Construction Noise—Its Origin and Effects

Construction noise as a source of community noise pollution is reviewed. The review, divided into five parts, is written so that an engineer not familiar with acoustics can be aware of the environmental effect of the large number of construction projects underway in the United States. The five parts consist of: (1) a review of recent noise legislation and standards with which to measure construction noise; (2) the physiological and psychological aspects of exposure to excessive noise; (3) the current technology with regard to reducing the noise radiation from construction equipment; (4) the impact upon the community in terms of the number of people exposed to excessive noise levels; and (5) a review of the efforts underway by the construction industry to reduce construction noise.