A. Mascolo, D. Rossi, M. Grimaldi, Guarnaccia Claudio
A university campus is a complex environment, as it comprises many areas, each with distinctive acoustic characteristics. There are zones where a quiet environment is crucial for work and study, parking lots and internal road networks, as well as vibrant spaces where students and personnel stay during leisure time. Thus, university campuses clearly offer a remarkable opportunity for the evaluation of soundscape analysis tools and the exploration of new methodologies for assessing and mapping soundscapes. In this work, the Fisciano campus of the University of Salerno (Italy) has been depicted as a case study. Specifically, the outcomes of a soundwalk conducted following ISO/TS 12913 standards will be presented, together with data gathered through crowd-sourcing during NoiseCapture parties. The data from NoiseCapture parties have been used to test and validate an innovative methodology based on an inverse distance weighting interpolation to produce soundscapes’ attributes maps, using the mean pleasantness as an example and exploring the relative influence of the maximum distance used to characterize an homogeneous sound environment to build the maps themselves. The results will offer valuable insights into the proposed methodology.
{"title":"Soundscape maps of pleasantness in a university campus by crowd-sourced measurements interpolation","authors":"A. Mascolo, D. Rossi, M. Grimaldi, Guarnaccia Claudio","doi":"10.1515/noise-2022-0178","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/noise-2022-0178","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 A university campus is a complex environment, as it comprises many areas, each with distinctive acoustic characteristics. There are zones where a quiet environment is crucial for work and study, parking lots and internal road networks, as well as vibrant spaces where students and personnel stay during leisure time. Thus, university campuses clearly offer a remarkable opportunity for the evaluation of soundscape analysis tools and the exploration of new methodologies for assessing and mapping soundscapes. In this work, the Fisciano campus of the University of Salerno (Italy) has been depicted as a case study. Specifically, the outcomes of a soundwalk conducted following ISO/TS 12913 standards will be presented, together with data gathered through crowd-sourcing during NoiseCapture parties. The data from NoiseCapture parties have been used to test and validate an innovative methodology based on an inverse distance weighting interpolation to produce soundscapes’ attributes maps, using the mean pleasantness as an example and exploring the relative influence of the maximum distance used to characterize an homogeneous sound environment to build the maps themselves. The results will offer valuable insights into the proposed methodology.","PeriodicalId":44086,"journal":{"name":"Noise Mapping","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140525526","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Rapid transit or mass rapid transit (MRT) is a high-capacity public transport designed to carry a large number of passengers, especially during the peak hours. They are becoming very popular in major cities and some deem the presence of the rapid transit system in a city as a symbol of modern development and essential feature of urban life. As the rapid transit system expands, the traveling time on a rapid transit train may increase due to longer journey and cabin noise has become an environmental concern for the passengers. In the present study, we would attempt to do a more detailed study of the effect of viaduct height, in particular viaducts of different heights on the cabin noise of various rapid transit systems. The present study examined and benchmarked the cabin noise in terms of both dB(A) and dB(C) for four different rapid transit systems, namely part of the East-West line including the Tuas-West extension on elevated tracks with very high viaduct of the Singapore MRT System; part of Paris Line 2 from Anvers to Belleville station including a stretch of elevated track on viaduct; part of the Piccadilly line of London from Heathrow Airport to Green Park station with a stretch on surface ground; and finally part of Chongqing Line 3 from Gongmao to Lianglukou station across the Yangtze river. It was found that the cabin noise would be dominated by low-frequency content and would be better reflected if the measurements were presented in dB(C), especially for trains running on elevated tracks of greater height.
