Research Group
Physical Environment [Phys]
 

The project group investigates the effects of climate and of noise at the work place and in the general environment. The area 'Thermophysiology' focuses on the micro-climate within personal protective clothing that is occasionally or permanently worn to protect the worker against the mechanical, thermal, biological and chemical hazards and which impairs the heat exchange of the organism with its environment. A goal of the actual work is the development of models that describe the transfer of heat and moisture. The models are among others integrated in a global climate index (Universal Thermal Climate Index, UTCI) that considers the course of acclimation that is also investigated in this group.

Due to the directive 2002/49/EU that aims at a high level of health protection, interdisciplinary and multiple centre projects are supported with the goal of a global reduction of noise. Within this context the research group focuses on noise-induced disturbances of well-being (acute annoyance), performance, cardiovascular and endocrine functions, which are thought to contribute in the long run to the genesis of chronic diseases.

With psychoacoustic methods and sound design the research group deals with the following problems:

• Annoyance, impairment of cognitive performance and physiological functions under the impact of sound scenarios with different spectral and temporal structures
• Identification of annoying components of complex noise scenarios and of single noises. The the studies aim at guidelines for technical and operational noise reduction.

This medium-term project aims at basic as well as applied research. The core disciplines involved are Occupational Medicine, Environmental Physiology, Occupational Psychology and Ergonomics and cooperates with the research groups"Chronobiology", "Flexible behaviour control", "Ageing and CNS alterations", and "Neurobehavioural toxicology and chemosensation".

Scientific Members

• Peter Bröde
• Barbara Griefahn (head)

Current research

• Field of research "Noise effects/Effects of noise"
  (Barbara Griefahn, Martin Schütte, Markus Swierczek)
  Irrelevant noise, which is not related to a current activity, impairs performance, well-being and physiological functions and is suspected to contribute to the genesis of cardiovascular diseases. A major source is transportation that concerns the residents living in the vicinity of airports and along busy traffic routes (streets, railway lines) and the employees who perform mental work in bureaus that are located in these areas. This project focuses therefore on annoyance and performance caused by traffic noise. (more ...)

• Field of research "Thermophysiological aspects of work"
  (Peter Bröde, Barbara Griefahn, Martin Schütte)
  A thermally stressful micro climate for the user arises from the interactive effects of physical work and climatic (heat) stress with protective clothing, which interferes with the heat exchange of the body and its environment. The present research uses data from laboratory experiments to develop and validate models describing the heat and the moisture transfer through protective clothing. These models are applied in the assessment of physiological strain, thermal comfort and integrated in a universal thermal climate index (UTCI).

• Intergroup research initiative "Annoyance of sensorially mediated environmental stimuli"
  (Barbara Griefahn, Christoph van Thriel) (research group Chronobiology, research group Physical environment, research group Neurobehavioural toxicology and chemosensation)
  Physical and chemical environmental factors can cause a feeling of acute annoyance or, in the long run, even a state of chronic annoyance. This research initiative was started at the end of 2005 and aims at evaluation and comparison of acute annoyance caused by noise and odours. Based on the findings a perceptive/cognitive model will be designed to identify specific modality-related and unspecific moderators of the experienced acute annoyance. (more ...)

Research facilities

• Laboratory for the investigation of effects of noise on well being, mood and cognitive performance. Noise is presented via open headphones or a Dolby-surround equipment.
• Multi function laboratory for the controlled application of different intensities of light, whole body vibrations, noise and climate in a wide range.

Recent grants

• "Annoyance and the macro-structure of road traffic noise", EUGT, 2008-2010
• "Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI)", COST Action 730, EU, 2007-2009

Co-operations

1. DLR-Institut für Luft- und Raumfahrtmedizin, Köln, Dr. med. Mathias Basner
2. KUEI, Kath. Universität Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, Umwelt- und Gesundheitspsychologie Univ.-Prof. Dr. Jürgen Hellbrück
3. LMRTE, Laboratoire Mobilités Réseaux Territoires et Environnements de L'Université de Cergy Pontoise (F), Catherine Lavandier
4. SNCF, La Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer (F), Pierre-Etienne Gautier
5. Loughborough University of Technology (UK), Department of Human Sciences Prof. George Havenith
6. Bergische Universität Wuppertal, Fachbereich D, Fachgebiet Arbeitsphysiologie, Arbeitsmedizin und Infektionsschutz, PD Dr. Bernhard Kampmann
7. Lund University (S), Department of Design Sciences, EAT, Prof. Ingvar Holmér, Dr. Kalev Kuklane
8. Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Meteorologisches Institut, Prof. Gerd Jendritzky
9. Universität Stuttgart, Institut für Baustofflehre, Bauphysik, Technischen Ausbau und Entwerfen, Institute for Building Technology and Design, Dr. Dusan Fiala
10. EMPA, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research, St Gallen (CH), Dr. Mark Richards

• Publications