Abstract
Abstract This paper presents a study conducted at major rotaries for quantifying the traffic noise levels by considering the vehicle volume and their respective honking as governing parameters for heterogeneous traffic. Traffic volume and traffic noise data was collected using a digital video camera and a class 1 sound level meter, respectively. The traffic noise data was analysed using noise tools for identifying the noise level variation. The data collected was subjected to statistical analysis for light, medium and heavy vehicles, and their contribution towards noise levels is proven to be effective with the forthright fact that, heavy vehicles and their corresponding honking were majorly affecting the equivalent noise level compared to other vehicular proportion. An equivalent noise level [LAeq (dB)] rise of 2 to 6 dB (A) is solely caused by heavy vehicles, which is an important observation to be considered for traffic noise analysis at the rotaries. Based on the obtained results from one of the rotaries, noise prediction model is developed for estimating the LAeq (dB), which is able to predict the noise levels with good precision when validated with the data collected at second rotary intersection for different vehicle volumes.
Highlights
Quietness has become an imperil species nowadays, as necessity of life is finding its existence in friction with the world
Several works done in the past on urban highway networks for separating honking from the total traffic noise by separating the frequency octave bands falling in honking response and subsequent logarithmic addition of remaining frequency bands, observed the effect of heavy vehicles, speed and honking on noise generation
There is a high chance for extreme noise levels due to the large number of vehicular compositions passing continuously through these urban structural units, where heterogeneity of traffic may lead to extreme honking resulting in the severe effects on health to the people residing nearby
Summary
Quietness has become an imperil species nowadays, as necessity of life is finding its existence in friction with the world. There is a need for contemplation on mitigation of traffic noise by urban planners and road designers before construction of any road network [7] This inevitable requirement led the need for taking up traffic noise studies by researchers globally including India, especially from the early 1990’s, to study the core factors leading to road noise annoyance [8], [9]. With the incoming of the last decade in India, along with the vital change of demographics in urban areas, vehicles grew at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 10.5 % between 2002 and 2012 [10] This vehicle growth will automatically increase the noise pollution which is a serious threat to mankind, as noise produced by road traffic is one of the most important contributors to hearing loss, cardiovascular diseases and depreciation of the quality of life [11], [12]. Several works recognized road traffic noise as a major pollutant licenses/by/4.0), in the manner agreed with Sciendo
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