Significance of land use elements in developing noise maps

Abstract

The procedure used to relate noise level to land use is basically through a simple function of population density. The 100-site study conducted by the U. S. EPA in 1973 attempted to verify the premise that outdoor noise does correlate with population density. The function derived has been used extensively in airport planning to estimate the indigenous noise in a community. However, extreme care must be taken in using the results of this 100 site study to develop noise maps directly, since they exhibit wide scatter as a function of various land use elements. The uncertainty of the procedure and the significance of seemingly insignificant parameters have been investigated (show actual sites variation). An algorithm has been developed to estimate noise levels at any given point in a community on the basis of land use parameters. This algorithm involves the construction of artificial traffic noise levels using the population density and the road configuration. The algorithm can be expanded to prepare noise maps by using clusters of homogeneous land use elements. Emphasis is given to surface transportation noise sources rather than aircraft operations, since this type of noise impacts more people than any other single category. A discussion is also included as to how a planner or designer may use such a statistical procedure in estimating community noise. The algorithm may be used by a planner, together with noise models of airports, rapid transit systems, and industrial sites, to produce comprehensive noise maps. Examples of noise maps are presented for the Washington Technical Institute complex in Washington, D. C., the Los Angeles Airport area, and the Lindberg Field area in San Diego.