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Noise Exposure Mapping inShopping Complexes UsingGeospatial TechnologyMohamad Arshad bin AwangaAlam Sekitar Malaysia Sdn Bhd, No 19 Jalan Astaka U8/84, Bukit Jelutong Business &Technology Centre, 40150 Shah Alam Selangor, Malaysia.KEY WORDS: noise, noise exposure, GIS, GPS, geospatialAbstractEnvironmental noise is a worldwide problem. Noise results from unwanted sound.Most of the people do not realize the noise exposure level in shopping complexes.Policies on noise control have been developed in Malaysia. Noise exposure studiesare carried out to support these policies. Since important decisions are based on theresults of noise exposure studies, it is not only important to quantify noise effects,but also to have information on the these exposure level. However the need forthis information is often discarded. Noise is a common occupational hazard thatleads to one of the most common complaints in the adult population seen by theotolaryngologist – noise induced hearing loss (NIHL). Sound intensity above 80dBA of a sufficient duration may cause temporary or permanent threshold shifts.NIHL is a problem caused by sounds of significant intensity and duration (Rosen,2001). The main objective of the study is to Mapping of Noise Exposure Level inShopping Complex. In order to achieve this, the following activities were carriedout:• Measurement and data collection of noise exposure level using Digital SoundLevel Meter (model 407736): Extech Instruments.• Measurement and data collection of shopping complex locations using RUSSAPocket PC + GPS receiver.• Analysis and Mapping of the Noise Exposure Level.• Development of Noise Exposure Database and Noise Exposure MappingInformation System (NEMIS) Application.This study was conducted in 10 selected shopping complexes in WilayahPersekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Putrajaya and Selangor.Continuous weekly data were obtained in 10 measurement points using SoundLevel Meter and Global Positioning System (GPS) devices. By using these datain geospatial environment, presentation of the noise information can be donedynamically to the respective user.1. INTRODUCTIONNoise pollution is more illusive than otherpollution problems. It is often mobileand it is variable through time and space.Further, noise pollution is a matter of humanperception related to personal tolerance andtaste.During the last 20 years there has beenincreasing concern with the quality of theenvironment. Along with air and watercontaminants, noise has been recognized as aserious pollutant. As noise levels have risen,the effects of noise have become pervasiveand more apparent. (NPC Library ProtectiveNoise Levels.htm, [referred on 5 October2006]).Noise pollution has become an importantfactor in the development of society, in termsof living comfort and also from an economicpoint of view. The exposure of individualsto noise can cause health problems; undercertain conditions can also affect the workefficiency and general quality of urban life.Community noise (also called environmentalnoise, residential noise or domestic noise)is defined as noise emitted from all sourcesexcept noise at the industrial workplace. Mainsources of community noise include road,rail and air traffic, industries, constructionand public work, and the neighbourhood. Themain indoor sources of noise are ventilationsystems, office machines, home appliancesand neighbours. Typical neighbourhood noisecomes from premises and installations relatedto the catering trade (restaurant, cafeterias,discotheques, etc.); from live or recordedmusic; sport events including motor sports;playgrounds; car parks; and domestic animalssuch as barking dogs. Many countries haveregulated community noise from road and railtraffic, construction machines and industrialplants by applying emission standards, andby regulating the acoustical properties ofbuildings.In contrast, few countries have regulations oncommunity noise from the neighbourhood,probably due to the lack of methods todefine and measure it, and to the difficultyof controlling it. In large cities throughoutthe world, the general population isincreasingly exposed to community dueto the sources mentioned above and thehealth effects of these exposures areconsidered to be a more and more importantpublic health problem. Specific effects tobe considered when setting communitynoise guidelines include: interference withcommunication; noise-induced hearing loss;sleep disturbance effects; cardiovascular andpsychophysiological effects; performancereduction effects; annoyance responses; andeffects on social behaviour. Since 1980,the World Health Organization (WHO) hasaddressed the problem of community noise.Health-based guidelines on communitynoise can serve as the basis for derivingnoise standards within a framework of noisemanagement.In general, noise can be define as unwantedsound, is a universal problem and most ofus have been affected by it at some time inour lives. Research into the perception ofenvironmental noise, such as that carried outin the National Noise Attitude Study, fundedby Defra and carried out by BRE in 1999-2000 showed that approximately 20% of UKrespondents reported that noise spoilt theirhome life to some extent, and 8% reportedthat their home life was spoilt either “quitea lot” or “totally”. As already mentioned,6 Buletin Geospatial Sektor Awam
