3-year noise monitoring and strategic noise mapping in an extended motorway

Traffic Noise Reduction Strategy in a Large City and an Analysis of Its Effect

A noise reduction strategy was proposed for Panyu District of Guangzhou City based on its traffic noise map, which considered both road and railway traffic noise. Commercial software was applied to compute the noise maps with and without noise barriers based on the field traffic flow measurements. Noise compliance maps were further developed to assess the effects of noise barriers on the quality of the sound environment. The change in populations exposed to unhealthy traffic noise with noise barriers was calculated, and the group noise indicators Gdn and Gnight, which indicate the populations of highly annoyed and sleep-disturbed people, were evaluated. The results showed that the traffic noise level was significantly decreased after the implementation of noise barriers. It was predicted that with the strategy of applying suitable noise barriers, the overall areas under heavy noise pollution could be reduced by 24.5 and 24.3 km2 during daytime and nighttime, respectively. Meanwhile, the total areas that could meet the regulated standard for noise levels were increased by 97.4, and 66.9 km2, corresponding to compliance rate increments of 18.38% and 12.62%, respectively, in daytime and nighttime. The results further revealed that the installation of noise barriers could significantly reduce the population of highly annoyed people, while the reduction of the population experiencing sleep disturbances was insignificant.

Vehicular traffic noise modelling of urban area-a contouring and artificial neural network based approach

Road traffic vehicular noise is one of the main sources of environmental pollution in urban areas of India. Also, steadily increasing urbanization, industrialization, infrastructures around city condition causes health risks among the urban populations. In this study, we have explored noise descriptors (L₁₀, L₉₀, L_dn, LNI, TNI, NC), contour plotting and find the suitability of artificial neural networks (ANN) for the prediction of traffic noise all around the Dhanbad township in 15 monitoring stations. In order to develop the prediction model, measuring noise levels of five different hours, speed of vehicles, and traffic volume in every monitoring point have been studied and analyzed. Traffic volume, percent of heavy vehicles, speed, traffic flow, road gradient, pavement, road side carriageway distance factors were taken as input parameter, whereas L_Aeq as output parameter for formation of neural network architecture. As traffic flow is heterogenous which mainly contains 59%, two wheelers and different vehicle specifications with varying speeds also affect driving and honking behavior which constantly changing noise characteristics. From radial noise diagrams shown that average noise levels of all the stations beyond permissible limit and the highest noise levels were found at the speed of 50-55 km/h in both peak and non-peak hours. Noise descriptors clearly indicate high annoyance level in the study area. Artificial neural network with 7-7-5 formation has been developed and found as optimum due to its sum of square and overall relative error 0.858 and .029 in training and 0.458 and 0.862 in testing phase respectively. Comparative analysis between observed and predicted noise level shows very less deviation up to ± 0.6 dB(A) and the R² linear values are more than 0.9 in all five noise hours indicating the accuracy of model. Also, it can be concluded that ANN approach is much superior in prediction of traffic noise level to any other statistical method.

An approach to the design of photovoltaic noise barriers and a case study from Istanbul, Turkey

Solar energy solutions that do not require additional space are critical. Noise barriers, which are built in low-value lands next to noise sources, provide effective areas for PV modules. There are many studies on using noise barriers as a sub-structure for photovoltaic systems, providing electricity generation besides noise reduction targets. Photovoltaic noise barrier (PVNB) technology combines noise control measures with renewable energy generation. In this study, it is aimed to develop an integrated design method that embeds solar energy technology in noise protection structures. The method is exemplified in an existing settlement located on the side of the road with heavy traffic. According to local climate and solar data, optimum tilt angles have been determined for annual, semi-annual, seasonal, and monthly periods. Noise barrier alternatives are derived with combinations of different diffraction edge sizes of barrier top and determined optimum inclination angles. The performance of the criteria that affect the PVNB effectiveness for alternatives was calculated through software tools. The energy generation potential of PVNB and its shading in adjacent blocks were calculated with PVsyst 6.7.7. The noise control efficiency of the structure was computed via SoundPLAN 7.2. TOPSIS method, one of the most common multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) techniques, was used in the evaluation. As a result of TOPSIS, the best PVNB solution in the case study is the alternative that has 3-m and 2-m-wide edges and 58° and 31° tilted edges. In comparison with the current situation, the selected alternative will decrease 44% of the number of receiving points affected by noise and provide 524,804 kWh annual electricity generation.