捷运或大众捷运(MRT)是一种大运量公共交通工具,旨在运送大量乘客,尤其是在高峰时段。它们在大城市中越来越受欢迎,有些人认为城市中的快速公交系统是现代发展的象征和城市生活的基本特征。随着快速公交系统的扩展,快速公交列车的行驶时间可能会因旅程延长而增加,车厢噪音也成为乘客关注的环境问题。在本研究中,我们将尝试更详细地研究高架桥高度,特别是不同高度的高架桥对各种快速公交系统车厢噪声的影响。本研究以分贝(A)和分贝(C)为基准,对四种不同的快速轨道交通系统的车厢噪音进行了研究,这四种快速轨道交通系统是:新加坡地铁系统东西线的一部分,包括在高架轨道上的大士西线延长线,高架桥非常高;巴黎 2 号线的一部分,从 Anvers 站到 Belleville 站,包括一段高架桥上的高架轨道;伦敦皮卡迪利线的一部分,从希斯罗机场到 Green Park 站,包括一段地面轨道;最后是重庆 3 号线的一部分,从公茂站到横跨长江的两路口站。研究发现,车厢噪声以低频为主,如果以 dB(C)为单位进行测量,则能更好地反映车厢噪声,特别是在较高的高架轨道上运行的列车。
{"title":"Low-frequency cabin noise of rapid transit trains","authors":"H. Lee, Heow Pueh Lee","doi":"10.1515/noise-2022-0181","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/noise-2022-0181","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 Rapid transit or mass rapid transit (MRT) is a high-capacity public transport designed to carry a large number of passengers, especially during the peak hours. They are becoming very popular in major cities and some deem the presence of the rapid transit system in a city as a symbol of modern development and essential feature of urban life. As the rapid transit system expands, the traveling time on a rapid transit train may increase due to longer journey and cabin noise has become an environmental concern for the passengers. In the present study, we would attempt to do a more detailed study of the effect of viaduct height, in particular viaducts of different heights on the cabin noise of various rapid transit systems. The present study examined and benchmarked the cabin noise in terms of both dB(A) and dB(C) for four different rapid transit systems, namely part of the East-West line including the Tuas-West extension on elevated tracks with very high viaduct of the Singapore MRT System; part of Paris Line 2 from Anvers to Belleville station including a stretch of elevated track on viaduct; part of the Piccadilly line of London from Heathrow Airport to Green Park station with a stretch on surface ground; and finally part of Chongqing Line 3 from Gongmao to Lianglukou station across the Yangtze river. It was found that the cabin noise would be dominated by low-frequency content and would be better reflected if the measurements were presented in dB(C), especially for trains running on elevated tracks of greater height.","PeriodicalId":44086,"journal":{"name":"Noise Mapping","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140525118","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The Welsh Government’s policy on noise and soundscape is underpinned by two key pieces of legislation: the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, and the Environment (Air Quality and Soundscapes) (Wales) Act 2024. The former established our national well-being/sustainable development goals and five ways of working that public bodies should follow in order to achieve them. The latter requires Welsh Ministers to set out their soundscape policies in a national strategy and requires public authorities to have regard to the policies in that strategy when carrying out their functions. The intent of this article is to raise international awareness amongst soundscape researchers as to how one devolved nation has incorporated the concept of soundscape in its policies and legislation and hopefully encourage the further development and dissemination of soundscape assessment and design tools that enable practitioners to better implement those policies.
{"title":"The Environment (Air Quality and Soundscapes) (Wales) Act 2024","authors":"Martin McVay","doi":"10.1515/noise-2022-0183","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/noise-2022-0183","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 The Welsh Government’s policy on noise and soundscape is underpinned by two key pieces of legislation: the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, and the Environment (Air Quality and Soundscapes) (Wales) Act 2024. The former established our national well-being/sustainable development goals and five ways of working that public bodies should follow in order to achieve them. The latter requires Welsh Ministers to set out their soundscape policies in a national strategy and requires public authorities to have regard to the policies in that strategy when carrying out their functions. The intent of this article is to raise international awareness amongst soundscape researchers as to how one devolved nation has incorporated the concept of soundscape in its policies and legislation and hopefully encourage the further development and dissemination of soundscape assessment and design tools that enable practitioners to better implement those policies.","PeriodicalId":44086,"journal":{"name":"Noise Mapping","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140523038","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Petr Louda, O. Sharko, Dmitro Stepanchikov, A. Sharko, K. Buczkowska
Presented here is a constructive solution to the challenge of utilizing the diffraction phenomenon for mitigating noise around roadside objects caused by the movement of vehicles on transportation routes. In contrast to existing prototypes, the innovation of the proposed solution lies in the creation of an active system that concentrates and directs oscillations originating from transportation sources. This active system, centered around sound absorption and reflection, establishes protective barriers and focuses on sound vibrations. The incorporation of diffraction effects within the Fraunhofer zones, along with the utilization of Fresnel lenses, directs attention towards these vibrations. The technical objective of harnessing the diffraction phenomenon for noise reduction around roadside objects involves demonstrating the feasibility of using a Fresnel zone plate (FZP) tailored for a specific oscillation frequency. This plate should demonstrate the ability to effectively manipulate sounds of varying frequencies while retaining its diffractive focusing capabilities. The intrinsic frequency characteristics of diffractive elements cannot be eliminated due to the inherent nature of sound diffraction. Consequently, it is imperative to thoroughly investigate and account for these properties. A groundbreaking discovery has been made, confirming the phenomenon of noise concentration originating from transportation sources. This revelation suggests that when a FZP is employed at frequencies other than its designed frequency, the concentration of oscillations remains. However, only the focal point of concentration shifts. Through experimentation, it has been established that the same FZP can be employed for varying wavelengths within a range of approximately ±20% while adhering to diffraction conditions. The feasibility of employing the thin lens formula to focus oscillations following the passage through a FZP has been substantiated. This solution also delves into the principal focusing, frequency, and shaping characteristics of the diffractive elements within FZPs. Furthermore, a computed estimation of the acoustic field scattered by a diffraction grating is compared against experimental data. This validates the approach and its efficacy in practical scenarios. The potential of harnessing the diffraction phenomenon to concentrate and regulate noise from transportation sources, thereby safeguarding roadside objects, is presented as a promising avenue for exploration.
{"title":"Utilizing the phenomenon of diffraction for noise protection of roadside objects","authors":"Petr Louda, O. Sharko, Dmitro Stepanchikov, A. Sharko, K. Buczkowska","doi":"10.1515/noise-2022-0171","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/noise-2022-0171","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 Presented here is a constructive solution to the challenge of utilizing the diffraction phenomenon for mitigating noise around roadside objects caused by the movement of vehicles on transportation routes. In contrast to existing prototypes, the innovation of the proposed solution lies in the creation of an active system that concentrates and directs oscillations originating from transportation sources. This active system, centered around sound absorption and reflection, establishes protective barriers and focuses on sound vibrations. The incorporation of diffraction effects within the Fraunhofer zones, along with the utilization of Fresnel lenses, directs attention towards these vibrations. The technical objective of harnessing the diffraction phenomenon for noise reduction around roadside objects involves demonstrating the feasibility of using a Fresnel zone plate (FZP) tailored for a specific oscillation frequency. This plate should demonstrate the ability to effectively manipulate sounds of varying frequencies while retaining its diffractive focusing capabilities. The intrinsic frequency characteristics of diffractive elements cannot be eliminated due to the inherent nature of sound diffraction. Consequently, it is imperative to thoroughly investigate and account for these properties. A groundbreaking discovery has been made, confirming the phenomenon of noise concentration originating from transportation sources. This revelation suggests that when a FZP is employed at frequencies other than its designed frequency, the concentration of oscillations remains. However, only the focal point of concentration shifts. Through experimentation, it has been established that the same FZP can be employed for varying wavelengths within a range of approximately ±20% while adhering to diffraction conditions. The feasibility of employing the thin lens formula to focus oscillations following the passage through a FZP has been substantiated. This solution also delves into the principal focusing, frequency, and shaping characteristics of the diffractive elements within FZPs. Furthermore, a computed estimation of the acoustic field scattered by a diffraction grating is compared against experimental data. This validates the approach and its efficacy in practical scenarios. The potential of harnessing the diffraction phenomenon to concentrate and regulate noise from transportation sources, thereby safeguarding roadside objects, is presented as a promising avenue for exploration.","PeriodicalId":44086,"journal":{"name":"Noise Mapping","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140520296","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This article systematically reviews research on noise pollution monitoring conducted over the past 23 years at various bus transit terminals located worldwide. About 18 articles were identified using PRISMA method and were evaluated to provide summary of prior research work to examine accuracy, authenticity, and reliability of noise monitoring results with respect to chosen methodology and extent of noise pollution at bus transit terminals. It examines important indicators of noise pollution and the analysis parameters such as noise sampling, noise descriptors, processing of acquired data, noise mapping, etc., and compares it with the regulations and standard guidelines notably ISO 1996-2:2017 and American National Standards Institute/ASA S12.18-1994 (R2009) and their prior versions aiming to identify research gaps. The studies have primarily focused on noise monitoring, revealing widespread excessive noise pollution exceeding permissible levels at bus terminals globally. This article underscores significant research deficiencies in noise pollution monitoring at bus terminals, emphasizing the challenge of conducting quantitative meta-analyses and statistical comparisons due to variations in parameters and qualities. Noise pollution standards are breached in all terminals covered in the identified literature; hence, noise mitigation measures must be implemented at these bus terminals. The study suggests that noise monitoring must be carefully devised with respect to individual site operations and noise sources and in compliance with standard guidelines to improve the accuracy of the results. There is a need for uniform guidelines that can be followed globally for environmental noise monitoring as there are only a few countries that have guidelines for noise monitoring. The outcomes of this research will be helpful in guiding noise monitoring, mapping, and mitigation strategies as well as designing transit terminals to improve overall acoustical ambiance for more passenger footfall for sustainable transportation.
{"title":"A comprehensive review of noise pollution monitoring studies at bus transit terminals","authors":"Supriya Kumari, Anjali Sharma, Ashok Kumar Ghosh","doi":"10.1515/noise-2022-0180","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/noise-2022-0180","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 This article systematically reviews research on noise pollution monitoring conducted over the past 23 years at various bus transit terminals located worldwide. About 18 articles were identified using PRISMA method and were evaluated to provide summary of prior research work to examine accuracy, authenticity, and reliability of noise monitoring results with respect to chosen methodology and extent of noise pollution at bus transit terminals. It examines important indicators of noise pollution and the analysis parameters such as noise sampling, noise descriptors, processing of acquired data, noise mapping, etc., and compares it with the regulations and standard guidelines notably ISO 1996-2:2017 and American National Standards Institute/ASA S12.18-1994 (R2009) and their prior versions aiming to identify research gaps. The studies have primarily focused on noise monitoring, revealing widespread excessive noise pollution exceeding permissible levels at bus terminals globally. This article underscores significant research deficiencies in noise pollution monitoring at bus terminals, emphasizing the challenge of conducting quantitative meta-analyses and statistical comparisons due to variations in parameters and qualities. Noise pollution standards are breached in all terminals covered in the identified literature; hence, noise mitigation measures must be implemented at these bus terminals. The study suggests that noise monitoring must be carefully devised with respect to individual site operations and noise sources and in compliance with standard guidelines to improve the accuracy of the results. There is a need for uniform guidelines that can be followed globally for environmental noise monitoring as there are only a few countries that have guidelines for noise monitoring. The outcomes of this research will be helpful in guiding noise monitoring, mapping, and mitigation strategies as well as designing transit terminals to improve overall acoustical ambiance for more passenger footfall for sustainable transportation.","PeriodicalId":44086,"journal":{"name":"Noise Mapping","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140517388","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
In densely populated cities, residents living near aerodromes may experience heightened exposure to aircraft noise. With hybrid work arrangement, authorities have observed a rise in the number of complaints filed by residents affected by aircraft noise. In view of this problem, urban planners are now placing even more emphasis on exploring solutions that can manage aircraft noise in new and existing residential areas. To achieve this objective, urban planners usually rely on external acoustic consultants to generate noise maps using commercial software. However, urban planners may need to quickly evaluate potential noise issues in the neighbourhood so that noise management strategies can be brainstormed in advance. In this article, we present the development and benchmarking of a package designed to easily generate aircraft noise maps via simplified procedures and a reduced amount of input data, with acceptable accuracy in the results. These benefits distinguish our developed package from commercial software. Our developed package was eventually integrated into an in-house-developed unified urban environmental modelling tool that aims to help urban planners design more liveable and sustainable residential towns in an intuitive and quick manner.