the London Household Survey 2002 hasindicated that 13% of the people surveyedrated road traffic noise a “serious problem”.Although we are still trying to fullyunderstand the links between environmentalnoise and health, it is clear that noise cancause adverse effects on people, includingirritation, annoyance and sleep disturbance.(Department for Environment, Food andRural Affairs (Defra), 2004. Noise MappingEngland. The London Road Traffic NoiseMap)Sound and noise are defined as a vibratorydisturbance created by a moving or vibratingsource that is capable of being detected bythe hearing organs. Noise is specificallydefined as sound that is loud, unpleasant,unexpected, or undesired and may thereforebe classified as a more specific group ofsounds. The effects of noise on people caninclude general annoyance, interference withspeech communication, sleep disturbanceand, in the extreme, hearing impairment.(Caltrans, 1998).Noise is a common occupatianal hazard thatleads to one of the most common complaintsin the adult population seen by theotolaryngologist – noise induced hearing loss(NIHL). Sound intensity above 80 dBA of asufficient duration may cause temporary orpermanent treshold shifts. NIHL is a problemcaused by sounds of significant intensity andduration. (Rosen, 2001).With the advances of informationtechnologies, the study was done to evaluatethe capability of geospatial technology inanalysing and mapping noise exposurelevel in shopping complexes. The fieldwork data collected in shopping complexeswithin Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur,Wilayah Persekutuan Putrajaya and Selangorwere used to support the study. The fieldworkdata were collected using Digital SoundLevel Meter and RUSSA Pocket PC + GPSreceiver.2. OBJECTIVE OF STUDYThe main objective of the study is toMapping of Noise Exposure Level inShopping Complexes. For the pilot study, thefocus of the study was done on 10 selectedshopping complexes within WilayahPersekutuan Kuala Lumpur, WilayahPersekutuan Putrajaya and Selangor. In orderto achieve this, the following activities werecarried out:• Measurement and data collection ofnoise exposure level using DigitalSound Level Meter (model 407736):Extech Instruments.• Measurement and data collection ofshopping complex locations usingRUSSA Pocket PC + GPS receiver.• Analysis and Mapping of the NoiseExposure Level.• Development of Noise ExposureDatabase and Noise Exposure MappingInformation System (NEMIS)Application.3. LITERATURE REVIEW3.1 Definition of NoiseNoise is defined as “unwanted sound.” Inthe context of protecting the public healthand welfare, noise implies adverse effectson people and the environment. Noisescause hearing loss, interferes with humanactivities at home and work, and is invarious ways injurious to people’s healthand well-being. Although hearing loss isthe most clearly measurable health hazard,noise is also linked to other physiologicaland psychological problems. (Noise ControlManual, David A. Harris)Noise is a common occupational hazard thatleads to one of the most common complaintsin the adult population seen by theotolaryngologist – noise induced hearing loss(NIHL). Sound intensity above 80 dBA of asufficient duration may cause temporary orpermanent treshold shifts. NIHL is a problemcaused by sounds of significant intensity andduration. (Rosen, 2001).Noise is considered to be any unwantedsound that may adversely affect the healthand well being of individuals or populations.Physically, sound is a mechanical disturbancepropagated as longitudinal wave motion inair and other elastic or mechanical media,such as water or steel. Its main features aresound intensity, measured as sound pressureand frequency spectrum indicating thedistribution of the total sound over high andlow frequencies. The spectrum is importantwith respect to the effects of noise on peopleand with respect to the engineering costs toreduce the noise. (WHO, 1980).3.2 Definition of SoundSound is generated by creating a disturbancein the air, which sets up a series of pressurewaves fluctuating above and below the air’snormal at mospheric pressure. The pressurewave propagates in all directions from thesource of sound. Sound travel in the air at aspeed about 330 metres per second. Our earssense these pressure fluctuations, convertthem to electrical impulse and send themto our brain, where they are interpreted assound. (Quirroutte and Warnock, 1985).Sound can travel as vibration waves in solidsor liquids. The term airborne and structureborne sound are used depending on themedium the sound is travelling in time.When the medium in which the noise stars tospread from the source is air, the noise calledairborne; when it starts vibration betweenstructures, it is called structure borne. Thestructure borne noise occurs when wall,floor or other building elements are set intovibration by direct mechanical contact withthe source, such as mechanical equipment orfootstep. (Burberry, 1977).Sound and noise are defined as a vibratorydisturbance created by a moving or vibratingsource that is capable of being detected bythe hearing organs. Noise is specificallydefined as sound that is loud, unpleasant,unexpected, or undesired and may thereforebe classified as a more specific group ofsounds. The effects of noise on people caninclude general annoyance, interference withspeech communication, sleep disturbanceand, in the extreme, hearing impairment.(Caltrans, 1998).Freestanding source of sound movesoutwards in all directions forming a sphericalwave front. Sound waves can be reflected.Sound waves are propagated in straightlines, but if obstruction occurs, waves willdiffracted around the object. Sound intensitydiminishes in proportion to the square ofthe distance from source. (Limpscomb andTaylor, 1978).3.3 Global Positioning System (GPS)ConceptGPS (Global Positioning System) technologyis a worldwide radio navigation systembased on satellites. There are 24 satellitesthat revolve the earth round the clock. Thesesatellites have the capability to determinethe position of an object on earth that comesunder their line of sight. However, in order todetermine the position of an object on earth,GPS requires each of these objects to have aGPS receiver. These GPS receivers tune to aparticular frequency and listen to the signalsBuletin Geospatial Sektor Awam 7
Page 1 and 2: Edisi 2/2008ISSN 1823 7762CENTRALIS
Page 3 and 4: GIS Application for CrimeMapping an
Page 5: CONCLUSION AND FUTURE WORKSThis wor
Page 9 and 10: Figure 2: Digital Sound Level Meter
Page 11 and 12: S ound L evel vs L oc ation G raphS
Page 13 and 14: shopping complexes does not havebot

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