Traffic noise level predictions for buildings with windows opened for natural ventilation in urban environments

Abstract

The aims of this research are to discuss acoustical building performance for natural ventilation systems and to predict traffic noise level for inhabitants residing in urban settlements. Natural ventilation systems use outdoor air to improve the quality of indoor environments and can reduce energy consumption. However, natural ventilation systems create an acoustical problem. For example, if windows are opened for natural ventilation, outdoor traffic noise can disrupt people working and sleeping in the building. In this study, a new method that combines an algorithm to predict traffic noise levels (calculation of road traffic noise) with the Federal Highway Administration Traffic Noise Model's vehicle noise spectra correctly predicts the properties of noise propagation and attenuation through openings in urban environments, as well as outdoor sound propagation, sound reduction index, and indoor sound transmission. In order to develop this method, various traffic noise prediction methods to calculate sound attenuation during propagation outdoors based on International Organization for Standardization 9613 were analyzed. This study also describes the noise attenuation effect from surrounding elements, such as building envelope, location of openings, opening ratio, and indoor boundary conditions. The results of the simulations indicate that the integrated noise evaluation method can successfully predict the acoustic performance of natural ventilation systems in urban areas.

Prediction of Road Traffic Noise by CRTN Model in a Sub-Urban Town of India

“…The result reveals that the variation of noise level from -6.67 to + 7.87 dbB (A) when compared with measured noise and model predicted noise level and almost similar as recorded from linear regression (0.453). Almost similar differences between predicted and measured levels of noise were reported by [37]. From the Table 1 it has been also observed that the deviation at two receptors did not exceed 1.5 dB (A).…”

Applying Mathematical Modeling to Predict Road Traffic Noise in Phuket Province, Thailand

“…The traffic volume, the speed, the percentage of heavy vehicles, and the gradient are required for traffic noise prediction [36]. In addition, the results from the study of Kim et al, [37] described that the mean difference between their predicted and measured levels was around +1.4 and -1.2 dBA for low-range and high-range noise levels, respectively. In Hong Kong, CRTN has been adopted to estimate traffic noise from the road.…”

Investigation of outdoor air pollutant, PM2.5 affecting the indoor air quality in a high-rise building

“…where DP w is the wind-induced difference between indoor and outdoor pressure, and C pi is the internal wind pressure coefficient, which is around -0.2 for a building in which the air leakage sites are distributed uniformly in all the walls. 51 For tall buildings, the stack-induced pressure difference for a horizontal leak at any vertical location in the building can be characterized by a sufficient stack height and neutral pressure level (NPL), which is expressed by equation (7) 24…”

“…doors), and its value for office buildings varied from 0.63 to 0.82. 51 In this study, an average value of C d ¼ 0.725 was applied, and the stack pressure on each floor's mid-point was used to represent the average stack pressure on that floor. 51 In theory, the NPL is precisely at the mid-height of a building if the building's cracks and other openings are uniformly distributed vertically.…”

“…51 In this study, an average value of C d ¼ 0.725 was applied, and the stack pressure on each floor's mid-point was used to represent the average stack pressure on that floor. 51 In theory, the NPL is precisely at the mid-height of a building if the building's cracks and other openings are uniformly distributed vertically. 24,51 However, many factors, including the mechanical supply and exhaust system, affected the indoor air pressure level and contributed to the NPL location variation.…”