INDUSTRIAL NOISE
4.2.3 VDI guideline 2571: Sound radiation from industrial buildings

Note:
VDI guideline 2571 was withdrawn in October 2006. The Association of German Engineers (VDI) recommends using DIN EN 12354-4 instead (Building acoustics – Calculation of acoustic performance of buildings from the performance of products – Part 4: Transmission of indoor sound to the outside). But VDI guideline 2571 is still applied as the Technical Instructions on Noise (TA Lärm) refer to it.

VDI guideline 2571 contains rules on how to approximately determine the sound levels in the neighbourhood of commercial and industrial areas. This allows for an estimation of the sufficiency of the designated sound-proofing measures with reference to the immission guide value valid at this place or the question of whether a costlier type of construction will be necessary for the isolation of building components. The extent of the calculated immission levels reveals which of the individual sound sources or building components of an installation contributes most to the total immissions.

The following conditions are the basis for calculating the sound levels expected in the proximity of planned industrial and commercial areas:

The sound power radiated from the installed machines and acoustic properties of the place where the machines will be installed determine the sound level within the relevant building (factory hall) near its exterior shell. The interior sound level values and the sound isolation of the exterior shell (walls, roofs, windows, gates, openings) amount to the sound power radiated from the single building components of a building.

As the calculation turns out to be very complicated, an expert opinion is often necessary even for known installation conditions. The following findings from VDI guideline 2571 are of importance for city planning:

• The sound level at places of immission without a direct line of sight to the considered element or sound source is lower than that at places of immission with a direct line of sight.
• Minimum shielding effect values as indicated in figure 3 of the guideline can be expected for sound sources situated at that side of the building which is not visible from the considered place of immission, as long as there are no larger sound-reflecting surfaces at the side of the sound-radiating element, e.g. in the form of other buildings.
• If additional obstacles, like walls or buildings, are situated between the individual sound sources, a shielding effect of about 5 dB(A) can be achieved by interrupting at least the line of sight between these obstacles.