A3_2 Ding Dong! Ding Dong! My Hearing is Gone!

Abstract

This paper discusses how loud Big Ben would have to chime to be heard at 50 dB, a quiet office volume, on the University of Leicester campus. We found that the required volume is 153 dB, louder than the 130 dB which deafens people indefinitely. We also discuss the adverse effects of a sound being this loud. We calculated that the sound drops below the deafening threshold at 14.2 m from Big Ben. Between 14.2 m and 45 m away from the source, the sound would cause pain, beyond 45 m there would be no effect on the ears of those hearing it.