Noise emissions of a mail processing and distribution center: a case study

Noise emissions in workplaces are a well-known problem. However, in some cases, the geometrical and acoustic characteristics of workplaces may determine that typical noise abatement solutions are not convenient in terms of cost-benefit ratio. In this paper, a case study is analysed consisting in a mail processing and distribution center. A measurement campaign was carried out: equivalent sound pressure levels were measured in fifty receptors. Reverberation time of the workplace room was measured too. An intensimetric analysis was made in order to determine the acoustic power levels of the main noise sources in the workplace room (the automated worklines for mail accumulation, codification and sorting). A numerical model by Ramsete software was built and calibrated by the measurement results; different noise abatement solutions were designed and their performances were simulated. Simulation results showed that, in the proposed case study, the geometrical and acoustic characteristics of the workplace room make not suitable, in terms of cost-benefit ratio, the proposed typical noise abatement solutions; a critical analysis was made to justify the results and to determine the problems to be solved for an acoustic comfort improvement.