Proposal of a procedure assessing the annoyance of low-frequency noise and infranoise

It is well known that low-frequency noise is strongly annoying a part of the people even at levels near the hearing threshold. Upcoming with the wind turbines, complaints are increasingly focused on noise in the infrasound range. Also noise with an especially annoying character by amplitude modulation is more in the discussion. The aim of the proposed procedure is to combine proven procedural steps in assessing low-frequency noise with new ones. These extend the covered infrasound range and extend the processing and assessing of special sound characteristics. The characteristics are spectrally and temporally defined. 23 experienced listeners appraised 101 wide-varied stimuli and rated the more or less increased annoyance caused by the special characteristics. The outcome are additional psychoacoustically based noise quantities, which can be calculated from acoustical measurands. The result is checked by data (measurements and comments) collected during investigations of complaints.