Aircraft noise impact prediction with incorporation of meteorological effects

Abstract

As part of a research effort towards greener aviation, this study focuses on the noise impact of aircraft operations around major airports. First, a pre-existing aircraft noise prediction platform based on a simplified (semi-empirical) approach is refined, to account for all refraction effects inherited from realistic (e.g., heterogeneous) atmospheres. To do so, the platform is enhanced with a more advanced noise propagation kernel relying on Ray Tracing, which combines state-of-the-art functionalities and novel refinements (e.g., to account for the three-dimensional nature of winds). This improved prediction platform is then validated against various benchmark cases, delivering outcomes of both phenomenological and methodological natures (e.g., the importance of accounting for 3D wind patterns whilst numerically handling them with care). Finally, the platform is applied to real-life situations involving representative aircraft operations and actual meteorological conditions, revealing how weather variations can significantly alter the propagation − and thus impact − of aircraft noise.