Equivalent noise level response to number of vehicles: a comparison between a high traffic flow and low traffic flow highway in Klang Valley, Malaysia

Herni Halim,Ramdzani Abdullah

doi:10.3389/fenvs.2014.00013

Abstract

Although much research on road traffic noise has found that noise level increase are influenced by driver behaviour and source- receiver distance, little attention has been paid to the relationship between noise level and total number of vehicles on the road. In this study, five days measurement of noise level during peak hour and off peak hour has been carried out at two types of highways; high traffic flow highway (Sungai Besi Expressway)and low traffic flow highway(Duke Highway). Simultaneously, the number of vehicles passing the measurement point were recorded for every 15 minutes. Findings indicated that heavy traffic flow highway recorded higher noise level compared to low traffic flow highway. It was due to the higher number of vehicles on the heavy traffic flow highway than low traffic flow highway. Other than that, certain particular number of vehicles, noise level keeps stabilization.

Highlights

Noise pollution is recognized worldwide as a major problem for the quality of life in urban areas (Piccolo et al, 2005)
It was due to the higher number of vehicles on the heavy traffic flow highway than low traffic flow highway
Due to the lack of studies concerning the effects of a number of vehicles on noise levels in Malaysia, this study aimed to evaluate and analyse the relationship between number of vehicles and noise level considering Malaysia scenario and traffic pattern

Summary

Introduction

Noise pollution is recognized worldwide as a major problem for the quality of life in urban areas (Piccolo et al, 2005). The rapid industrialization, commercialization, and urbanization witnessed by many developing countries in recent years has given rise to the steady increase in the environmental noise climate. The environmental noise climate is influenced drastically by road traffic noise because that type of noise produces a continuous sound which fluctuates from hour to hour in irregular trend with the passage of individual vehicles. A recent study carried out by Nataraja et al (2010) stated that the distance between source and receiver of the noise influence the noise level in studying areas. Much research has found that noise level increase are influenced by driver behavior and source-receiver distance, little attention has been paid to the relationship between noise level and total number of vehicles on the road

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion