NEW ASPECTS OF MEASURING NOISE AND VIBRATION

Measuring noise, sound quality or acoustical comfort presents a difficult task for the acoustic engineer. Sound and noise are ultimately jugded by human beings acting as analysers. Regulations for determining noise levels are based on A-weighted SPL measurement performed with only one microphone. This method of measurement is usually specified when determining whether the ear can be physically damaged. Such a simple measurement procedure is not able to determine annoyance of sound events or sound quality in general. For some years investigations with binaural measurement analysis technique have shown new possibilities for the objective determination of sound quality. By using Artificial Head technology /1/, /2/ in conjunction with psychoacoustic evaluation algorithms - and taking into account binaural signal processing of human hearing, considerable progress regarding the analysis of sounds has been made. Because sound events often arise in a complex way, direct conclusions about components subjectively judged to be annoying with regard to their causes and transmission paths, can be drawn in a limited way only. A new procedure, complementing binaural measurement technology combined with mulit-channel measuements of acceleration sensor signals has been developed. This involves correlating signals influencing sound quality, analyzed by means of human hearing, with signals form different acceleration sensors fixed at different positions of the sound source. Now it is possible to recognize the source and the transmission way of those signals which have an influence on the annoyance of sound.