Date of Award

8-1973

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Abstract

The nature and scope of this study was an experimental research project designed to determine what effect the installation of carpet would have on the reduction of potentially harmful airborne and structure-borne noise levels emitted from standard industrial woodworking machines commonly used in school instructional programs.

The specific objectives formulated for the study were to (1) determine the feasibility of using carpet as a sound absorbent floor covering material to control the airborne and structure-borne noise emissions from selected woodworking machines, (2) determine the potentially harmful noise levels produced by various woodworking machines, (3) determine what effect the carpet installed on the floor would have on noise emissions produced when processing cherry, as a typical hardwood, (4) determine what effect the carpet installed on the floor would have on noise emissions produced when processing clear white pine, as a typical softwood, and (5) determine what frequency range readings would be affected through. the installation of carpet.

The seven woodworking machines tested for the purpose of this study were considered to be most widely utilized within present-day woodworking laboratories.

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The experimental study was conducted using a sound level meter to measure the amount of noise emitted by the machines. The initial readings were taken before the carpet was installed to provide a basis for comparing the experimental results. After installing the carpet, the noise emitted by each machine was measured in seven frequency bands and an overall dB (A) scale under the three test conditions.

1'.he conclusions drawn from this research project were (1) carpet utilized as a sound absorbent floor covering material significantly reduced the noise emissions in a majority of the test conditions, (2) the addition of carpet caused a significant decrease in all upper frequency ranges, and in some cases, shifted the higher poise levels to a lower range, and (3) the installation of carpet further indicated in a number of cases that the noise level was stabilized resulting in less fluctuation between frequency bands causing steady increases or decreases in the noise level.

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