Svantek’s sound and vibration level meters cater to various applications. They are utilized to assess potential health hazards linked to hand-arm vibrations and to monitor daily noise exposure in professional settings, in line with ISO standards. For sound measurement, Svantek instruments precisely capture vibrational details and employ the Speech Transmission Index (STIPA) to evaluate speech quality. For individuals in the construction and architecture sectors, these tools are pivotal in measuring vibrations in buildings and terrains and in assessing building acoustics as prescribed by ISO 16283. Prioritizing environmental health, these products are designed to record environmental noise, adhering to the ISO 1996 standards.
Generally, there are two methods of building vibration measurements: one that uses PPV method with the FFT for dominant frequency analysis and second that analyses vibrations in 1/3 octave bands. Both methods use different criteria for building damage and they might interpret the same vibration event differently.
The ISO 1996 standards series describe assessment of environmental noise. The methods and procedures are intended to be applicable to noise from various sources, individually or in combination, which contribute to the total exposure at a site.
Sound is a sensation perceived by the human ear resulting from rapid fluctuations in air pressure. These fluctuations are usually created by some vibrating object which sets up longitudinal wave motion in the air. Sound measurements provide definite quantities which describe and rate sounds.
Hand-arm vibration is usually complex and may be the result of the construction of the device, structural defects or its usage. During human contact with the surface of the vibrating machine, mechanical vibrations are transmitted directly to the human body, affecting the individual tissues or even the whole body.
Machine Vibration Measurements typically based on analysis of the vibration frequency, displacement, velocity, and acceleration.
The occupational noise measurement is based on assessment of daily noise exposure level (LEX, 8h) defined by ISO 1999. The LEX,8h is basically a 8-hours extrapolation of LAeq measured over the working hours. The Directive set up limits for LEX, 8h: 87 dBA as the daily limit, 85 dBA as the upper action value and 80 dBA as the lower action.
ISO 2631-1 defines methods of whole-body vibration measurements in the frequency range from 0.5 Hz to 80 Hz for health, comfort and perception and from 0.1 Hz to 0.5 Hz for motion sickness. The vibration evaluation according to this part of ISO 2631 is based on measurements of the weighted root-mean-square (RMS) vibration acceleration.
Speech Transmission Index is a measure of speech transmission quality. STIPA is a version of the STI using a simplified method and test signal.
Building acoustics as described in ISO 16283 takes into consideration airborne and impact and facade sound insulation in buildings.
