An evaluation of STAMINA 2.0 using the ORNAMENT ground attenuation algorithm

Abstract

The United States Federal Highway Administration ͑FHWA͒ computer program STAMINA 2.0 was evaluated with the ground attenuation algorithm used in the Ontario Road Noise Analysis Method for Environment and Transportation ͑ORNAMENT͒. The goal: To determine this method's potential to improve noise level predictions at receivers located near traffic roadways with barriers in the propagation path. The study of 41 sites indicated that this method reduced the mean overprediction of noise levels from 2.6 dB using STAMINA 2.0 alone, to 0.5 dB using STAMINA 2.0 with the ORNAMENT ground attenuation algorithm.

A comparative study of the physical mechanisms related to highway noise barrier insertion loss : measurements versus modeling assumptions.

“…The study revealed that alpha factors were not only distance dependent, but also were height and vehicle type dependent. Herman (1996) conducted a field measurement study with 41 sites along 1-440 in Nashville; the result indicated that STAMINA 2.0 over-predicted the noise levels by 2.6 dBA. By using the empirically based ground attenuation algorithm-ORNAMENT, instead of using alpha factors directly, the over-prediction by STAMINA 2.0 decreased to 0.5 dBA, which was due solely to the ORNAMENT ground attenuation algorithm.…”