Community response to noise can vary differently among sound sources that are observed to have the same acoustic levels. This part of ISO 1996 describes adjustments for sounds that have different characteristics. The term “rating level” is used to describe physical sound predictions or measurements to which one or more adjustments have been added. On the basis of these rating levels, the long-term community response can be estimated.
This part of ISO 1996 does not specify limits for environmental noise.
NOTE 1 In acoustics, several different physical measures describing sound can have their level expressed in decibels (e.g. sound pressure, maximum sound pressure, and equivalent continuous sound pressure). The levels corresponding to these physical measures normally will differ for the same sound. This often leads to confusion.
Therefore, it is necessary to specify the underlying physical quantity (e.g. sound pressure level, maximum sound pressure level, and equivalent continuous sound pressure level).
NOTE 2 In this part of ISO 1996, quantities are expressed as levels in decibels. However, some countries validly express the underlying physical quantity, such as maximum sound pressure, in pascal or sound exposure in pascal-squared seconds.
NOTE 3