Romain Dumoulin

A review of transport noise management plans in large North American and European cities

Noise management plans of large cities are diverse along many factors, such as the responsibilities amd interactions at different levels of governance (national vs. local) and definition of noise (measurement-reliant vs. subject-centered). More specifically, for the regulation of transportation noise, there are various ways these sources are identified (by source type or acoustic signal properties), managed (time of day, zoning, and context), and controlled (police v. specialized departments, complaint systems, treatment of private v. public sources). The regulations, official communications and plans for transport noise are analyzed for 20 major North American and European cities (> 500,000 inhabitants) in order to assess current noise management strategies. Over the past 15 years, an extensive body of academic literature has provided grounds for a soundscape approach to urban noise where “appropriate” sounds can be used to positive effect. Current management plans are also examined for existing applications of this soundscape approach. Results will assist in highlighting trends and will feed into the development of best practices for noise management and regulation in large cities. This review is part of a larger project (Sounds in the City), a collaborative research effort with the City of Montreal, to shape the future of urban noise management.Noise management plans of large cities are diverse along many factors, such as the responsibilities amd interactions at different levels of governance (national vs. local) and definition of noise (measurement-reliant vs. subject-centered). More specifically, for the regulation of transportation noise, there are various ways these sources are identified (by source type or acoustic signal properties), managed (time of day, zoning, and context), and controlled (police v. specialized departments, complaint systems, treatment of private v. public sources). The regulations, official communications and plans for transport noise are analyzed for 20 major North American and European cities (> 500,000 inhabitants) in order to assess current noise management strategies. Over the past 15 years, an extensive body of academic literature has provided grounds for a soundscape approach to urban noise where “appropriate” sounds can be used to positive effect. Current management plans are also examined for existing applicat...

Calibration of smartphone-based devices for noise exposure monitoring: Method, implementation, and uncertainties of measurement

Standardized noise exposure campaigns have as their principle disadvantages the cost of instrumentation and the difficulties associated with practical deployment in the field. Our ongoing research evaluates the suitability of an alternate solution based on smartphone sensing: the occupational noise exposure and its associated measurement uncertainties are estimated from a spatio-temporal analysis of smartphones noise measurements and GPS data. This paper presents a diffuse field calibration method for such smartphone-based devices. The measurements methods and the calculation of expanded uncertainties for a large range of sound levels are detailed. The calibration corrections include a frequency response linearization and an A-weighted sound level correction, which is function of the C-A spectral balance of the sound pressure levels measured. To later ensure a realistic correction, these spectral balance values come from distribution of referenced industrial noise databases. An Android™ “app” has also bee...

A hearing-care toolkit for young musicians: Combined use of a noise dose measurement app and acoustical manekin

Within a joint initiative with the Schulich School of Music at McGill University, the authors developed an original approach to raise awareness about hearing health by combining a participative assessment with a novel noise exposure risk indicator. The overall noise exposure is estimated using two complementary measurement systems addressing, respectively, the contribution determined by (i) the use of portable music players and (ii) music and non-music activities. The first system is a “listening-level measuring kiosk,” a freely accessible station on which students can place their own headphones or earphones and playback (at their preferred listening levels) music excerpts from their own playlist on an acoustical manikin. The second system is a personal, smartphone-based, “noise exposure” portable measurement device. Users start with an initial training and an audiometry screening, followed by the collection of exposure data during a 4-week assessment period. Personalized results are provided based on individual exposure profile and initial audiogram. The validation of the design of a novel noise exposure risk indicator is based on the feedback from a focus group of young musicians. This paper describes the measurement systems, assessment process, and preliminary results from the ongoing pilot studies.Within a joint initiative with the Schulich School of Music at McGill University, the authors developed an original approach to raise awareness about hearing health by combining a participative assessment with a novel noise exposure risk indicator. The overall noise exposure is estimated using two complementary measurement systems addressing, respectively, the contribution determined by (i) the use of portable music players and (ii) music and non-music activities. The first system is a “listening-level measuring kiosk,” a freely accessible station on which students can place their own headphones or earphones and playback (at their preferred listening levels) music excerpts from their own playlist on an acoustical manikin. The second system is a personal, smartphone-based, “noise exposure” portable measurement device. Users start with an initial training and an audiometry screening, followed by the collection of exposure data during a 4-week assessment period. Personalized results are provided based on ind...