AS 1055.

1—1997

Australian Standard
This is a free 7 page sample. Access the full version at http://infostore.saiglobal.com.

Acoustics—Description and
measurement of environmental
noise

Part 1: General procedures

 This Australian Standard was prepared by Committee AV/5, Acoustics, Community
Noise. It was approved on behalf of the Council of Standards Australia on
20 June 1997 and published on 5 August 1997.

The following interests are represented on Committee AV/5:

AirServices Australia
The Association of Consulting Engineers, Australia
Australian Acoustical Society
This is a free 7 page sample. Access the full version at http://infostore.saiglobal.com.

Australian and New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council

AUSTROADS
Bureau of Steel Manufacturers of Australia
Council of The City of Sydney
CSIRO — Division of Building, Construction & Engineering
Department of Defence
Ministry of Health, New Zealand
National Acoustic Laboratories
Royal Australian Institute of Architects
Royal Australian Planning Institute
The Institute of Marine Engineers Australia/New Zealand Division
University of Sydney

Review of Australian Standards. To keep abreast of progress in industry, Australian Standards are subject
to periodic review and are kept up to date by the issue of amendments or new edit ions as necessary. It is
important therefore that Standards users ensure that they are in possession of the latest edition, and any
amendments thereto.
Full details of all Australian Standards and related publications wil l be found in the Standards Australia
Catalogue of Publications; this information is supplemented each month by the magazine ‘The Australian
Standard’, which subscribing members receive, and which gives details of new publications, new editi ons
and amendments, and of wit hdrawn Standards.
Suggestions for improvements to Australi an Standards, addressed to the head offi ce of Standards Australia,
are welcomed. Notification of any inaccuracy or ambiguity found in an Australi an Standard should be made
without delay in order that the matter may be investigated and appropriate acti on taken.

This Standard was issued in draft form for comment as DR 95366.

 AS 1055.1—1997

Australian Standard
This is a free 7 page sample. Access the full version at http://infostore.saiglobal.com.

Acoustics—Description and
measurement of environmental
noise

Part 1: General procedures

Originated as part of AS 1055—1973.

Previous edition AS 1055.1— 1989.
Third edition 1997.

PUBLISHED BY STANDARDS AUSTRALIA

(STANDARDS ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA)
1 THE CRESCENT, HOMEBUSH, NSW 2140
ISBN 0 7337 1276 2
 AS 1055.1 — 1997 2

PREFACE

This Standard was prepared by the Joint Standards Australia / Standards New Zealand
Committee AV/5 on Acoustics, Community Noise, to supersede AS 1055.1 — 1989,
Acoustics — Description and measurement of environmental noise, Part 1: General
procedures . This Standard is based on ISO 1996-1:1982, Acoustic — Description and
measurement of environmental noise — Part 1: Basic quantities and procedures. This
Standard is a result of a consensus among representatives on the Joint Committee to
produce it as an Australian Standard. New Zealand has proceeded with a separate review
of its environmental noise Standard NZS 6802:1991.
It is Part 1 in a series of Standards on the measurement and assessment of environmental
noise. The objective of this Part is to serve as a general guide for the evaluation of
environmental noise in order to meet the needs of public bodies and persons interested in
its control. It applies primarily to noise emitted from industrial, commercial and
This is a free 7 page sample. Access the full version at http://infostore.saiglobal.com.

residential premises, and is intended for use in the evaluation of existing problems, as
well as for planning purposes. It may be used for noises which include impulsive
components, but it is not suitable for noise which consists solely of discrete impulses, e.g.
shooting, blasting.
The objective of this revision is to reflect the rapid technological advances in acoustical
measurement techniques. Although a sound level meter set on A-weighting and ‘F’
response may be used to make a quick assessment of a possible community noise
problem, more sophisticated instrumentation is now readily available and should be used
for the purposes of the AS 1055 series. A choice may be made between the time average
A-weighted sound pressure level or other descriptor(s) such as the percent exceedance A-
weighted sound pressure level as the basic quantity, or other quantities as specified by the
relevant regulatory authority.
This Standard is not a regulatory document and users should ascertain, from the relevant
regulatory authority, details of specific requirements laid down in each State or Territory.
Extensive research concerning the way in which human beings are affected by noise from
a single kind of source such as rail or road vehicles, aircraft or industrial plants, has led
to a variety of descriptors for assessment of different kinds of noise, many of which are in
common use. Conversion from one descriptor to another is often beset with significant
uncertainty.
If an acoustical environment were always dominated by a single kind of noise, the
confusion caused by the existence of different descriptors would not be so serious. But
often environmental noise is a composite of sounds from many sources, and the
distribution of the different kinds of noise is likely to change from moment to moment.
The methods and procedures described in this Standard are intended to be applicable to
sounds from all sources, individually and in combination, which contribute to the total
noise at a site. For certain types of sources more detailed procedures may be used, e.g.
reference is made to AS 1269, Acoustics— Hearing conservation , for situations where the
noise may cause hearing impairment. Specific measurements for road traffic, aircraft and
ship noise are dealt with in AS 2702 Acoustics— Methods for the measurement of road
traffic noise, AS 2021 Acoustics — Aircraft noise intrusion — Building siting and
construction and AS 1949 Acoustics — Measurement of airborne noise emitted by vessels
in waterways, ports and harbours respectively.
This Standard aims at providing authorities with material for the description of noise in
community environments. Based on the principles described in this Standard, acceptable
limits of noise can be specified and compliance with these limits can be controlled.
 3 AS 1055.1 — 1997

It has been assumed that the user of this Standard is adequately trained in the science of
acoustics and thoroughly experienced in noise measurement and assessment, but to
familiarize the user with some of the special terms introduced in this Standard, an
example of its application is included (see Appendix A). For further information see also
AS 2659 Guide to the use of sound measuring equipment , Parts 1 and 2.
The term ‘informative’ has been used in this Standard to define the application of the
appendix to which it applies. An ‘informative’ appendix is only for information and
guidance.
This is a free 7 page sample. Access the full version at http://infostore.saiglobal.com.

