MO-74-04-1 — Introduction to Tutorial Symposium on Noise Measurments

A general increase in the noise level produced by a greater use of noise producing equipment, a better understanding of the effects of noise on man, and a greater awareness by the general public about noise are among the many factors which have lead to the recent passage of many noise control laws on a local, state, and national level. These laws have placed demands on all industries to produce "quieter" equipment, which in turn has lead to a greater need for acoustical engineers. The engineering colleges and universities, however, cannot provide enough acoustical engineers to meet this demand. Thus, engineers already in the field, many of whom have had no formal training in acoustics, have been asked to fill the gap. In far too many cases, these engineers lack acoustical training. What we therefore need are acoustical training programs for engineers.

With this thought in mind, TC l.2 (Instruments and Measurements) thought it would be worthwhile to have an ASHRAE Symposium on Acoustical Measurements. This symposium is an outgrowth of that desire and will consist of four papers. This paper will serve as an introduction to the rest of the symposium and will define and discuss some of the terms used in acoustical work. The three other papers will deal with various aspects of acoustical measurements.