Refinement method of equivalent source power level determination for traffic noise in urban noise mapping

Abstract

For traffic noise prediction, the predictive models of source power level determination commonly in use are the Technical Guidelines for Noise Impact Assessment in China or the Calculation of Road Traffic Noise model in the United Kingdom, which incorporate traffic flow and car speeds. However, the accuracy of these models is often compromised due to urban traffic's complexity, vehicle diversity, and unforeseen events. This study investigates a refinement method based on noise on-site measurement and aforementioned approaches for equivalent source power level determination for traffic noise in urban noise mapping. In the study, onsite measurements are conducted to collect noise and traffic data, and source power level calculated by refinement method is validated using measurement data. Different prediction methods are employed for measurement sites calculations. By comparisons between predictions with noise on-site measurement data, the refinement method proposed in the study demonstrates a significant accuracy enhancement in traffic noise prediction over previous models for determining equivalent source power level. This enhancement highlights the efficacy of adopting noise measurement-based methods for setting traffic noise source power levels, leading to more precise traffic noise predictions in complex urban settings, particularly in areas surrounding urban arterial roads.