Fundamentals of

Noise and
Measurement
By
PREPARED BY,
ANKIT J. DESAI
MED, CGPIT, UTU, BARDOLI.

Sound Measurement
1) Sound Pressure
Reference Value- 0.00002 N/m2
=0.0002 bar
2) Sound Power
Reference value- 10-12 Watt
3) Sound Intensity
Reference Value- 10-12 Watt/m2

Sound Pressure
Measurement

Sound

pressure is expressed in terms

lowest sound pressure which the
normal ear can detect as a reference
pressure, and it is given by Sound
Pressure Level (SPL);
SPL= 20Log10 dB

Sound Power Measurement

Sound

power is expressed in terms

lowest sound power which the
normal ear can detect as a reference
power, and it is given by Sound
Power Level (SWL);
SWL= 10Log10 dB

Sound Intensity
Measurement
Sound

Intensity is expressed in terms

lowest sound Intensity which the
normal ear can detect as a reference
Intensity, and it is given by Sound
Intensity Level (IL);
IL= 10Log10 dB

Combining Sound Levels

1) Addition of sound levels
2) Subtraction of sound levels

Combining Sound Levels

Chart for Addition and Subtraction of sound
levels:-

Addition of Sound Levels

Correction factor decides on the base of difference between

two sound levels which are added.
Table for selection of correction factor: SPL

10 and
above

Correctio
n Factor

2.5

1.5

0.
5

0.5

Weighting Networks
Basic three types:- A, B and C weighted
networks
A- Weighted network:
Designed to give response from very low to high
sound levels

B- Weighted network:
Designed to give response of 55-85 dB sound
levels

C- Weighted network:
Designed to give response above 85 dB noise

Reverberation Time (RT)

to Sabines formula,
According

RT=
Where, V= Volume of the enclosure
a= Total absorption of the enclosure
(a= Areax )

Weighting Networks

When Weighting networks proves desirable, correction

must be added to linear readings to obtain weighted
reading for a particular frequency.
A- weighting network corrections are as given below:-

Weighting Networks
Problem- Given the sound spectrum
shown below, find the linear (unweighted)
total sound pressure level in dB and then
A-weighted total sound pressure level in
dB.
Frequency
band (Hz)
Sound
pressure
level (dB)

63

31.
5
95

95

125 250 500 100 200 400 800

0
0
0
0
90

85

80

81

75

70

65

Sound Level Meter`

The most common and convenient instrument for

measuring sound level of a sound field.
The elements of SLM:-

Sound Level Meter

The various grades of SLM are as below: Type 0 For Laboratory, reference, calibration of
other SLM

Type 1 For general- field purpose

)Type 2 - For general- field purpose
)Type 3 For preliminary investigation

Sound Level Meter

To accommodate the phenomenon of
variation or fluctuation in sound level, SLM
is provided with level responses, which
are: 1) fast response Time constant is 100
msec.

2) slow response Time constant is 1

sec.

Sound Level Meter

Octave Band
f2= 2n f1
Where,

f2 = higher center
frequency
f1 = Lower center frequency
Bandwidth:-

Octave Band

Octave Band
1/1 (standard) Octave bandsThe audio spectrum from ~ 20 Hz to ~ 20 KHz
can be divided up into ~ 11 octave bands.
Octave bandsThe audio spectrum from ~ 20 Hz to ~ 20 KHz
can be divided up into ~ 21 octave bands.
1/3 Octave bandsThe audio spectrum from ~ 20 Hz to ~ 20 KHz
can be divided up into ~ 31 octave bands.

Octave Band
1/1 (standard) Octave bandsLower and Higher center frequencies are given by,

Fnlow = fn / 21/2 , Fnhigh = 21/2 x fn

Octave bandsLower and Higher center frequencies are given by,

Fnlow = fn / 21/4 , Fnhigh = 21/4 x fn

1/3 Octave bandsLower and Higher center frequencies are given by,

Fnlow = fn / 21/6 , Fnhigh = 21/6 x fn

Frequency Analysis
Problem- Find out the %Bandwidth (BW)
of 1/1, and 1/3 Octave band.
Problem-