A Review of Active Noise Control Applications on Noise Barrier in Three-Dimensional/Open Space: Myths and Challenges

Active noise control (ANC), with counteracting sound in exact equal magnitude and opposite phase to the noise to be controlled, is often considered as a potential solution for solving complex noise problems. However, there are both myths and challenges in its implementations. In a crowded city like Singapore, many noise sources from construction site and subway track are located very close to the residential and commercial buildings. It was suggested by few researchers that by placing suitable control speakers at the construction site (working principle of ANC), the noise from the construction site could be prevented from propagating to the surrounding buildings. Similarly, for viaduct or subway track, by placing control speakers along the viaduct or track, the noise generated by the passing trains or vehicles could be reduced based on the principle of ANC technique. However, implementation of ANC technique on these noise issues is not easy as all of these noise control problems involve multiple noise sources with complex or transient frequency spectrum in large three-dimensional/open space. Therefore, the main intention of the present paper is to discuss the current state of the art of this topic as well as to examine the potential application and limitation of the ANC technique in mitigating unwanted noise, particularly in large three-dimensional/open space and with cooperation of passive noise barrier.