scope:

This American National Standard specifies an engineering method for calculating the attenuation of sound during propagation outdoors in order to predict the levels of environmental noise at a distance from a variety of sources. The method predicts the equivalent continuous A-weighted sound pressure level (as described in parts 1 to 3 of ISO 1996) under meteorological conditions favorable to propagation from sources of known sound emission.

These conditions are for downwind propagation, as specified in 5.4.3.3 of ISO 1996-2:1987 or, equivalently, propagation under a well-developed moderate ground-based temperature inversion, such as commonly occurs at night. Inversion conditions over water surfaces are not covered and may result in higher sound pressure levels than predicted from this American National Standard.

The method also predicts a long-term average A-weighted sound pressure level as specified in ISO 1996-1 and ISO 1996-2. The long-term average A-weighted sound pressure level encompasses levels for a wide variety of meteorological conditions.

The method specified in this American National Standard consists specifically of octave-band algorithms (with nominal midband frequencies from 63 Hz to 8 kHz) for calculating the attenuation of sound which originates from a point sound source, or an assembly of point sources. The source (or sources) may be moving or stationary. Specific terms are provided in the algorithms for the following physical effects:

- geometrical divergence;

- atmospheric absorption;

- ground effect;

- reflection from surfaces;

- screening by obstacles.

Additional information concerning propagation through housing, foliage and industrial sites is given in annex A.

This method is applicable in practice to a great variety of noise sources and environments. It is applicable, directly or indirectly, to most situations concerning road or rail traffic, industrial noise sources, construction activities, and many other ground-based noise sources. It does not apply to sound from aircraft in flight, or to blast waves from mining, military or similar operations.

To apply the method of this American National Standard, several parameters need to be known with respect to the geometry of the source and of the environment, the ground surface characteristics, and the source strength in terms of octave-band sound power levels for directions relevant to the propagation.

NOTE 1 If only A-weighted sound power levels of the sources are known, the attenuation terms for 500 Hz may be used to estimate the resulting attenuation.

The accuracy of the method and the limitations to its use in practice are described in clause 9.