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With the advancement of China's construction industry and the rapid pace of urbanization, there has been heightened concern about and demand for improved construction environments. Rail transit projects commonly experience noise levels that exceed standard limits, resulting in a significant challenge posed by construction noise pollution. This issue not only disrupts the normal operations of construction sites but also profoundly impacts the mental well-being, auditory health, and nervous system of both construction workers and nearby residents. Consequently, effectively addressing construction noise pollution has emerged as a pressing issue. This study systematically reviewed domestic and international construction noise standards, integrating field research and noise monitoring data from construction sites. It provided a detailed analysis of the sources and hazards of construction noise and explored the source and propagation characteristics of construction noise from rail transit projects. The feasibility of controlling construction noise from various perspectives was investigated. Finally, the study analyzed the causes of construction noise exceeding standard limits, proposed layout strategies and control methods tailored to the stages of construction, and offered comprehensive noise control recommendations, culminating in a complete control process. This study fills a gap in research related to construction noise for rail transit projects, provides a valuable foundation for developing construction noise control objectives, and offers practical guidance on the implementation of measurement and control methods. These insights will help advance the field of construction noise control and management, and provide valuable insights for similar domestic rail transit projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Noise pollution is considered an important aspect of global environmental issues. The construction of urban rail transit is gradually increasing, leading to excessive noise pollution in rail transit projects. The noise during construction has negatively impacted both the construction workers and residents in the surrounding neighborhoods. Therefore, monitoring and managing the noise is very important. In this study, noise sensors and sound level meters were employed to monitor the noises produced in an urban rail transit project. Then, Cadna/A software was utilized to simulate the noise characteristics. Based on the results, it was found that daytime noise has a maximum of 89.5dB(A), which exceeds the standard. To alleviate the noise impacts, a noise reduction scheme was put forward. The implementation of the noise reduction scheme is predicted to have an effect, resulting in an approximate 10-20dB reduction in noise level. The implementation of the scheme will allow the construction noise of the case projects to meet the national standard. This study addresses the research gaps related to construction noise in urban rail transit projects and provides valuable references for the noise control of urban rail transit projects in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An assessment of workers at the mechanized mining face of coal mines was conducted in China. The survey on the current status of subject exposure to noise of coal miners was administered by occupational health investigation and detailed record of work days. The noise dosimeter measurements of 211 workers were obtained, including coal cutting, supporting, transportation, crushing, and auxiliary (such as air pressure, pump, and maintenance). A total of 56.4% of the LEX,8h exceeded 85 dB(A), and the average 8-hour equivalent sound level of the workers at the mechanized mining face of these coal mines was 91.2 dB(A). Within the noise frequency from 500 to 6000 Hz, there was a "V" shift in the displacement value of hearing threshold. At the noise frequency of 4000 Hz, the hearing loss N50 (dB) of workers reached the maximum. The longer the exposure time, the higher risk both in high-frequency hearing loss and noise-induced deafness. The risk of high-frequency hearing loss reached the high-risk level at 25 years of work, while the risk of noise deafness reached the high-risk level after 30 years of work. In addition, the Pearson correlation coefficient between the noise exposure time and the risk of noise-induced hearing loss was high and positively correlated. The results show that the production noise hazards at the mechanized mining face of coal mine are relatively large. High levels of hazardous noise exposure are typical in coal mines. The noise exposure data can help to develop more feasible noise controls for the employer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Population health, social development and the environment are important elements of sustainable development. This article uses the China People's Daily message board to collect environmental public opinion data, visualizes the public opinion hotspots of environmental based on word frequency statistics, and applies the Latent Dirichlet Allocations (LDA) topic model to analyze the spatial distribution of environmental risk perception dimensions. The conclusions are as follows: (1) in terms of the hotspots of environmental public opinion, the most frequent occurrences are the living environment, interest demands and noise pollution. (2) There is heterogeneity in the topic of environmental risk perception. The perception of pollution source types has the highest weight in environmental risk perception in the eastern, central, and western regions. Specifically, the types of pollution sources in the eastern that receive the most attention are garbage and noise pollution. In addition to paying attention to noise pollution, the central and western also have a higher perceived weight on the polluters. Residents in northeast are most concerned about changes in residents' health and living environment quality. (3) From the perspective of environmental risk perception, health perception has the highest proportion in northeast, followed by the eastern, and finally the central and western. Proportion of perception of interest demands is highest in the central region, perception of residential environment quality is highest in the northeast region, perception of pollution source types is highest in the eastern, central, and western regions, and lowest in the northeast region. Finally, some practical and feasible policy recommendations were proposed for different regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As rail transportation continues to advance, it provides significant convenience to the public. However, the environmental vibration and noise generated during its operation have become major concerns for residents living near rail lines. In response to these concerns, the "Law on the Prevention and Control of Noise Pollution" was promulgated in China, bringing attention to this issue within the rail transportation sector. This review summarizes the regular features observed in environmental vibration and secondary structural noise tests on different sections, including embankment sections, bridge sections, underground railroads and vehicle sections. Furthermore, it introduces several physical models utilized in the study of environmental vibration and secondary structural noise, focusing on three key aspects: excitation sources, propagation paths and the modelling of building structures. This paper also explores the introduction of data-driven models related to big data and artificial intelligence to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of research in this field and provides an overview of commonly used measures to control train-induced environmental vibrations and secondary noise in buildings. These measures are discussed in terms of excitation sources, propagation paths, and receivers, offering insights into effective strategies for mitigating the impact of rail transportation on nearby residents. Finally, this study highlights the primary findings and offers pertinent recommendations. These recommendations include considerations regarding both laboratory and on-site testing procedures, challenges associated with the deployment of data-driven models and key parameters for designing and utilizing low-stiffness fasteners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The late Eocene succession of the Dongying Depression forms a highly productive hydrocarbon source. However, due to lack of an unambiguous fine chronostratigraphic framework for the late Eocene stratigraphy, it is challenging to understand the paleolake's evolution and the driven mechanism of lake-level variation, a limitation which hinders hydrocarbon exploration. In this work, high-resolution gamma-ray logging data were analyzed to carry out the cyclostratigraphic analysis of the third member (Es3) of the Shahejie Formation in the Dongying Depression. Significant 405-kyr eccentricity cycles were recognized based on time series analysis and statistical modeling of estimated sedimentation rates. We abstracted ~57 m cycles of the GR data in the Es3 member, which were comparable with the long eccentricity cycles (~405-kyr) of the La2004 astronomical solution, yielding