Noise exposure files for a polysomnographic study of ground-borne noise from railway tunnels and sleep - Main study

In residential areas around railway tunnels, there is no direct airborne noise from the railways, but residents may be exposed to ground borne noise. Nocturnal airborne railway noise has been shown to be potentially disruptive to sleep, but there is only limited previous research on the effects of ground borne railway noise. This study present laboratory studies investigating how ground borne railway noise at levels occurring in the field impacts on sleep. Data on sound pressure level, duration and frequency content of ground borne noise from railways were collected from the scientific literature, from measurement reports and by renewed measurements at a few locations in Stockholm, Sweden. The audio files were created to simulate a ground borne noise from a tunnel close to the dwelling. Both files are dominated by low frequencies, but one has more of the lowest frequencies (denoted “LF” in the filename). Purpose: The audio files were used as exposure in a sleep study focused on the effect on ground borne noise from railway tunnels. Noise exposure files for the main study, the file marked LF contains more low frequencies than the file marked HF.