 Copyri ght STANDARDS AUSTRALIA

Users of Standards are reminded that copyri ght subsists in all Standards Australi a publications and software. Except where the
Copyri ght Act allows and except where provided for below no publi cati ons or software produced by Standards Australi a may be
reproduced, stored in a retri eval system in any form or transmitt ed by any means wit hout prior permission in wri ti ng from
Standards Australi a. Permission may be conditi onal on an appropriate royalt y payment. Requests for permission and information
on commercial software royalt ies should be directed to the head offi ce of Standards Austr alia.
Standards Austr alia wil l permit up to 10 percent of the technical content pages of a Standard to be copied for use
exclusively in-house by purchasers of the Standard without payment of a royalty or advice to Standards Austr alia.
Standards Austr alia will also permit the inclusion of it s copyright material in computer software programs for no royalty
payment provided such programs are used exclusively in-house by the creators of the programs.
Care should be taken to ensure that material used is fr om the current editi on of the Standard and that it is updated whenever the
Standard is amended or revised. The number and date of the Standard should therefore be clearly identif ied.
The use of materi al in pri nt form or in computer soft ware programs to be used commercially, with or wit hout payment, or in
commercial contracts is subject to the payment of a royalty. This policy may be vari ed by Standards Austr alia at any ti me.
 AS 1055.1 — 1997 4

CONTENTS
Page

1 SCOPE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .. ... ........ ... 5

2 REFERENCED DOCUMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . .. ............. ... .. .. . 5
3 DEFINITIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... .. ... ... .. ..... ... 5
4 SYMBOLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... .. .. .. .. ... ..... ... 8
5 INSTRUMENTATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ......... ... .. .. .. .. ... 8
6 MEASUREMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ....... ... .. .. .. .. .. . . . 10
7 INFORMATION TO BE RECORDED . . . . . . . .. .. ... ............. . . . 14

APPENDICES
A GUIDELINES FOR THE APPLICATION OF THIS STANDARD . . . . . . . . . 16
This is a free 7 page sample. Access the full version at http://infostore.saiglobal.com.

B DIAGRAMMATIC REPRESENTATION OF STEADY SOUND WITH

STEPPED VARIATIONS OF LEVEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
 5 AS 1055.1 — 1997

STANDARDS AUSTRALIA

Australian Standard
Acoustics— Description and measurement of environmental noise

Part 1: General procedures

1 SCOPE This Standard sets out general procedures for the description and
measurement of environmental noise including repetitive impulsive noise. This Standard
does not apply to the measurement or assessment of en route air, rail or water
transportation or road transportation on public roads. It also does not apply to noise which
consists solely of discrete impulses such as those encountered in shooting and blasting.
This is a free 7 page sample. Access the full version at http://infostore.saiglobal.com.

This Standard defines the basic quantities to be used for the description of noise in
community environments and describes basic procedures for the determination of these
quantities.
It excludes the setting of environmental noise criteria. Such levels are set by regulations
or organizational policy, not by Standards Australia.
In this Standard all sound pressure level descriptors are A-weighted.

2 REFERENCED DOCUMENTS The following documents are referred to in this

Standard:
AS
1055 Acoustics — Description and measurement of environmental noise
1055.2 Part 2: Application to specific situations
1055.3 Part 3: Acquisition of data pertinent to land use
1259 Acoustics — Sound level meters
1259.1 Part 1: Non-integrating
1259.2 Part 2: Integrating— Averaging
1269 Acoustics — Hearing conservation
1633 Acoustics — Glossary of terms and related symbols
2659 Guide to the use of sound measuring equipment
2659.1 Part 1: Portable sound level meters
2659.2 Part 2: Portable equipment for integration of sound signals
2680 Acoustics — Performance for tape recording equipment for use in acoustical
measurement systems
IEC
942 Sound calibrators

3 DEFINITIONS For the purpose of this Standard, the definitions given in AS 1633
and those below apply.
3.1 A-weighted sound pressure (pA ) — the root-mean-square (r.m.s.) sound pressure
determined by use of frequency-weighting network ‘A’ (see AS 1259.1).
3.2 Sound pressure level (L p) — the level of the root-mean-square (r.m.s.) sound
pressure in decibels given by —
Lp = 10 log10 (p/po) 2 . . . (1)
where p is the r.m.s. sound pressure in pascals. The reference sound pressure p o is 20 µPa
and does not need to be stated.

COPYRIGHT
 This is a free preview. Purchase the entire publication at the link below:

AS 1055.1-1997, Acoustics - Description and

measurement of environmental noise General
procedures
This is a free 7 page sample. Access the full version at http://infostore.saiglobal.com.

Looking for additional Standards? Visit SAI Global Infostore

Subscribe to our Free Newsletters about Australian Standards® in Legislation; ISO, IEC, BSI and more
Do you need to Manage Standards Collections Online?
Learn about LexConnect, All Jurisdictions, Standards referenced in Australian legislation
Do you want to know when a Standard has changed?
Want to become an SAI Global Standards Sales Affiliate?

Learn about other SAI Global Services:

LOGICOM Military Parts and Supplier Database

Metals Infobase Database of Metal Grades, Standards and Manufacturers
Materials Infobase Database of Materials, Standards and Suppliers
Database of European Law, CELEX and Court Decisions

Need to speak with a Customer Service Representative - Contact Us