Patterns of changes in the acoustic characteristics on public transport linear segments

Abstract

The problem of noise pollution in cities becomes quite acute as soon as it comes to increasing the level of motorization. However, most researchers study the negative impact of traffic noise in general. In the era of sustainable mobility, there will be a trend to reduce the number of private vehicles on city streets. Still, the problem of acoustic load in residential areas will not be solved since public transport is a rather powerful source of traffic noise. The article solves the problem of determining the patterns of changes in the acoustic load from public transport vehicles at different speed modes and road surface. The article's objects of research are straight sections of public transport lines. The subject of the study is the patterns of changes in the noise level from public transport vehicles at different speeds, their position, and the type of surface. The obtained results indicate that the main range of noise pollution from public transport on straight sections is 75-85 dBA, and this level can vary by 15-20% depending on the type of line (trolley bus, bus, tram) and the type of road surface. The regularities of changes in the level of noise pollution, which were revealed in work, indicate that for each type of surface and type of public transport line, there are such values of traffic speeds, when they are reached, there is an overtime acoustic load on residential areas at specific distances from them. The obtained results differ from the currently existing scientific studies in that they consider the acoustic characteristics of clear public transport lines and not the traffic flow as a whole. Therefore, it becomes possible to determine the maximum and not the equivalent level of noise from public transport. The field of application of the results is transport planning of both new residential areas and areas of existing adjacent buildings. Thus, in the first case, recommendations were made regarding territorial gaps from the construction line to arterial streets with high volume of public transport, depending on its type and surface. On the other hand, recommendations have been established regarding the speed regime of public transport at different distances from existing buildings' lines.