a 6.43 Myr long astronomical time scale (ATS) for the whole Es3 member. The calibrated astronomical age of the third/fourth member of the Shahejie Formation boundary (41.21 Ma) was adopted as an anchor point for tuning our astrochronology, which provided an absolute ATS ranging from 34.78 ± 0.42 Ma to 41.21 ± 0.42 Ma in Es3. According to the ATS, sedimentary noise modeling for the reconstruction of lake-level changes was performed through the late Eocene Es3. The lake-level changes obtained based on sedimentary noise modeling and spectrum analysis reveal significant ~1.2 Myr cycles consistent with global sea level variations which were related to astronomical forcing. Potential driven mechanisms of marine incursion and/or groundwater table modulation were linked to explain the co-variation of global sea level changes and regional lake level changes. Our results suggest global sea level fluctuations may have played an important role in driving the hydroclimate and paleolake evolution of the late Eocene Dongying Depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quiet areas, such as quiet communities, are encouraged to maintain a harmonious and peaceful urban living environment, and the design approach has drawn increasing attention in recent years. Related residential standards define the thresholds of quietness concerning noise pollution problems. However, the variations in height across floors of high-rise buildings and time in sound environments have not been detailed. The city of Shanghai experienced a citywide lockdown to contain the spread of COVID-19 showing the evidence of quietness with marked reductions in anthropogenic noise. Here, we conducted noise monitoring in a 14-story apartment building surrounded and shielded by other buildings in a typical urban community during and after lockdown. The mean value of the equivalent continuous A-weighted sound pressure level (LAeq) of all 14 floors after lockdown was higher than that during lockdown, and the differences were 3.6 and 3.1 dB during the daytime and night-time periods, respectively. The LAeq values at low heights were slightly lower than those at high heights during and after lockdown. The variations due to the different heights were not great. However, the change tendency from the ground to the top floors was similar and correlated during and after lockdown. The difference between the maximum and minimum values of the floors was 3 dB during the daytime period and 4.5 to 5.1 dB during the night-time period. The day equivalent continuous A-weighted sound pressure level (Lday) and night equivalent continuous A-weighted sound pressure level (Lnight) at the middle building height increased 4.0 and 1.3 dB, respectively, after lockdown. The LAeq change tendency during a daily cycle during and after lockdown was similar and highly correlated. The differences in the frequency characteristics of noise level were larger within the 63 to 2,000 Hz range. We suggest that the building represents a typical quiet living condition in high-density habitats in China. Notably, the difference is approximately 3 to 4 dB, and the patterns of variation in height and time are similar between the absence and limited presence of anthropogenic noise. In practice, it would be useful to consider specific floor level or time of day. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Gauge amount and visibility of exposure to green space at the granularity of activity episodes. • The amount of greenness boosts activity satisfaction. • NDVI indirectly promotes activity satisfaction by reducing perceived air pollution. • Real-time air and noise pollution have significant mediating effects on wellbeing. • Clear patterns of environmental injustice emerge for the disadvantaged groups. Understanding how mobility-based green space exposure influences momentary wellbeing is vital to promote life quality. Based on a survey conducted in 2017 characterizing residents' daily activities and environmental pollution exposure in Meiheyuan Community of Beijing, we use Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Green View Index (GVI) to gauge the amount and visibility of exposure to green space at the granularity of activity episodes. Structural equation models are formulated to examine direct influences of green space on activity satisfaction, mediating effects of real-time environmental pollution, and environmental justice under a dynamic activity context. Our results show that the amount of greenness boosts activity satisfaction, and that the direct relationship between green visibility and activity satisfaction follows an inverted U-shaped curve. NDVI indirectly affects activity satisfaction by reducing perceived air pollution. GVI influences both objective and subjective noise pollution, thereby inducing indirect effects on activity satisfaction. Moreover, clear patterns of environmental injustice emerge: individuals with lower monthly incomes, renters, and the unemployed face heightened environmental pollution, when compared to their more affluent, homeowner, and employed counterparts. These findings underscore the significance of larger parks and green spaces for direct satisfaction enhancement, while street vegetation reduces perceived noise pollution and promotes wellbeing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Noise pollution as a result of urbanization and socioeconomic development threatens human health and has become a major environmental problem worldwide, particularly for urban residents. Based on observed equivalent noise data of 113 major Chinese cities, a Bayesian spatiotemporal hierarchy model (BSTHM) was employed to investigate the spatiotemporal characteristics of urban noise pollution in China from 2007 to 2019. Meanwhile, the BART model was adopted to explore the drivers of urban noise pollution. The mean and medium of the equivalent noise of the 113 major cities decreased from 2007 to 2011 but increased from 2011 to 2019; the corresponding annual growth is 0.0793 dB and 0.0947 dB per year. The overall spatial pattern has a certain geographical feature. The cities located in the eastern and north-eastern coastal regions generally have a higher level of noise pollution, and the western and southwestern cities have a lower level. One hundred cities not only have greater noise pollution but also an increasing trend. Although the 52 cities located in Western China have less noise pollution, they have increasing local trends. The results indicate that economic and social factors are the main drivers of noise pollution of China; the explanatory power is 46.2%. Traffic factors are also relatively important drivers, of which bus ridership is the leading one. In terms of the natural environment, climatic factors, including temperature and relative humidity, and presence of green areas containing parkland and general green land are the main determinants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People' s well-being is the top priority in China. Improving rural residents' well-being is the key path and an important issue for China to promote rural revitalization and achieve common prosperity. Unlike most previous studies which analyzed the impact of measured environmental pollution on rural residents' well-being, this study used the data of the China Labor Dynamics Survey (CLDS) in 2018 to empirically analyze the impact of perceived environmental pollution on rural residents' well-being and further discussed its underlying mechanism. The results showed that: ① Perceived environmental pollution significantly reduced rural residents' well-being. Furthermore, compared with air pollution and noise pollution, perceived soil pollution and water pollution had a greater negative impact on rural residents' well-being. The benchmark results remained robust after using the propensity score matching, inverse probability weighting, and inverse probability weighted regression adjustment method to correct the selection bias, and the instrumental variable method to control the potential endogenous bias. ② Heterogeneity estimation results showed that perceived environmental pollution had a more significant negative impact on the well-being of rural residents with high education, low income, or living in central and western China. ③ Further mechanism analysis results showed that rural residents' physical health, mental health, and farming time had significant mediating effects on the impact of perceived environmental pollution on rural residents' well-being, where the mediating effects of rural residents' physical health, mental health, and farming time were 19.1%, 11.7%, and 5.4%, respectively. Based on the research conclusions, this study proposes that the government should continue to increase investment in rural environmental pollution control, especially in rural soil pollution and water pollution control, to further expand the positive impact of environmental pollution governance on rural residents' well-being. In addition, the government should also pay attention to rural environmental pollution control in central and western China and among low-income rural residents to narrow the 'well-being gap' caused by environmental pollution among lowincome rural residents and those living in the central and western regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exposure to natural environments has a range of health benefits, including enhancing psychological restoration and cognitive development. While there are various explanations on the causes for the benefits of the natural exposure, such as less air pollution and noise, more physical activity, stronger social interactions, or even more diverse microbial community, etc., this study has zeroed in on the air quality of the natural environment. In addition to low-level pollution, what makes the natural air superior remains unclear. To this end, we conducted a series of psychological evaluation and cognitive tests on a couple of subjects in a national forest park in southwest China. Based on the results, we built an artificial chamber where selected air parameters can be independently manipulated and carried out similar tests in the chamber. We came to the following conclusion. (1) Exposure to real natural environment demonstrated tangible benefits for cognitive performances and mental states and the benefits can be obtained to some extent in the artificial environment by creating air qualities similar to the air in the natural environment. (2) Scents in natural environments may be one of the key beneficial factors. (3) Adopting proper cognitive test is critical for distinguishing the differences made by the natural exposure. Working memory showed marked responses to the natural exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecoloyicai environment in China refers te the state of people's tiviny environmeni, which ie mainly represented in soii erosion, garbaye pollution, aie pollution, noise pollution and so on. The basic situation of ecoloyicai environment in China ic tat te yovemancc capacité ic far behind the speed of desfuction, and the ecoloyicai deficit is ymdually expandiny. Excessive deforestation, indiscaminate reclamation, exceediny huntiny, and random wild plants pickiny have been failed te be prohibited. Forest fires and pests and diseases are stilt vet serious threats te forestioc In this paper, based on the yeneralita of sustainable development, a systematic discussion was made te the framework theoa oS sustainable forestro development and sustainable Sorest manayement, followed by further exploration oS forest resources and sustainable development. Moreover, based on the investigation on related concepts of forest resources, review of historic process of forest resources, and analysis on the grim situation of forest resources, some countermeasures were proposed te care out the sustainable utilization of forest resources in Chcna. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural ventilation can cool down the indoor environment and improve the air quality of buildings without consuming energy. The configuration of an inner corridor with double-sided classrooms is widely used in school buildings because of advantages such as space-saving and compactness. However, the inner doors or windows on the corridor side of these classrooms are often closed due to the dispersion of pollution and noise between classrooms. To introduce more fresh air from the outside, this study proposes a novel design to set up a horizontal airflow channel through the building to provide cross-ventilation for classrooms on both sides. A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model was verified using experimental data and was employed to predict the airflow rate of the air channel by investigating different, sizes of air channels, wind directions, wind velocities and climate data, to assess the potential of the technology. The implementation of a channel area-to-floor area ratio of 2% (1.8 m2) provided an average increase in the ventilation rate of 215% on an annualized basis when applied and simulated in typical conditions from 10 different cities in China. This technology could be used to improve natural airflow rates in other buildings which use interior corridors in their design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Called by Green Ship of the Future to reduce the propeller noise pollution in the subsea environment and avoid the possibility of causing propeller–shaft–ship resonance, the low-frequency broadband noise (LFBN) of marine propellers was studied theoretically and experimentally. The spectral method is improved by considering the blade section thickness and anisotropy in the turbulence spectrum, both of which are found to be effective in improving the prediction accuracy when compared with the experimental results. A series of propellers with the same blade geometry but different blade number were tested in the large cavitation channel at the China Ship Scientific Research Centre. The peak values in all conditions were close to the first-order blade-passing frequency. The effects of blade number and the advance coefficient were investigated by testing the propellers operating under different conditions. The effects were also studied using both the spectral method and experiment, and the results were consistent. Furthermore, the quantitative dependence of the LFBN on the influencing parameters was investigated using the sensitivity analysis. The rotational speed and turbulence intensity were found to be the two main factors, with greater than 10% effects. In addition, the effects of thickness and anisotropy scaling factor were evaluated using the spectral method. The results of this study provide guidance for controlling the LFBN in propeller design and optimisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In China, noise pollution from substations in urban areas is becoming more and more serious. An annoyance evaluation of the noise emitted by urban substations is presented. First, the subjective evaluation is conducted on the noise samples from urban substations via the semantic differential method. Subsequently, according to the typical characteristics of urban substation noise, 14 acoustical metrics are used to describe the noise samples for objective evaluation. Then the correlation analysis and regression analysis between the objective and subjective evaluation results are carried out. Finally, a regression model for urban substation noise evaluation is established. Practical application shows that the regression model can correctly predict the subjective annoyance of urban substation noise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This study uses geo-narrative analysis to examine individuals' sound exposures and perceptions during their daily mobilities. • Daily mobilities are understood as actual movements and potentials for movements shaped by space–time constraints. • Data were collected using a mixed-method approach in a suburban community in Beijing, China. • Individuals' daily mobilities influence their sound exposures, psychological responses, and coping strategies differently. People's exposure to high levels of sound leads to psychological annoyance and stress. This study seeks to understand and conceptualize how human daily mobilities influence urban residents' sound exposure and psychological health involving annoyance and stress in their everyday lives. Human daily mobilities are understood as people's daily movement patterns and potentials for movements. Using a mixed-method approach, data were collected from 32 participants in a mixed-housing community in suburban Beijing in China. Each participant carried a portable sound sensor and a GPS tracker and recorded activity-travel diaries for a weekday and a weekend day to track their daily space–time trajectories, measured sound levels, and details of each daily activity and trip. Further, in-depth interviews were conducted to understand participants' perceptions of urban sounds and psychological health during their daily movements. Geo-narrative analysis was used to integrate these multiple data sources and gain an in-depth understanding of participants' daily mobilities, individual sound exposures, and perceptions of sound and psychological health. This exploratory study finds that urban residents are exposed to different sound levels and sources in multiple urban geographic contexts in the course of their day. Further, this study identifies how socially vulnerable and susceptible residents encounter difficulties in escaping from high levels of sound in different urban contexts due to their space–time constraints. This study not only enriches the knowledge of how human daily mobilities can influence individual-based sound exposure and psychological health. It also highlights the need to provide better sonic environments for socially vulnerable and susceptible groups in cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid development of the aviation industry has brought convenience and noise hazards, altering the modes of travel but adversely affecting public health. Noise pollution is one of the essential factors affecting public health. This study offers a comprehensive examination of noise pollution data associated with the aviation industry, focusing on an array of airlines operating over 400 domestic routes within China from 2014 to 2019. It scrutinizes the noise emissions during the Lateral, Flyover, and Approach phases. It employs European Union standards to derive a formula