{"title":"Benchmarking the aircraft noise mapping package developed for a unified urban environmental modelling tool","authors":"L. Ang, Fangsen Cui, Hee Joo Poh","doi":"10.1515/noise-2024-0001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/noise-2024-0001","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 In densely populated cities, residents living near aerodromes may experience heightened exposure to aircraft noise. With hybrid work arrangement, authorities have observed a rise in the number of complaints filed by residents affected by aircraft noise. In view of this problem, urban planners are now placing even more emphasis on exploring solutions that can manage aircraft noise in new and existing residential areas. To achieve this objective, urban planners usually rely on external acoustic consultants to generate noise maps using commercial software. However, urban planners may need to quickly evaluate potential noise issues in the neighbourhood so that noise management strategies can be brainstormed in advance. In this article, we present the development and benchmarking of a package designed to easily generate aircraft noise maps via simplified procedures and a reduced amount of input data, with acceptable accuracy in the results. These benefits distinguish our developed package from commercial software. Our developed package was eventually integrated into an in-house-developed unified urban environmental modelling tool that aims to help urban planners design more liveable and sustainable residential towns in an intuitive and quick manner.","PeriodicalId":44086,"journal":{"name":"Noise Mapping","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140524154","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
R. M. Alsina-Pagès, Ma Eulàlia Parés, Ester Vidaña-Vila, M. Freixes, Danielly Garcia, M. Arnela, Carme Martínez-Suquía, Oriol Serra, M. Ferrandiz-Rovira
High environmental noise as well as poor biodiversity and air pollution pose significant challenges for the European population, particularly those residing in urban areas, impacting clearly on citizens’ health. The Conscious Walk initiative stands for an innovative hybrid approach to analyse citizens’ perception of their environment. Being a citizen science participative project, Conscious Walks involves both citizens and scientists collecting high-quality acoustic, chemical, biodiversity, and comfort data while walking in pre-analysed urban environments. The main objective of this proposal is to obtain comprehensive data encompassing both subjective and objective aspects related to soundscape, air quality, biodiversity, and urban comfort. All these elements are closely tied to the overall acoustic environmental quality of the places under study. The effectiveness of this methodology has been tested in various locations in Catalonia, including Sabadell and Barcelona. This contribution focuses on the evaluation of the soundscape in the urban centre of Barcelona, with a comprehensive analysis that integrates data collected by both citizens and scientists during Conscious Walks, air quality metrics, biodiversity, and human comfort information.
{"title":"Conscious walk assessment for the joint evaluation of the soundscape, air quality, biodiversity, and comfort in Barcelona","authors":"R. M. Alsina-Pagès, Ma Eulàlia Parés, Ester Vidaña-Vila, M. Freixes, Danielly Garcia, M. Arnela, Carme Martínez-Suquía, Oriol Serra, M. Ferrandiz-Rovira","doi":"10.1515/noise-2022-0182","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/noise-2022-0182","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 High environmental noise as well as poor biodiversity and air pollution pose significant challenges for the European population, particularly those residing in urban areas, impacting clearly on citizens’ health. The Conscious Walk initiative stands for an innovative hybrid approach to analyse citizens’ perception of their environment. Being a citizen science participative project, Conscious Walks involves both citizens and scientists collecting high-quality acoustic, chemical, biodiversity, and comfort data while walking in pre-analysed urban environments. The main objective of this proposal is to obtain comprehensive data encompassing both subjective and objective aspects related to soundscape, air quality, biodiversity, and urban comfort. All these elements are closely tied to the overall acoustic environmental quality of the places under study. The effectiveness of this methodology has been tested in various locations in Catalonia, including Sabadell and Barcelona. This contribution focuses on the evaluation of the soundscape in the urban centre of Barcelona, with a comprehensive analysis that integrates data collected by both citizens and scientists during Conscious Walks, air quality metrics, biodiversity, and human comfort information.","PeriodicalId":44086,"journal":{"name":"Noise Mapping","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140523198","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract The problem of noise pollution in Baghdad, the capital city of Iraq, is getting worse every day as a result of the increased volume of traffic. This presents a considerable risk, particularly on the main roads that connect densely populated neighborhoods such as the Al-Sadr City district with the central neighborhoods of the capital. In order to inform decision-makers in urban development and environmental policy about the high values of noise pollution that require remediation and regulation, noise maps are produced. However, two fundamental problems are generally faced in creating a more reliable noise map in the shortest possible time: the excessive time requirements for measuring noise and determining the method of map creation. Therefore, the role of geographic information system (GIS) software in producing noise maps is evident due to the difficulty of increasing the spatial density of measurements and integrating them with spatial information. Hence, an appropriate interpolation method is required. In this article, Moran’s I index was calculated to assess the spatial autocorrelation of measured traffic noise points. A comparison was made between the Smart Map Plugin ordinary kriging (OK) and the inverse distance weighting (IDW) deterministic interpolation method to determine the