Strategic noise map of a major road carried out with two environmental prediction software packages

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Date
2010Author
Version
Acceso abierto / Sarbide irekia
Type
Artículo / Artikulua
Version
Versión aceptada / Onetsi den bertsioa
Impact
|
10.1007/s10661-009-0853-5
Abstract
The main objective of this study is to analyze
the differences found in the results of noise
mapping using two of the most popular software
techniques for the prediction of environmental
noise. The location selected to conduct the comparative
study is an area encompassed by the ring
road that surrounds the city of Pamplona and on a
grid, with a total of 6 × 105 points, approximately.
In f ...
[++]
The main objective of this study is to analyze
the differences found in the results of noise
mapping using two of the most popular software
techniques for the prediction of environmental
noise. The location selected to conduct the comparative
study is an area encompassed by the ring
road that surrounds the city of Pamplona and on a
grid, with a total of 6 × 105 points, approximately.
In fact, and as the Environmental Noise Directive
points out, it is a major road designated by a
Member State (Spain). Configuration of the calculation
parameters (discretization of the sources,
ground absorption, reflection order, etc.) was as
equivalent as possible as far as programs allow. In
spite of that, a great number of differences appear
in the findings. Although in 95.5% of the points
the difference in the noise level calculated from
the two programs was less than 3 dB, this general
statistic result concealed some great differences.
These are due to the various algorithms that programs
implement to evaluate noise levels. Most
differences pertain to highly screened receivers
or remote ones. In the former, the algorithm of
visibility is the main cause of such differences. In
the latter, differences are mainly brought about
by a different implementation of the propagation
under homogeneous and favorable atmospheric
conditions from both software systems. [--]
Subject
Noise,
Software
Publisher
Springer Netherlands
Published in
Environmental Monitoring and Assessment (2010) 163:503–513
Description
The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10661-009-0853-5
Departament
Universidad Pública de Navarra. Departamento de Física /
Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa. Fisika Saila
Publisher version
Sponsorship
The authors would like to deeply
thank to the Environmental Department of the Government
of Navarre for their grant to carry out this research.