ANSI S1.13-2005 (2010) PDF

Full title and description

ANSI/ASA S1.13-2005 (R2010) — Measurement of Sound Pressure Levels in Air. This American National Standard specifies requirements and procedures for making point measurements of sound pressure levels in air under normal (relatively quiescent) conditions, and provides guidance on instrumentation, measurement procedures, documentation and reporting.

Abstract

Provides standardized methods for measuring sound pressure levels in air at a single point in space. The standard covers types of sounds and acoustical environments, instrumentation (sound level meters and related equipment), measurement procedures for continuous sounds (duration ≥ 1 s), documentation and reporting of results, and limits on applicability (e.g., typical frequency range and exclusions such as impulsive sounds). The 2005 edition was reaffirmed in 2010 (R2010) and later revised by a 2020 edition.

General information

• Status: Revised / replaced by ANSI/ASA S1.13-2020 (the 2005 (R2010) edition is not the latest version).
• Publication date: Original edition 2005; reaffirmed (R2010) / published in the R2010 release cycle.
• Publisher: Acoustical Society of America (as the ASA-administered American National Standard).
• ICS / categories: 17.140 (Acoustics and acoustic measurements) — commonly assigned subcategories include 17.140.01 (acoustic measurements) and 17.140.50 (electroacoustics).
• Edition / version: ANSI S1.13 — Edition 2005, reaffirmed R2010 (often shown as ANSI/ASA S1.13-2005 (R2010)).
• Number of pages: Approximately 52 pages in the PDF/printed standard.

Scope

Specifies requirements and procedures for measuring sound pressure levels in air at a single point in space. The procedures apply primarily to indoor measurements under relatively quiescent meteorological conditions but can be used outdoors when environmental constraints are met. The standard is intended for continuous sounds (duration ≥ 1 second) and generally covers the audible frequency range appropriate to the instrumentation (commonly 20 Hz–20 kHz). It does not address impulsive sounds (duration < 1 s) or the spatial characterization of sound fields.

Key topics and requirements

• Definitions and classifications of sound types and acoustical environments relevant to point measurements.
• Requirements for instrumentation: sound level meters, microphones, calibrations and acceptable performance for measurements of sound pressure level.
• Procedures for taking point measurements (steady, fluctuating and intermittent continuous sounds), including measurement positions, averaging, time weighting and frequency weighting where applicable.
• Documentation, measurement records and required content of measurement reports (instrumentation, environmental conditions, procedures, uncertainties).
• Basic guidance on estimating and reporting measurement uncertainty and on treating tones and impulsive components (informative annexes address tone and impulsive sound identification/evaluation).
• Applicability limits (typical frequency range, exclusion of impulsive sounds, indoor emphasis and outdoor condition constraints).

Typical use and users

Used by acoustical consultants, environmental and industrial hygienists, laboratory technicians, instrument manufacturers, researchers and compliance officers who perform or specify sound pressure level measurements for environmental assessments, workplace noise surveys, product/noise-source characterization, building acoustics spot checks, and general field or laboratory measurements. The standard is written for practitioners in the field who require a consistent, documented measurement procedure.

Related standards

Frequently referenced or complementary ASA/ANSI standards include specifications for sound level meters and integrating-averaging meters (ANSI S1.4 series), octave/fractional-octave filters (ANSI S1.11), quantities and procedures for environmental sound (ANSI S12.9 series), and microphone specifications/calibration standards (ANSI S1.15 series). The S1.13 standard is part of the broader ASA S1 acoustics series and is updated alongside related documents.

Keywords

sound pressure level, SPL, measurement, acoustics, sound level meter, microphone, continuous sound, environmental noise, measurement uncertainty, ANSI/ASA S1.13.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ANSI/ASA S1.13-2005 (R2010) is an American National Standard that defines requirements and procedures for measuring sound pressure levels in air at a single point in space.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers instrumentation, measurement procedures for continuous sounds, data recording and reporting, and guidance on uncertainty and special cases such as tones and impulsive components (informative annexes). It is primarily intended for indoor or otherwise quiescent conditions and excludes impulsive (< 1 s) sounds and full spatial-field characterization.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Practitioners and technicians in acoustics—environmental and industrial noise consultants, laboratory personnel, instrument manufacturers, researchers and compliance officers—who need standardized point-measurement methods.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: The 2005 edition (reaffirmed R2010) has been revised and replaced by ANSI/ASA S1.13-2020; users needing the most current requirements should refer to the 2020 edition.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes — it is part of the ASA/ANSI S1 family of acoustics standards (committee S1) and is used together with related documents such as sound level meter specifications, octave-band filter specs and environmental sound quantity standards.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Sound pressure level, SPL, measurement, acoustics, sound level meter, microphone, continuous sound, environmental noise, measurement uncertainty.