best method for producing noise maps for the main entrance and exit roads of Al-Sadr City. The noise values were modeled using the best-performing method. Furthermore, the predictive raster data are displayed in the spatial context as a starting point and reference for identifying and understanding the levels of traffic noise in the selected study area. The locations of selected points for measuring traffic noise values were determined in an organized and homogeneous manner, where noise points for the main entrance and exit roads were opposite each other, and the distance between consecutive noise points on each road was 100 m. Traffic noise measurements were carried out at each selected point using the SVAN977 sound and vibration analyzer. At each measurement point, three noise values (LAeq, Max, Min) were obtained during the three peak times, 7–9 AM, 12–2 PM, and 4–6 PM. QGIS software was used to compare the two interpolation methods, with its strength lying in the use of plugins that facilitate spatial analysis, processing tools, and algorithms. The Smart Map Plugin provided facilities to choose the appropriate semi-variogram in the OK interpolation method. The root mean square error was used to compare the two interpolation methods in order to determine the most suitable method for producing traffic noise maps in the study area. The results indicated that the Smart Map Plugin using OK outperformed the IDW method, as spatial distribution pattern and homogeneity affect the accuracy of interpolation. Moreover, based on the analysis of the three noise attributes (LAeq, Max, Min), the performance of the Smart Map Plugin (OK) was found to be better than IDW
{"title":"Reliability of smart noise pollution map","authors":"Z. M. Nasser, A. H. Abedali, H. A. Alkanaani","doi":"10.1515/noise-2022-0167","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/noise-2022-0167","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The problem of noise pollution in Baghdad, the capital city of Iraq, is getting worse every day as a result of the increased volume of traffic. This presents a considerable risk, particularly on the main roads that connect densely populated neighborhoods such as the Al-Sadr City district with the central neighborhoods of the capital. In order to inform decision-makers in urban development and environmental policy about the high values of noise pollution that require remediation and regulation, noise maps are produced. However, two fundamental problems are generally faced in creating a more reliable noise map in the shortest possible time: the excessive time requirements for measuring noise and determining the method of map creation. Therefore, the role of geographic information system (GIS) software in producing noise maps is evident due to the difficulty of increasing the spatial density of measurements and integrating them with spatial information. Hence, an appropriate interpolation method is required. In this article, Moran’s I index was calculated to assess the spatial autocorrelation of measured traffic noise points. A comparison was made between the Smart Map Plugin ordinary kriging (OK) and the inverse distance weighting (IDW) deterministic interpolation method to determine the best method for producing noise maps for the main entrance and exit roads of Al-Sadr City. The noise values were modeled using the best-performing method. Furthermore, the predictive raster data are displayed in the spatial context as a starting point and reference for identifying and understanding the levels of traffic noise in the selected study area. The locations of selected points for measuring traffic noise values were determined in an organized and homogeneous manner, where noise points for the main entrance and exit roads were opposite each other, and the distance between consecutive noise points on each road was 100 m. Traffic noise measurements were carried out at each selected point using the SVAN977 sound and vibration analyzer. At each measurement point, three noise values (LAeq, Max, Min) were obtained during the three peak times, 7–9 AM, 12–2 PM, and 4–6 PM. QGIS software was used to compare the two interpolation methods, with its strength lying in the use of plugins that facilitate spatial analysis, processing tools, and algorithms. The Smart Map Plugin provided facilities to choose the appropriate semi-variogram in the OK interpolation method. The root mean square error was used to compare the two interpolation methods in order to determine the most suitable method for producing traffic noise maps in the study area. The results indicated that the Smart Map Plugin using OK outperformed the IDW method, as spatial distribution pattern and homogeneity affect the accuracy of interpolation. Moreover, based on the analysis of the three noise attributes (LAeq, Max, Min), the performance of the Smart Map Plugin (OK) was found to be better than IDW ","PeriodicalId":44086,"journal":{"name":"Noise Mapping","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46693281","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract Noise pollution, a man-made disaster in the present times, is becoming more severe and pervasive than ever before due to rapid urbanization, affecting quality of life in urban areas in India. Transit areas generate excessive noise which proves disastrous to human health. However, very few studies have mapped noise levels of transit terminals in India. The objectives of this study are (i) assessment of noise levels in Ganeshpeth Bus Terminus, the major interstate bus terminus in Nagpur and generation of noise contour map in ArcGIS and (ii) a qualitative assessment of the impact of traffic-related noise on the health of the people working in the terminus with prolonged exposure to noisy environment, by conducting a health perception survey based on a questionnaire comprising indicators of health parameters. This is a first-of-its-kind study on noise mapping at an interstate bus terminus in India. The results indicate that the noise levels all over the bus terminus site are much higher than the prescribed standards and the source of noise is not only the plying of vehicles but also the misuse of the public address system. Solutions have been suggested to achieve a drastic reduction in noise levels through simple planning-oriented measures.
