adopt a special law and by-laws on noise and economic instruments to combat it.

It is possible to resist the noise even now

If the residents of the house have an understanding that the noise background and vibrations exceed the maximum permissible level (MPL), they can apply to Rospotrebnadzor with a claim and a request for a sanitary and epidemiological examination of the place of residence. If, based on the results of the check, an increase in the maximum permissible limit is established, the violator will be asked to ensure the operation of the technical equipment (if it was he who caused the excess) in accordance with the standards.

It is possible to apply to regional and local administrations of settlements with the requirement of noise-protective reconstruction of the building. The tasks of combating sound pollution of the environment can also be solved at the level of individual enterprises. So anti-acoustic systems are built near railway lines, close to industrial facilities (for example, power plants) and protect residential and park areas of the city.