for noise compensation relative to passenger volume, elucidating the quantum of noise indemnity allocable per passenger. (1) An upward trend in noise emissions is observed annually within China's civil aviation sector, with marked disparities in emission levels across various airports and airlines. (2) The mean annual value of noise compensation has shown a general decline, with China Express Airlines assuming a principal role in these compensations. (3) There is a correlation between noise compensation, noise emissions, and passenger volumes. Utilizing aircraft with low-emission and high passenger capacities significantly reduces airline compensation costs and safeguards the health of passengers and nearby residents. • The noise of over 400 domestic routes within China from 2014 to 2019 are calculated. • European Union standards are applied to calculate noise compensation. • The mean annual value of noise compensation has shown a general decline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In communities, outdoor activity space is utilized most often by older adults and children, and the soundscape is very important for its quality. For different community planning modes, such as gated and open communities, focus should be on different soundscape enhancement strategies for outdoor spaces. In this paper, typical samples of activity spaces in a gated community and in an open community were used. The comparison was conducted through soundscape evaluation including an analysis of the dominance of various sound sources, noise annoyance, and the perceptual dimensions of soundscape. The results showed that noise annoyance in the gated community was significantly lower than in the open community, although the noise level was of no significance between the two communities. The community planning mode moderated the relationships among the soundscape perception parameters between the gated and open communities. To reduce noise annoyance in the gated communities, each sound source should be considered; in open communities, traffic noise only should be considered. In a gated community, adding natural sounds to reduce noise annoyance may be a feasible intervention; in an open community, this is not necessary. Besides, there was no relationship between noise annoyance and Eventfulness in an open community, indicating that noise annoyance was insufficient to explain the complex sound environment of the community. China's community planning will gradually shift from a gated community to an open community, making the soundscape of outdoor activity spaces likely to change dramatically in the future. The findings will help urban designers and managers to adopt targeted strategies to improve the soundscape and quality of life of community-dwelling older adults and children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at the problem that it is difficult to extract the characteristics of the draft tube pressure fluctuation signal under the background of strong noise, this study proposes a dual noise reduction method based on adaptive local iterative filtering (ALIF) and singular value decomposition (SVD). First, perform ALIF decomposition of the signal to be decomposed to obtain a series of IMF components, calculate the sample entropy of each component, select some IMF components to reconstruct according to the set sample entropy threshold, and then perform SVD decomposition on the reconstructed signal, and according to the location of the singular value difference spectrum mutation point, the appropriate number of reconstructions is selected for reconstruction, so as to achieve the double noise reduction effect. The ALIF-SVD dual noise reduction method proposed in this study is compared with the single ALIF, EMD, and EMD-SVD dual noise reduction method through simulation, and the correlation coefficient, signal-to-noise ratio, and mean square error are used to evaluate the noise reduction. It is found that the ALIF-SVD dual noise reduction method avoids the phenomenon of modal aliasing in the decomposition process, effectively removes the noise, and can retain the useful information of the original signal, and the noise reduction effect is better. A unit of a hydropower station in China is further selected as the research object, and its draft tube pressure fluctuation data were analyzed for noise reduction. It was found that this method can accurately extract the signal characteristics under strong noise background, so as to determine the type of pressure fluctuation of the unit, which is helpful to improve the fault recognition rate of hydraulic turbines. And it provides some technical support for the safe and stable operation of hydropower units and the promotion of condition-based maintenance strategy and improves the intelligent level of hydropower station operation management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The noise pollution on underground fully mechanized mining faces, which is significantly correlated with fatigue, harms the physiological and psychological health of field operation personnel over time. Effectively predicting the noise propagation and attenuation laws of fully mechanized mining faces and mitigating the physical and mental harm caused by a noisy operating environment to personnel has become a research focus. To explore the propagation characteristics of bad noise in a fully mechanized mining face, a coal mine in Henan Province, China was taken as an example, and the noise propagation and attenuation laws at three different excitation positions of sound source (left end, right end, and middle of roadway) were simulated via COMSOL software based on the acoustic theory of long space and the finite element method. Results show that when the excitation point of the sound source is located at two ends of a roadway, the noise declined from 105.7 dB to 54.5 dB within the 70-m range from the sound source, with the excitation point being the center. When the excitation point is in the middle, the noise decreased from the initial 105.2 dB to 51 dB within the 75-m range from the sound source, with the excitation point being the center. The sound pressure attenuation with the distance of the receiving point in the roadway presents a linear symmetric trend. In the entire roadway space, the sound pressure level at the receiving point attenuates rapidly in the region near the sound source, approximating a linear attenuation. When the receiving point is located at the roadway exit, the sound energy experienced minor attenuation. The conclusions provide a related reference for coal mine enterprises to arrange protective devices for operation personnel and conduct noise control from the perspective of the propagation process of sound energy to reduce the safety accidents caused by human errors from the perspective of ergonomics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades, the ecological environment has been increasingly challenged by the development of global industrialization and urbanization all over the world, even as global attention for health has raised dramatically. Common global environmental issues, such as air pollution and noise pollution, are associated with lasting impacts on health and contribute significantly to the overall burden of disease. Moreover, a global disparity exists between the burden of such environmental health issues and the global resources available to address this issue. To alleviate the environmental health impacts and ensure a sustainable future for human beings, China has made an important contribution to improving access to ecological protection, environmental governance, patriotic health campaigns, smart city construction, and so on. Experiences gained in China may be useful for some other countries, particularly the low- and middle-income countries with limited sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The take out industry is rapidly developing in China, but the environmental exposure of delivery men is neglected. "Ele.Me," an online food ordering platform, is one of the two largest catering online-to-offline platforms in China. From January 2018 to April 2018, data from 16,528 take out shops in Wuhan were crawled by using Python. The data included store name, average delivery time, delivery price, region, and store type. With the use of Baidu map's API batch reverse address resolution, the map locations of the take out shops were identified. Network service area was utilized to obtain the activity space of delivery men along the Wuhan traffic road network. Combined with the data on sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), ozone (O3), PM2.5, PM10, and noise provided by the Wuhan Environmental Protection Bureau, the spatial interpolation, regional analysis, superposition analysis, and other geographic information system spatial analysis methods were used to study the air and noise pollution within the activity space of delivery men in various take out shops. Results revealed the unbalanced environment faced by Wuhan delivery men. The exposure to NO2, CO, and PM2.5 was mainly concentrated in the central city, whereas the exposure to SO2, O3, and PM10 was mainly noted far from the city. Noise pollution was mainly observed in the districts of Hannan, Caidian, and