{"title":"Noise pollution and associated health impacts at Ganeshpeth Bus Terminus in Nagpur, India","authors":"Supriya Kumari, Anjali Sharma, A. Ghosh","doi":"10.1515/noise-2022-0168","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/noise-2022-0168","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Noise pollution, a man-made disaster in the present times, is becoming more severe and pervasive than ever before due to rapid urbanization, affecting quality of life in urban areas in India. Transit areas generate excessive noise which proves disastrous to human health. However, very few studies have mapped noise levels of transit terminals in India. The objectives of this study are (i) assessment of noise levels in Ganeshpeth Bus Terminus, the major interstate bus terminus in Nagpur and generation of noise contour map in ArcGIS and (ii) a qualitative assessment of the impact of traffic-related noise on the health of the people working in the terminus with prolonged exposure to noisy environment, by conducting a health perception survey based on a questionnaire comprising indicators of health parameters. This is a first-of-its-kind study on noise mapping at an interstate bus terminus in India. The results indicate that the noise levels all over the bus terminus site are much higher than the prescribed standards and the source of noise is not only the plying of vehicles but also the misuse of the public address system. Solutions have been suggested to achieve a drastic reduction in noise levels through simple planning-oriented measures.","PeriodicalId":44086,"journal":{"name":"Noise Mapping","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45091675","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abstract The modeling of traffic noise is more debated around intersections due to traffic flow and road geometry complexity. The available intersection-specific traffic noise models cannot be transferred to predict the traffic noise at intersections in the mid-sized Indian cities due to traffic heterogeneity, variety in driving conditions, and vehicle compositions. This article aims to develop an intersection-specific traffic noise model by collecting data at 19 intersections in Kanpur, India. The data include a wide range of traffic, road, and weather-related variables. Furthermore, significant input variables are determined and used in the statistical regression model to develop an intersection-specific traffic noise model for the mid-sized Indian cities. This study develops a separate entrance and exit arm model based on the corresponding influencing variables. The coefficient of determination (R 2) value is 0.74 and 0.69 for the developed model at the entrance and exit arms, respectively, whereas these models achieve R 2 values of 0.73 and 0.67 in the validation step. Also, the performance of developed models is evaluated on the standard and mean absolute errors as performance metrics. This study finds that traffic volume and receiver distance are relatively the most important variables in the entrance and exit arm noise models.
{"title":"Statistical modeling of traffic noise at intersections in a mid-sized city, India","authors":"Adarsh Yadav, M. Parida, B. Kumar","doi":"10.1515/noise-2022-0164","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/noise-2022-0164","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The modeling of traffic noise is more debated around intersections due to traffic flow and road geometry complexity. The available intersection-specific traffic noise models cannot be transferred to predict the traffic noise at intersections in the mid-sized Indian cities due to traffic heterogeneity, variety in driving conditions, and vehicle compositions. This article aims to develop an intersection-specific traffic noise model by collecting data at 19 intersections in Kanpur, India. The data include a wide range of traffic, road, and weather-related variables. Furthermore, significant input variables are determined and used in the statistical regression model to develop an intersection-specific traffic noise model for the mid-sized Indian cities. This study develops a separate entrance and exit arm model based on the corresponding influencing variables. The coefficient of determination (R 2) value is 0.74 and 0.69 for the developed model at the entrance and exit arms, respectively, whereas these models achieve R 2 values of 0.73 and 0.67 in the validation step. Also, the performance of developed models is evaluated on the standard and mean absolute errors as performance metrics. This study finds that traffic volume and receiver distance are relatively the most important variables in the entrance and exit arm noise models.","PeriodicalId":44086,"journal":{"name":"Noise Mapping","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47009473","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}