Noise mapping of major roads in Milan District

Abstract

The paper deals with noise map calculation, according to the first deadline of the END (Environmental Noise Directive, 2002/49/EC), for Milan district major roads. The roads with more than six million vehicle passages per year have been estimated to cover 405 km out of 1090 km total. Noise emission has been calculated from peak hour flow data for each segment of the whole road network and from some local traffic direct measurements. A statistical method to assign mean flow values to each road segment has been used, according to Italian reference periods. These data enable to use an acoustic model on a wide area with several line sources in order to obtain noise propagation maps of Lden and Lnight indicators. A procedure to estimate people exposed to different noise levels, as required by the END, has been also studied. Through a geographic information system it has been possible to intersect population input data (demographic density for different areas, buildings use type and buildings volumetric data) and noise mapping data. Every step of the procedure has been carried out complying with WG‐AEN Good Practice Guide recommendations, on the basis of the best available data in Milan district.