Article,
A field survey on effects of exposure to noise and vibration from railway traffic, Part I- annoyance and activity disturbance effects
Journal of Sound and Vibration, (1996)
Abstract
The paper presents some of the results from field investigations on
effects of exposure to noise and vibration from railway traffic.
Effects on annoyance, sleep disturbances and psycho-social well-being,
as well as disturbance of different activities, were evaluated by
a postal questionnaire. Effects on sleep and psycho-social well-being
will be presented in a second paper. Fifteen different sites located
near railway lines in Sweden were investigated. The study covered
areas with different number of trains per 24 hours in areas with
strong vibration exceeding 2 mm/s, caused by the railway traffic,
as measured in the buildings, as well as areas without vibration,
or with vibration weaker than 1 mm/s; 2833 persons between 18 and
75 years of age participated in the study. The results show that
railway noise is experienced as more annoying in areas in which there
is simultaneous exposure to vibration from railway traffic. Disturbance
of communication was the most frequently mentioned annoyance reaction,
outside and inside the dwellings, especially in areas with a high
number of trains per 24 hours. To ensure an acceptable environmental
quality where less than 5% of the exposed population is rather or
very annoyed by railway noise, these noise levels must be below 80
dBLAmaxand below 55Leqrespectively in areas without vibration. In
areas with simultaneous exposure to strong vibration, actions against
vibration or a greater distance between the houses and the railway
line is needed, corresponding to a 10 dB(A) lower noise level than
in areas without vibration.