Dongxihu; and the most serious pollution was recorded in Shamao Street. The weighted comprehensive pollution index model was used to calculate the contribution weight of each evaluation factor to obtain the results of environmental exposure to air pollution. The influence of noise was further considered to obtain the consequences of comprehensive environmental exposure to pollution. The highly polluted regions were those in the central part of the city. Pollution was mainly concentrated in the third loop, whereas Zhucheng Street in the Xinzhou District provided the best environment. The results of this study can serve as a reference for the physical health risk assessment of delivery men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to evaluate the airport's comprehensive service capabilities, this paper considers the impact of air quality and noise on the airport environment under the big data of air traffic activities. In this study, the concept of environmental traffic capacity and big data are applied to the air traffic field. Recently, the airport air and noise pollution has been widely investigated and has become one of the major concerns of the potentially exposed people. This study explores the usage of governmental ambient air quality and noise standards to evaluate the airport operation capacities in the context of the era of big data. The first step is to analyze the typical airport operation scenario as the evaluation scenario. The second step is to use the air and noise emission assessment model for calculating the airport maximum air pollutant concentration and noise level. The final step is to establish a complete airport environment traffic capacity (AETC) evaluation process. As a case study, the capacity evaluation of Nanjing Lukou international airport (NKG) is performed using the above steps. In this case, significant associations between the pollutant concentrations/noise level and the air traffic volume were observed. The AETC of NKG was calculated with the established evaluation process successfully. The results show that the NKG maximum hourly air traffic volume is 120, daily air traffic volume is 770, and annual air traffic volume is 365,805, meeting the China Ambient Air Quality and Noise Standards. Although different air pollutants were investigated in this research, only the NOx was found to be the species that approaching the China governmental standards in this case. Thus, the airport NOx concentration was selected as the AETC limitation factor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With astounding advances, China expressway construction has caused inevitable environmental destruction around the construction projects. A series of expressway construction-induced environmental problems is caused by the noise pollution of machinery and equipment in expressway construction, atmospheric pollution caused by fuel consumption, soil contamination caused by abandoned waste materials and gases generated by asphalt mixture during road paving, and increasing traffic volume. In this study, the literature regarding expressway construction-induced environmental pollution was combined by taking Changyu (Changchun-Yulin Lalin River) Expressway as an example. The impacts of expressway construction on the ecological environment were analyzed, and feasible treatment measures were proposed. Results show that the expressway construction in various countries across the globe aggravates the regional ecosystem damage unavoidably to a certain extent; The environmental impacts caused by Changyu Expressway are manifested at five aspects, namely, water environmental pollution, vegetation deterioration, heavy metal pollution, water and soil losses, and induction of geological disasters; The environmental impacts of expressway construction can be mitigated by reasonable route selection, strengthening planning and environmental protection, preventing water and soil losses, reinforcing atmospheric pollution detection, reducing sewage discharge, enhancing vegetation recovery, and relieving the impact on animal habitats. The study results serve as an important reference for identifying the sources of expressway environmental risks and lowering the environmental pollution caused by expressway construction to an acceptable level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Noise pollution has become the second major environmental issue after the air pollution. It negatively affects public health,animal and plant growth,that therefore seriously hinders the sustainable development of ecological environment. To obtain detailed noise distribution information,several countries have launched the noise mapping strategic action. This paper first summarizes the development roadmap of environmental noise sensing technologies in China,and discusses its current state. Then,a comprehensive survey of recent developments on acoustic sensor networks is provided in terms of system architecture,low-cost sensor node design,sound taxonomy and classification,as well as energy harvesting and mobile sound sensing. Based on that analysis,four open issues regarding energy-efficient sensing,lightweight sound noise identification,dependable wireless multimedia transmission and node deployment are identified. Finally,some insights for future research directions are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heat pump unit is a host device located in the central air-conditioning terminal, providing cold and hot water. Heat pump unit has the advantages of energy saving, environmental protection, easy maintenance, and so on. It is adopted to solve the problems of refrigeration and heating in ventilation and air conditioning from many engineering projects in China. When the equipment is turned on, however, the high noise generated by the heat pump unit has a very negative impact on the life and work of the surrounding residents. Therefore, noise reduction is needed to improve the environment quality. In this paper, the noise of the air-cooled heat pump unit of the square area in Shanghai was detected, the noise source was analyzed, and the corresponding noise reduction scheme was proposed. After the completion of the scheme, measurements indicate that A-weighted sound pressure level is less than or equal to 60 dB (A) during the day and less than or equal to 50 dB (A) at night, which meets the relevant national noise limit emission standards and conforms to the second-class quality standard of the acoustic environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various problems of traditional cast-in-place buildings, such as heavy energy consumption, severe environmental pollution, and low labour productivity, have hindered the development of the construction industry. Prefabricated buildings have a direct bearing on national economic development and transformation of people’s lifestyle because of their high economic, environmental, social, and safety benefits. The technological research and development level for prefabricated buildings and system policies in China are still in the initial stage, and the environmental performance and influencing factors of prefabricated buildings limit their large-scale implementation. The literature in developed countries regarding the environmental performance and influencing factors of prefabricated buildings was first reviewed in this study. Community A in Zhengzhou City, Henan Province was used as the case study. AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) was applied to measure the factors influencing the environmental performance of prefabricated buildings, and policy suggestions were proposed to improve their environmental performance. Results indicate that developed countries tend to construct prefabricated buildings in large areas because of their remarkable economic, environmental, social, and safety benefits. Measurement results of Community A in Zhengzhou City, Henan Province show that the main environmental pollution factor of prefabricated buildings is waste discharge, accounting for 40%, followed by noise pollution, energy consumption, and dust pollution. The environmental performance of prefabricated buildings can be improved by promoting their development, reducing their environmental pollution, establishing a standard prefabricated concrete system, enhancing the environmental standards for buildings, expanding the application scope of prefabricated concrete, encouraging environmental technology innovation of buildings, cultivating prefabricated building bases, and strengthening environmental governance of construction sites. The findings will serve as reference in determining the main factors influencing the environmental performance of prefabricated buildings, establishing an evaluation system for the environmental benefits of prefabricated buildings, promoting their improvement and optimized development, and enriching and perfecting an evaluation research system for their comprehensive benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Harbin Institute of Technology. Social Sciences Edition / Haerbin Gongye Daxue Xuebao. Shehui Kexue Ban is the property of Harbin Institute of Technology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

