Military installations typically rely on noise complaints to indicate adverse noise environments and often restrict the firing of certain weapons to reduce the number of noise complaints. Using complaints in this manner may also imply that the absence of complaints is an indicator of low community annoyance. The relationship between individual complaints and general community annoyance, however, is currently not established, and it is unknown whether implementing restrictions in reaction to individual complaints is an appropriate or necessary way to reduce community annoyance. This paper looks at whether there are significant differences in reported annoyance to complaint-referenced blast events and general military noise annoyance between those who complain and their non-complaining neighbors. Those who complained were significantly more annoyed to both complaint-referenced blast events and general military noise in comparison to their non-complaining neighbors. The implications of these findings are discussed in terms of range management.

Current blast noise impact assessment procedures do not fully meet the military's noise management needs. In particular, it is unclear how an installation or range commander should interpret blast noise complaints. This work investigated whether there are significant differences in reported annoyance to complaint-referenced blast events between complainants and their non-complaining neighbors. It was found that complainants were significantly more annoyed to both complaintreferenced blast events and general military noise in comparison to their non-complaining neighbors. These findings are discussed in the context of range management.

The Waveform and Sonicboom Perception and Response (WSPR) Program conducted a field study of subjective response to noise from multiple low-amplitude sonic booms. The team was led by Wyle and included researchers from Penn State, Tetra Tech and Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. The test exposed residents in the Edwards Air Force Base (EAFB) Housing area to two weeks of low-amplitude sonic booms while recording their responses via surveys. There were 52 participants divided across three response modes. The response instruments included Baseline Surveys, Single Event Surveys submitted each time a participant heard a boom, and Daily Surveys submitted at the end of each day. The analysis included assessments of single events and cumulative daily ratings of annoyance and categorical variables including loudness, interference, startle, vibration, and rattle. The WSPR daily annoyance data was analyzed by computing percent highly annoyed (%HA) and relating it to the cumulative noise exposure and by relating the subjective annoyance rating directly to the daily noise exposure. The WSPR design was established to cover the full range of noise exposures and annoyance factors so that sufficient data would be gathered to facilitate analyses of %HA and noise metrics. The statistical analyses examining these relationships will be presented.

Current blast noise impact assessment procedures do not fully meet the military's noise management needs. In particular, it is unclear how an installation or range commander should interpret blast noise complaints. This work investigated whether there are significant differences in reported annoyance to complaint-referenced blast events between complainants and their non-complaining neighbors. It was found that complainants were significantly more annoyed to both complaintreferenced blast events and general military noise in comparison to their non-complaining neighbors. These findings are discussed in the context of range management. DISCLAIMER: The contents of this report are not to be used for advertising, publication, or promotional purposes. Citation of trade names does not constitute an official endorsement or approval of the use of such commercial products. All product names and trademarks cited are the property of their respective owners. The findings of this report are not to be construed as an official Department of the Army position unless so designated by other authorized documents.

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