Preface

Sound is an omnipresent agent in our society. Thus, so is noise. Occupational, social (or voluntary), and environmental (or passive) exposure to noise is a part of our lives. Research on noise pollution has inspired a wide set of researchers to study this interdisciplinary subject. Sources, causes, effects on people and other animals, control, regulations are some of the multiple aspects of the problem. This book offers current approaches to some of these topics: traffic noise, the noise of the neighborhood or underwater noise; occupational noise exposure in health emergency services; new approaches and materials to model and control noise problems. Acoustic materials are widely used by noise control engineers for NVH (Noise Vibration and Harshness) reduction in all fields of transportation. Noise has various effects on comfort, performance, and human health. For this reason, noise control plays an increasingly central role in the development of modern industrial and engineering applications.

Nowadays, the noise control problem excites and attracts the attention of a great number of scientists in different disciplines. Indeed, noise control has a wide variety of applications in manufacturing, industrial operations, and consumer products. The key to success for controlling noise inside interiors in the transportation field is to study and apply innovative materials with outstanding thermo-acoustic and mechanical properties. For this purpose, the book aims to present a collection of studies and applications in the field of innovative materials for interior acoustics in transport vehicles, for researchers and acoustic specialists.

The book is organized into 8 chapters written by specialists in the acoustic sector who use numerical and experimental techniques for noise reduction in the surrounding environment also through the study of innovative materials capable of reducing the effects on humans considered harmful to health.

The book means to supply the reader, both student and researcher or teacher, with extensive knowledge of the latest research results in innovative materials for acoustics and new approaches to face such an old issue as noise pollution is. The editors are sincerely grateful to all the authors who agreed to share, with their professionalism and experience, their latest research results contributing to the success of this book.

> **Daniela Siano** Istituto Motori CNR, Italy

**Alice Elizabeth Gonzalez** Universidad de la Republica, Uruguay

**1**

Section 1

Noise Pollution