With the rapid development of the high-speed railway in China, the problems of the noise pollution induced by passing trains emerge. Theoretically, the V-shaped noise barrier is of pretty good performance of noise-reduction and load-shedding. To assess the practical aerodynamic deloading characteristics of the V-shaped noise barrier, a full-scale field test was carried out at three measuring-sections equipped with noise barriers of different heights. In order to quantify the research work, the impact strength and deloading rate were selected as indicators. The effects of train speeds, train types and barrier heights are studied. This study includes the variations of impact strength and deloading rate in vertical directions. Meanwhile, 2D numerical simulation research is conducted to analyze the experimental results from the angle of mechanism. It is observed that the aerodynamic load acting on the surface of the V-shaped noise barrier was weaker and more uniform compared with conventional barrier. The flow field distribution influenced the deloading characteristics of the V-shaped noise barrier significantly. Moreover, the load-shedding effect of V-shaped noise barrier, when CRH380AM passed by, was slightly better than CRH380A. The deloading rate improved with the increasing of the noise barrier height in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past three decades, about 0.93% of people moved from rural areas to cities per year in China. Therefore, understanding of the relationships among urban physical environment (UPE), economic development, and population growth are significant for China to realize sustainable urban development. Based on the concept and connotation of UPE and ecocity, the UPE evaluation system was constructed containing 6 first-level of indicators (i.e., climate, quality of ambient air and atmosphere, freshwater, wastewater, built environment, and noise pollution) and 13 second-level indicators. An entropy weight-TOPSIS model was developed in order to evaluate the UPE system, using the data of China's 36 main cities from 2003 to 2016. The coupling coordination degree (CCD) among the UPE, economy, and population was measured by a ternary CCD model. The results showed that (1) the UPE of 36 main cities showed periodic fluctuations throughout the 14 years, and the coastal cities and southern cities had superior UPE than the inland cities and northern cities, respectively; (2) the vast majority of cities' CCD had experienced steady upward trends. UPE, economy, and population promoted mutually in most of the cities, but in a few super cities, the economic development and population growth exceeded the capacity of UPE. Meanwhile, the CCD gaps between the northern and southern cities were significantly widened. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Traffic is the most noise source affecting acoustic quality of roadside secondary schools. • Road traffic noise and car horns are found to be the most annoying noises. • Exposure to higher classes of roads result in reduced student performance and satisfaction. • A regression model is obtained and tested between objective noise exposure and subjective evaluation. Abstract This study investigated impact of urban traffic on the acoustic comfort of roadside schools through both in-field measurements and on-site survey questionnaires. Six secondary schools were targeted, which are located near various types of roads in a prototype major city, Taiyuan, in the northern China. Noise levels were measured in front of the schools, in the schoolyard, and in the classrooms. The results indicated that noise pollution in these roadside schools was quite serious, and the school noise levels significantly correlated with the road traffic noise. The maximum measured equivalent A-weighted sound level (L Aeq, 20min , L Aeq) was 74.2 dB(A) near an expressway, which is 35% higher than the exterior threshold value (55.0 dB(A)) recommended by the World Health Organization. The on-site questionnaires revealed that all the students felt being disturbed by the road traffic noise and the degree of disturbance increased with the traffic level. Other noises (e.g., those from adjacent classrooms and that produced by student activities) were found acceptable. Further correlation analysis demonstrated a strong linear correlation between the level of road noise and highly disturbed respondents (R2: 0.928, p < 0.05). Consequently, the road noise level is a key factor that influences the acoustic comfort of roadside schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract China's high-speed railway system has made rapid progress in the past 10 years, but at the same time, it has brought noise pollution problems to the surrounding areas. The Baiyun Campus of Guangdong Polytechnic Normal University is located near the Wuhan-Guangzhou high-speed railway. To evaluate the impact of high-speed railway noise on student learning, the sound pressure levels, spectrum of frequencies, window attenuations and other parameters of the noise from the Wuhan-Guangzhou high-speed railway are measured. A maximum noise-level prediction model for high-speed railway noise is established based on the experimental data. The distribution of the maximum noise level in the school district is calculated used the established model and the effect of noise on student learning was discussed. The results show that the model prediction results are consistent with the experimental results, and the average absolute error is less than 2 dBA. Although the hourly equivalent noise level is in accordance with the environment quality standard of noise, the maximum noise level when the train is passing is still high, exceeding 65 dBA inside some classrooms and even exceeding 70 dBA in open space, which has a significant impact on student learning. The results of this study have important application value for assessing the impact of high-speed railway noise in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effect of a fragrant tree on the perception of traffic noise, aiming to reveal the interaction between odour and sound in urban environment. Field research investigations including on-site measurement and questionnaire distribution were conducted in two conditions (with and without fragrance) in four streets in Harbin, China, where lilac had been planted. The results showed that fragrance could affect the perception of traffic noise, which was reflected in increased overall comfort of the street, decreased annoyance caused by traffic noise, and improvement in auditory and olfactory satisfaction. The subjective evaluation of a street where double rows of lilac were planted was superior to that of single-row streets, and a decrease in traffic noise annoyance was more evident when the streets had lower traffic noise levels. The study also found that the higher the congruency of the fragrance and the environment, the more comfortable and less annoyed people were. Finally, familiarity, preference, and subjective intensity of fragrance did not correlate with overall comfort or traffic noise annoyance. • Revealed the interaction of audition and olfaction through field research method. • Proved the existence of fragrance would improve peoples' evaluation of traffic noise. • The higher the congruency, the lower traffic noise annoyance people may feel. • Familiarity, preference, subjective intensity didn't affect traffic noise annoyance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the methods of reducing elevated-road traffic-noise levels in rural residential areas by controlling the relative locations and morphological parameters and to investigate the effect of noise barriers on noise attenuation along elevated roads and building facades in villages. This study selected six morphological parameters and used noise-mapping techniques to estimate the noise attenuation in 60 village sites. The results indicate that 'quiet areas' increase by approximately 10% for each additional 100 m increase in the distance between the elevated road and the village. The best strategy for noise reduction is keeping the elevated road 1,000 m away from the village and raising the road height to 20 m. The building façade conditions only affect the traffic noise level attenuation when the buildings are within 100 m of the elevated road. It was found that the cost-effective length of the road noise barrier is 600 m on both sides of the village parallel to the road. The results highlight the importance of using morphology to improve the traffic noise resistance of villages. The landscape shape indices of buildings and roads are the most important parameters that affect the traffic noise attenuation of elevated roads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is a complex disease caused by environmental and genetic risk factors. This study explored the relationship between the genetic variations in the CASP gene and the risk of developing NIHL among Chinese workers exposed to occupational noise.Methods: A case-control study of 272 NIHL workers and 272 normal-hearing workers matched for age, sex and years of noise exposure was conducted. Fifteen single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in the CASP1, CASP3, CASP4, CASP5, CASP6, CASP8, CASP9, CASP10 and CASP14 genes were genotyped using the