Schallpegels

Schallpegels is the plural term used in German-language acoustics to refer to sound pressure levels (Schallpegel) measured in decibels (dB) relative to a reference pressure of 20 micropascals. Schallpegels describe the sound pressure levels at a point and are central to environmental noise assessments and occupational hygiene. In practice, measurements are reported with weighting networks (most commonly A-weighting, LpA) to reflect human hearing, and with time weightings (fast or slow) to capture fluctuating noise.

Common indicators include Leq (equivalent continuous sound level), Lmax (maximum level), and Lden (day-evening-night level) as used in environmental noise studies. Values are typically formatted with a suffix indicating the weighting, e.g., LpA, Leq, or Lden. Measurement devices are sound level meters that conform to standards such as IEC 61672 and ISO 1996. Calibration with a reference sound source is required to ensure accuracy.

Applications span environmental noise mapping around urban areas, industrial and workplace noise exposure assessments, building acoustics, and product testing (e.g., compliance with consumer safety or regulatory limits). The concept of Schallpegels is inherently logarithmic; a doubling of level corresponds to a specific decibel increase. A-weighting approximates human sensitivity in mid-frequency range, while C-weighting and Z-weighting are used for other assessments.

Limitations include background noise interference, the non-uniform human response to duration and spectral content, and the need for consistent measurement conditions. See also Leq, Lmax, Lden, and A-weighting.