Study of noise pollution in engineering education: an analysis on the state of noise level in some selected suburbs of NSW

Noise pollution is mostly a man made phenomenon, which induces health problems when exposed to it for long term. The purpose of this engineering study is to analyse and assess the noise level of some selected suburban areas of New South Wales (NSW) in Australia. The research recognizes common sources of noise pollution, including transportation, industrial and household activities, outdoor recreation and some natural events, all of which can have detrimental effects on human health, including hearing loss, sleep disturbances, cardiovascular diseases and cognitive impairments. The research highlights substantial noise level fluctuations in various suburbs, notably in Rockdale, Kogarah, Sydenham, and Tempe, where afternoon noise surpasses the 80 dB EPA threshold in specific instances, linked to heightened vehicular traffic and human activity during school and work hours. Conversely, Hurstville suburb exhibits distinct morning noise peaks close to the EPA threshold, emphasizing the localised nature of noise pollution and the impact of specific temporal and spatial factors, while Wolli Creek maintains an average noise level close to the threshold at 76.13 dB.