polymerase chain reaction-ligase detection reaction method. Using conditional logistic regression models, the adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of genetic variations associated with NIHL risk were calculated.Results: Two SNPs in the CASP3 gene were associated with NIHL risk. For rs1049216, TT genotype was associated with a decreased risk of NIHL (OR = 0.246, 95% CI = 0.069-0.886) when compared with the CC genotype. For rs6948, the AC and CC genotype were associated with a decreased NIHL risk (OR = 0.568, 95% CI = 0.352-0.916) compared with AA genotype. There were joint effects of working time and CASP3 polymorphisms on NIHL risk (P < 0.05).Conclusions: Genetic variations in the CASP3 gene and the joint effects of working time and CASP3 polymorphisms may modify the risk of developing NIHL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The noise in the metro station is synthesized from a variety of different noise sources. Excessive noise exposure will bring serious impacts on humans' health. To alleviate the shortage of the urban land, most metro stations are planning to develop convenience stores and shopping malls. In order to evaluate the potential noise impact on humans' comfort in the metro stations, this study selected four representative stations of Guangzhou Metro Line 1 to carry out a preliminary questionnaire survey of 226 respondents for the perception and perform a noise measurement. Additionally, platform screen doors as a potential method for noise mitigation were examined. The results show that the noise caused by trains was dominant in the metro stations; however, the noise impact by public broadcast and passengers cannot be ignored. The noise levels of the transfer stations were obviously greater than the normal stations, especially during the peak hours. In addition, people in the metro stations have potential exposure to noise that the noise levels exceed the criteria limit of China, which would bring discomfort for humans; however, the normal activities of people would not be impacted. The platform screen doors should be further improved or relevant noise mitigation methods should be taken into account to reduce the noise level within the criteria limit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Noise of substations with the voltage level of 110 kV–1000 kV was recorded. • The model about L Aeq and mean noise annoyance was developed through listening tests. • Control indices of noise at the boundary of substations were suggested. • The limits of sound pressure level of octave bands were specified by LFNR curve. Equivalent continuous A-weighted sound pressure level (L Aeq) underestimates the influence of low-frequency components of substation noise, so it is necessary to optimise control indices and emission limits of substation noise. To this end, 148 noise samples from 110 kV–1000 kV substations were selected. 280 subjects were randomly recruited for listening tests in which the 11-point numerical scale specified by ISO 15666-2021 was used. The mean noise annoyance (A m) of each noise sample was obtained to establish the L Aeq -A m model of substation noise. Meanwhile, the L Aeq -LFNR model was established based on the low-frequency noise rating number (LFNR) proposed by Broner. Based on these models, the LFNR corresponding to the limit of L Aeq could be determined. The limit of sound pressure level of substation noise was proposed at each 1/1 octave band from 31.5 Hz to 500 Hz and the limit-exceeding ratio for the existing substations noise of China was analyzed. Results showed that A m of 500 kV–1000 kV substation noise was 1.0 higher than that of 110 kV–220 kV substation noise on average when L Aeq was 25 dBA–80 dBA. L Aeq of the latter were 6.1 dBA higher than that of the former on average when A m was 1–10. It was estimated that utmost 20 % of substations need further to take noise control measures in order to meet the limit suggested by this study in China. Binding with the limit of L Aeq , the limit of sound pressure level at each octave band proposed according to equal noise annoyance can better evaluate the influence of substation noise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Light rapid transit (LRT) has been widely used in a number of Chinese cities in recent years. Different from plain cities, the urban areas in mountainous cities are featured with dense road networks and high density of buildings. The noise impact of urban LRT could be more complex and significant due to the special morphological conditions in mountainous cities. This paper aims to investigate the noise exposure of residential areas along LRT lines in a typical mountainous city, namely Chongqing in Southwest China, through a series of field measurements and questionnaire surveys. Eight typical spatial configurations were classified to represent the relationships between LRT lines and urban mountainous environment. Both the outdoor and indoor acoustic environment of residential areas along LRT lines largely exceeded the national standards by up to 15 dBA, with dominant at low frequencies. The LRT noises tend to be more dominant on the ‘below track’ and ‘passing through’ rather than ‘above track’ areas or ‘facing towards’ locations. Good agreements were achieved between acoustic measurements and subjective evaluations from the local residents. Residents in the noisier areas tend to be more annoyed and influenced by the LRT noise, and 63.2% of interviewed residents once were awakened by the LRT noise. Among various urban noise sources, LRT noise resulted in the largest percentages of highly annoyed residents (30.9%), and acoustic environment was identified by 42.2% of the participants as the most urgent environmental factor to be improved. The preferred control strategies for LRT noise are possible but limited in practice. Moreover, noise sensitivity and age might significantly affect LRT noise annoyance and impact, whereas window glazing and residence time have no significant influence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Construction noise has become a critical environmental pollution source with serious impacts due to rapid urbanization in China. However, studies on construction noise pollution throughout the country are lacking. Meanwhile, emerging social media enables real-time information exchange and can act as a society monitoring sensor. Accordingly, this study employs an innovative approach utilizing web crawler technology and text mining to investigate national construction noise pollution from public feedback on social media platforms. Results showed that construction noise pollution was more severe at around 4:00 am, while more serious in the morning than in the afternoon at the national level. At the regional level, construction noise is most pronounced in the second quarter, relatively light in the first quarter, and generally more severe in the northeast areas. Besides, a weak positive correlation was explored between the construction noise severity and regional economic development. Moreover, through the policy content analysis, the important measures summarized from regional policies were categorized into different groups with the demonstration of recommended practical policy settings. The framework and findings of this study provide a theoretical and practical reference and guideline for future environmental investigation, noise management strategy development, and related policy formulation. [Display omitted] • Social media data were first-time used to explore the construction noise in China. • Construction noise pollution was mapped and analyzed at the national level. • Construction noise pollution in the northeast regions of China was more severe. • A weak positive correlation was found between noise severity and economic status. • Important policy measures were identified into five categories, with recommendations indicated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence of the health impacts from environmental noise has largely been drawn from studies in high-income countries, which has then been used to inform development of noise guidelines. It is unclear whether findings in high-income countries can be readily translated into policy contexts in low-middle-income-countries (LMICs). We conducted this systematic review to summarise noise epidemiological studies in LMICs. We conducted a literature search of studies in Medline and Web of Science published during 2009-2021, supplemented with specialist journal hand searches. Screening, data extraction, assessment of risk of bias as well as overall quality and strength of evidence were conducted following established guidelines (e.g. Navigation Guide). 58 studies were identified, 53% of which were from India, China and Bulgaria. Most (92%) were cross-sectional studies. 