Preparation of Industrial Noise Mapping and Improvement of Environmental Quality

Environmental noise control is necessary for human health and auditory comfort conditions. In this respect, it is required that industrial noise should be kept under control and healthy living spaces should be obtained in residential areas. This paper aims to explain industrial noise control at urban and building scales. In this study, the strategic noise mapping process related to industrial activities in a line with the Environmental Noise Directive (END) was clarified. Besides this, what type of factors are effective in the industrial noise mapping process were defined, and important basic parameters, which are essential in the industrial noise mapping, were detailed. The preparation of the industrial noise mapping process was explained in detail. It was mentioned that the regions exposed to excessive noise should be defined according to the strategic noise map and improvement plans should be performed. Improvement methods that reduce excessive noise in living spaces are clarified and it was explained how the improvement of environmental quality can be acquired. In this regard, this paper gives information on industrial noise mapping and industrial noise control at the urban scale.

Exposure to the road traffic noise in an urban complex in Greece: the quantification of healthy life years lost due to noise-induced annoyance and noise-induced sleep disturbances

In the recent years, the environmental noise is a global issue of great concern. Especially, it is considered to be one of the most deleterious environmental risk factors for the human health and well-being in urban areas. In this study, we focus on the major source of the transportation noise in the modern-day urbanized societies, which is the road traffic noise. The study was performed in the urban complex in Thessaloniki-Neapoli in Greece, and the estimation of the road traffic noise levels was based on the CoRTN (Calculation of Road Traffic Noise) prediction method. In addition, we estimated the EBD (environmental burden of disease), in terms of DALYs (disability-adjusted life years), due to the annoyance and sleep disturbances associated with the exposure to road traffic noise. The estimation of the EBD was based on the strategic noise mapping in Thessaloniki-Neapoli as well as on the guidance document produced by the WHO (World Health Organization) for the quantitative assessment on the humans' health consequences of the environmental noise. Above all, the results revealed the magnitude of the health damage caused by the transportation noise.

How does transit-oriented developments (TODs) deviate noise pollution of buildings? A comparative study of TODs and non-TODs

Scholarly debates on the unique features of transit-oriented developments (TODs) have surged over the last decade. Studies have examined their amenities and disamenities; however, lacking is exploring the relationship between TOD sound levels and buildings. Understanding this relationship has implications for communities and the urban form from environmental pollution aspects. This study explores the implications of sound on TOD buildings in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area by comparing them with non-TODs, specifically the relationship between buildings and street characteristics, and sound, as well as the potential effects of this relationship on TOD residents. Data include sound pressure levels through TOD buildings and streets compared with non-TOD buildings and streets. Using a two-level hierarchical linear model (HLM) help examine such characteristics at both micro and macro levels. The findings show that buildings located within TODs are exposed to higher sound levels with 1.4 dB(A) difference. The study provides insights into the relationship between sound, environmental pollution, building science, and transportation-featured elements of the built environment.

Effects of road traffic noise on the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases: The case of Thessaloniki, Greece

Road traffic noise is a growing challenge for human health in the last decades. World Health Organization (WHO) summarized the scientific evidence on side effects of noise on public health and wellbeing since 1999 in its publication "Guidelines for community noise". The WHO's documentation was completed in 2009 with the Night Noise Guidelines for Europe and in 2011 with the Burden of disease from environmental noise highlighting the negative effects of environmental noise on health. In this paper, we studied and presented the overall noise levels and the exposure of the population in the city of Thessaloniki, Greece. The estimation of the exposure to road traffic noise was based on the census data for a 15-year time period (e.g. 2000-2015). The quantification of the environmental burden of cardiovascular diseases, due to urban traffic noise, is calculated in terms of DALYs. The calculation is based on the morbidity and mortality data from the hypertensive, ischemic heart, and cerebrovascular diseases of the total population. Our analysis proved that the road traffic noise in Thessaloniki causes almost 2000 DALYs lost in the total population each year. Also, the exposure to road traffic noise was estimated by three measuring points, two of them located in the urban Thessaloniki (a high traffic highway and a residential area) and the third one situated in one urban background area in the urban outskirts of Thessaloniki. The noise levels were measured for a 24-h period during a 3 year time period for every measuring point. The imposed WHO noise levels were exceeded in both high traffic highway and residential areas for almost the whole time of the measurement period.