Engineering ToolBox - Resources, Tools and Basic Information for Engineering and Design of Technical Applications!

PNC - the Preferred Noise Criterion

A noise measurement system for continuous or ambient noise in indoor environments.

Sponsored Links

Preferred Noise Criterion Curves - PNC - is a noise measurement system for continuous or ambient noise in indoor environments proposed by Leo Beranek in 1971.

PNC is often used to judge the acceptability of ventilation and other background broad band noise sources.

Preferred Noise Criterion Curves - PNC - was introduced as a modification of the Noise Criterion - NC due to unacceptable low frequency noise in air-conditioning systems. The PNC at lower frequencies is more stringent than NC.

Maximum Sound Pressure Level (dB)
PNC
Preferred Noise Criterion
Center frequency (Hz)
31.563.01252505001000200040008000
PNC - 15 58 43 35 28 21 15 10 8 8
PNC - 20 59 46 39 32 26 20 15 13 13
PNC - 25 60 49 43 37 31 25 20 18 18
PNC - 30 61 52 46 41 35 30 25 23 23
PNC - 35 62 55 50 45 40 35 30 28 28
PNC - 40 64 59 54 50 45 40 35 33 33
PNC - 45 67 63 58 54 50 45 41 38 38
PNC - 50 70 66 62 58 54 50 46 43 43
PNC - 55 73 70 66 62 59 55 51 48 48
PNC - 60 76 73 69 66 63 59 56 53 53
PNC - 65 79 76 73 70 67 64 61 58 58

PNC-type criteria provide no protection for low frequency sound exposure, and further, tend to rely on the public's increasing toleration of background noise and what seems to be decreasing auditory skills.

PNC - Preferred Noise Criterion diagram

Download and print PNC chart

Example - Estimating PNC - Preferred Noise Criterion

The Preferred Noise Criterion - PNC - of a noise spectrum like

  • 31.5 Hz : 40 dB
  • 62.5 Hz : 40 dB
  • 125 Hz : 50 dB
  • 250 Hz : 55 dB
  • 500 Hz : 60 dB
  • 1000 Hz : 50 dB
  • 2000 Hz : 55 dB
  • 4000 Hz : 45 dB
  • 8000 Hz : 45 dB

can be estimated to

PNC = 57 dB

as indicated in the diagram below.

PNC - preferred noise criteria - example

Sponsored Links

Related Topics

Related Documents

Sponsored Links

Engineering ToolBox - SketchUp Extension - Online 3D modeling!

3D Engineering ToolBox Extension to SketchUp - add parametric components to your SketchUp model

Add standard and customized parametric components - like flange beams, lumbers, piping, stairs and more - to your Sketchup model with the Engineering ToolBox - SketchUp Extension - enabled for use with the amazing, fun and free SketchUp Make and SketchUp Pro .Add the Engineering ToolBox extension to your SketchUp from the SketchUp Pro Sketchup Extension Warehouse!

Translate
About the Engineering ToolBox!

Privacy

We don't collect information from our users. Only emails and answers are saved in our archive. Cookies are only used in the browser to improve user experience.

Some of our calculators and applications let you save application data to your local computer. These applications will - due to browser restrictions - send data between your browser and our server. We don't save this data.

Google use cookies for serving our ads and handling visitor statistics. Please read Google Privacy & Terms for more information about how you can control adserving and the information collected.

AddThis use cookies for handling links to social media. Please read AddThis Privacy for more information.

Citation

This page can be cited as

  • Engineering ToolBox, (2004). PNC - the Preferred Noise Criterion. [online] Available at: https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/pnc-preferred-noise-criteria-d_727.html [Accessed Day Mo. Year].

Modify access date.

. .

close

3D Engineering ToolBox - draw and model technical applications! 2D Engineering ToolBox - create and share online diagram drawing templates! Engineering ToolBox Apps - mobile online and offline engineering applications!

Scientific Online Calculator

Scientific Calculator

3 30

Sponsored Links
.