53% of studies assessed noise exposure based on fixed-site measurements using sound level meters and 17% from propagation-based noise models. Mean noise exposure among all studies ranged from 48 to 120 dB (L eq ), with over half of the studies (52%) reporting the mean between 60 and 80 dB. The most studied health outcome was noise annoyance (43% of studies), followed by cardiovascular (17%) and mental health outcomes (17%). Studies generally reported a positive (i.e. adverse) relationship between noise exposure and annoyance. Some limited evidence based on only two studies showing that long-term noise exposure may be associated with higher prevalence of cardiovascular outcomes in adults. Findings on mental health outcomes were inconsistent across the studies. Overall, 4 studies (6%) had "probably low", 18 (31%) had "probably high" and 36 (62%) had "high" risk of bias. Quality of evidence was rated as 'low' for mental health outcomes and 'very low' for all other outcomes. Strength of evidence for each outcome was assessed as 'inadequate', highlighting high-quality epidemiological studies are urgently needed in LMICs to strengthen the evidence base., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Abstract: Several residential areas in Dalian, north of China, were selected to investigate the influence of combined traffic noise pollution on urban residents. The software Cadna/A was used to estimate the day-night equivalent noise level (L dn) at 1m from the windows of each building, which were modified according to the actual data. Annoyance has been identified as the most important psychological impact of noise. A face-to-face survey on annoyance was carried out among 1536 local residents between the ages of 15 and 75 years. In this study, the relationship between the percentage of “highly annoyed” persons (%HA) and L dn was determined. The L dn was measured and identified as railway dominant noise, road traffic dominant noise or road–rail combined traffic noise. We find that when L dn >63.5 dB, the %HA due to the road–rail combined traffic noise was significantly higher than that due to the one dominant noise source with the same L dn. Thus, it is suggested that the planning permission buildings whose L dn of road–rail combined traffic noise exceeds 63.5–dB be reviewed more strictly. The relationships between %HA induced by different traffic noise and the distance to transportation artery (s) were analyzed. The results showed that as the distance to transportation artery increased, the %HA due to different traffic noise gradually decreased. Furthermore, the %HA due to the road traffic dominant noise at close range (1m≤ s ≤50m) was lower than that at a more remote location (51m≤ s ≤100m), which might be ascribed to the greater tolerance of the noise by the residents. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This article reports the results of a questionnaire survey examining the effects of sound on office productivity and assessing the relationship between changes in office productivity and noise sources as well as five environmental and office design factors, namely temperature, air quality, office layout, sound and lighting. The convenience sample for the survey comprised 259 office workers in 38 air-conditioned offices in Hong Kong. The subjects were requested to complete the questionnaires themselves. The results show that among the five environmental and office design factors examined, sound and temperature were the principal factors affecting office productivity. A strong and significant correlation was also found between changes in office productivity and sound, temperature and office layout. Participants were separated into low- and high-productivity groups using the mean productivity score of all participants as the cut-point. The three most annoying noise sources, including conversation, ringing phones and machines, differed little in mean annoyance scores for the low- and high-productivity participants, indicating that they had a significant negative impact on all participants. The results also indicate that low-productivity participants were easily influenced by noises such as background noise, closing doors, and human activity, as well as those coming from both inside and outside the office.Practical applications: This study evaluates the effects of sound and other environmental and office design factors on office productivity. It suggests that sound is a principal factor affecting office productivity in modern air-conditioned offices. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In 1960, Ronald Coase suggested that there are many methods to solve the problem of externalities apart from imposing Pigovian taxes. Internalisation is one of those noted in his classic paper, 'The Problem of Social Cost'. This paper studies the possibility of residents receiving compensation from pollutant generators. Data collected from Hong Kong law reports over the past 20 years show that there is forty-fold increase in number of water seepage court cases since the first case in 1994. The total amount of compensation has also increased greatly. There are, however, far fewer court cases where residents seek compensation from generators of noise and air pollution. This may reflect a combination of high transaction costs and low expected benefits from such cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A survey of community annoyance induced by aircraft noise exposure was carried out around Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport. To investigate the relationship curves between aircraft noise and the percentage of "highly annoyed" persons in China and also to get annoyance threshold of aircraft noise in China. Noise annoyance induced by aircraft noise exposure was assessed by 764 local residents around the airport using the International Commission on Biological Effect of Noise (ICBEN) scale. The status quo of aircraft noise pollution was measured by setting up 39 monitoring points. The interpolation was used to estimate the weighted effective continuous perceived noise levels ( L̅WECPN ) in different areas around the airport, and the graph of equal noise level contour was drawn. The membership function was used to calculate the annoyance threshold of aircraft noise. Data were analyzed using SPSS 16.0 and Origin 8.0. The results showed that if L̅WECPN was 64.3 dB (Ldn was 51.4 dB), then 15% respondents were highly annoyed. If L̅WECPN was 68.1 dB (Ldn was 55.0 dB), then 25% respondents were highly annoyed. The annoyance threshold of aircraft noise ( L̅WECPN ) was 73.7 dB, while the annoyance threshold of a single flight incident instantaneous noise level (LAmax) was 72.9 dB. People around the airport had felt annoyed before the aircraft noise L̅WECPN reached the standard limit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The method of calculating interchange noise was studied according to geometric alignment. By using vehicle speed as starting point, the relationship was fitted between noise levels and vehicle speed. For the calculation of ramp noise, the thesis defined the concepts and calculation method of relative equivalent sound energy according to the definition of equivalent sound level, determined the total noise energy by using the method of adding noise energy in uniform motion segment to the one in variable motion segment, and established the functional relationship between relative equivalent energy and the length of ramps. Under the definition of equivalent sound level, the noise level of left-turn ramp and right-turn ramp were deduced by the method of ramp length integral operation. For the calculation of the main line noise, the formula of the main line noise level was deduced according to the relationship among the mainline design speed, noise level and vehicle speed. The total interchange noise was obtained by the superposition of noise level in each main line and ramp. Heda interchange in Heilongjiang province was taken for example. The result shows that this method can solve the calculation problem of noise pollution in interchange ramp variable motion segment, and can connect the noise pollution produced by traveling vehicles with the interchange geometric alignment. When the interchange geometric alignment design conditions are known, the noise pollution can be calculated and the results can be used to quantitatively evaluate the degree of interchange noise pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forecasting and preventing urban noise pollution are major challenges in urban environmental management. Most existing efforts, including experiment-based models, statistical models, and noise mapping, however, have limited capacity to explain the association between urban growth and corresponding noise change. Therefore, these conventional methods can hardly forecast urban noise at a given outlook of development layout. This paper, for the first time, introduces a land use regression method, which has been applied for simulating urban air quality for a decade, to construct an urban noise model (LUNOS) in Dalian Municipality, Northwest China. The LUNOS model describes noise as a dependent variable of surrounding various land areas via a regressive function. The results suggest that a linear model performs better in fitting monitoring data, and there is no significant difference of the LUNOS's outputs when applied to different spatial scales. As the LUNOS facilitates a better understanding of the association between land use and urban environmental noise in comparison to conventional methods, it can be regarded as a promising tool for noise prediction for planning purposes and aid smart decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]