Journal of Emerging Trends in Engineering and Applied Sciences: Research Areas

Article Title: An Investigation of the Impact of Aircraft Noise from Osubi Airstrip, Warri, Delta State, Nigeria, on the Surrounding Residential Environment
by Eze, C. L. Akari,J. and Ogunbona,T.

Abstract:
Noise pollution has been recognized as a major threat to human well-being and aircraft noise has been seen as one of the worst form of environmental noise. Osubi community is a growing community while the number of flights handled by the Osubi airstrip has increases. The nearness of residential houses and increased overflies has the potential of creating some undesirable impacts on the community. In this work, therefore, the impact of aircraft noise from the Osubi airstrip on the surrounding community was investigated. The airstrip handles an average of 26 flights to five destinations a day. The noise matrics used in this study is maximum sound level (Lmax). Measurements were taken inside the airstrip, 50m, 100m and 200m from the airstrip using Radio Shack Digital Sound Level Meter. Sociological survey was conducted among residents of Osubi community living within the distances of consideration and workers in the airstrip on the effects of aircraft noise on the people and the environment. The noise ranged from 62dBA produced by helicopters at a distance of 200m to the airstrip to 92dBA produced by Forker 50 at 50m from the airstrip. The greatest concerns expressed by residents near the airstrip are temporary deafness during takeoff and landing, annoyance resulting from speech interference and other interference like while watching a television or listening to a radio. Except those working inside the airstrip, the respondents from Osubi community claimed to have developed some non-auditory effects. The contribution of the ambient in the community to the recorded maximum sound level is infinitesimal. Although the exposure to this noise is intermittent and of short duration, it is recommended that the nearest residential house to the airstrip should be about 200m because of the possible cumulative impact.

Keywords: annoyance, aircraft noise, airstrip, decibel, A-weighting.

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