Auralisation

Auralisation makes it possible to hear what planned outdoor noise sources such as wind turbines or roads will sound like in various landscapes.

Simulates sounds

When planning new wind turbine parks, motorways or railways, residents and the environment are increasingly being taken into account, also when it comes to noise issues. This development has led to a need for being able to simulate how a new installation will sound for the residents of the area. The tool which simulates sounds in this way is called auralisation and can be used for public meetings, debates and for assessing the nuisance caused by noise.

Benefits manufacturers

Auralisation can be used by manufacturers of wind turbines or traffic engineers, for example during the development phase to create the lowest-impact result for the area's surroundings.

Outdoor noise sources

DELTA can auralise outdoor noise sources in various landscapes and weather conditions. We create sound files with a starting point based on the existing sound picture at the site to show how it will sound with the new noise source. The sound files can either be played via headphones or loud speaker systems, for example at public meetings or large gatherings.

Annoyance effect

In some cases there is a need for more precise investigation of the perceived annoyance. Here, we make use of our wide experience with artificial head recordings for listening tests and our expert knowledge of psychoacoustics. This includes among other a deep knowledge of how humans perceive various noises in different situations. We have the necessary insight and experience to draw conclusions on how a given sound will be perceived by neighbours and other people affected. 

We know what we are talking about

For over 40 years, DELTA has been working with acoustics, noise and vibration. We advise companies, building owners, authorities and individuals. Credibility is the key, and DELTA has around 30 acousticians at its disposal, all with their unique knowledge. We are accredited by DANAK to carry out measurements and calculations in all branches of acoustics.

Annoyance project (Danish: Genlyd): Assessments of annoyance effect of noise from wind turbines

In 2003-06, DELTA carried out a research project into perceived annoyance of noise from wind turbines, road traffic, office machinery, etc. Auralisation was used to simulate how the noise from wind turbines was perceived at different distances with and without natural background noise (vegetation noise).

The project included recordings of various wind turbines, auralisation of the recordings at relevant distances and listening tests using 20 selected subjects. The results were presented at an international wind turbine conference in Lyon, France, in 2007. The results showed how auralisation can be used to assess the components of the noise from the turbines such as the whirring of the blades and sounds at different distances and under the influence of background noise.