Dynamic noise mapping: A map-based interpolation between noise measurements with high temporal resolution

Abstract

Since the introduction of the Environmental Noise Directive, strategic noise mapping has been used as a tool for noise policy in many European countries. Although these strategic noise maps have their merits, they also have some shortcomings: accuracy in predicted noise levels in shielded or quiet areas is not very high, the maps fail to capture sounds that are less easy to predict, and above all the dynamics of the sound environment is not included. However, these dynamics might be important to evaluate sleep disturbance and noise annoyance. In this paper, a model to dynamically (every 15 minutes) update a noise map based on measurements is proposed. This model relies on reasonable good source and propagation models and a not-very-dense measurement network. The least mean squares method (LMS) is used for tuning model parameters. To avoid an under-determined system, the number of degrees of freedom is reduced by grouping the sources and propagation paths into different categories. Source strengths and propagation path attenuations in the same category are corrected by offsetting the same small values from their base levels. The map-based interpolation is performed jointly on L Aeq , L 10 and L 90 , and takes into account 1/3-octave band spectra. The efficiency of the proposed method was validated in a case study in the Katendrecht district of Rotterdam, the Netherlands. The results showed that more than 75% of the L Aeq predictions are closer to the measurement than the ab initio calculations based on traffic data. Values for L 10 and L 90 are closer to measurements for 55% and 90% of the observations, respectively.

A road traffic noise pattern simulation model that includes distributions of vehicle sound power levels

“…approach is a refinement of conventional traffic noise prediction models in which emission calculations are based only on average speeds and intensities [30][31][32]. However, the state-of-the-art vehicle noise emission models [for example those used in the FHWA Traffic Noise Model or the European Imagine model, 33] still consider a single, prototypical emission law for each vehicle category.…”

Soundscape mapping in environmental noise management and urban planning: case studies in two UK cities

“…Some studies have tried to formulate a better traffic model by using dynamic noise mapping techniques [4,5] or even data extracted from participatory noise mapping techniques [6,7]. Moreover, the need to combine a holistic approach in environmental noise policy -by combining the noise mapping with the soundscape approach -has recently been raised by the European Environmental Agency (EEA) in the Good Practice Guide on Quiet Areas [8].…”

Low-Cost Sensors for Urban Noise Monitoring Networks—A Literature Review

“…Thus, the use of low-cost Sensor Networks (SN) can be a solution to the current limits of the noise observatories, mentioned above, by making it possible to reach a density of measurement points in a territory that is capable of providing a very rich acoustic information. The use of such a noise SN also opens up many additional interesting opportunities, such as to assess and manage road traffic noise [12][13][14], to enhance the traditional strategic noise mapping process [15][16][17][18][19], to produce dynamics noise maps [20] or to capture the sound sources of interest or acoustic events within the signal [21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29]. One can mention also that low-cost SN may be used in other fields in acoustics, such as sound source localisation [30] and biodiversity monitoring [31][32][33].…”