Environmental Noise Management Research Articles

Noise assessment of the small-scale wind farm

The importance of renewable energy and especially of eolian systems is growing. For this reason, we propose the investigation of an important pollutant - the noise, which has become so important that European Commission and European Parliament introduced Directive 2002/49/CE relating to the assessment and management of environmental noise. So far, priority has been given to very large-scale systems connected to national energy systems, wind farms whose highly variable output power could be regulated by large power systems. Nowadays, with the development of small storage capacities, it is feasible to install small power wind turbines in cities of up to 10,000 inhabitants too. As a case study, we propose a simulation for a rural locality where individual wind units could be used. This specific case study is interesting because it provides a new perspective of the impact of noise on the quality of life when the use of this type of system is implemented on a large scale. This option, of distributed and small power wind turbine, can be implemented in the future as an alternative or an adding to the common systems.

Changing the Urban Sound Environment in Greece: A Guide Based on Selected Case Studies of Strategic Noise Maps (SNM) and Noise Action Plans (NAP) in Medium and Large Urban Areas

Within the frame of European directive 2002/49 for Strategic Noise Mapping and the relevant environmental Noise Action Plans, which included preparation for the management of environmental noise and the rehabilitation of the sound environment, Greece had the opportunity to develop an innovative and comprehensive methodology to analyze the sound environments of several urban and semi-urban residential neighborhoods in the large and medium-size cities of the country e.g., Volos, Larissa, Heraklion, Chania, Agrinio, Corfu, and Thessaloniki, between 2012 and 2016. This paper presents the determined multidisciplinary approach, showing how the environmental noise data are cross-analyzed with urban and architectural data and perception descriptors by inhabitants. Furthermore, it shows how these specific results have been implemented in the developed noise actions plans that have been proposed to the authorities for immediate implementation. Finally, the paper discusses the necessary development of this approach to reduce noise exposure problems, as well as assist the cities in their evolution toward the introduction of a sustainable urban sound environment.

Determination of noise pollution on university campuses: a case study at Çukurova University campus in Turkey.

The aims of this study are to identify via harnessing noise mapping the effects of noise pollution at Çukurova University campus on the academic setting and to reveal the obtained change values in noise pollution on the campus during the period 2010-2017. In line with these aims, the first step has been to map the highway-induced environmental noise on Çukurova University campus during daytime (07:00-19:00) and evening (19:00-23:00) hours by employing SoundPLAN 7.3 software. Traffic-induced noise distribution maps for years 2010 and 2017 on the campus were analyzed by threshold values stipulated by the Regulation on Environmental Noise Assessment and Management that is compliance with the European Union Directive on Environmental Noise (2002/49/EC) and after the conducted analyses, traffic-induced environmental noise measured on Çukurova University campus since the past to that date was identified in terms of spatial change. The Regulation defines threshold values, namely, (1) 65dB(A) for daytime from 07:01 to 19:00, (2) 60dB(A) for evening-from 19:01 to 23:00, (3) 55dB(A) for night time-from 23:01 to 07:00. It was then identified in the research area that faculty buildings of Science and Letters, Engineering, Architecture, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Dentistry, Faculty of Law, and Communication devoid of any vegetation space to set a barrier between emission-source highway and front walls of buildings facing the roadside were the structures most severely exposed to the noise. In the research area, the comparison of year 2017 noise distribution with respect to year 2010 manifested that the regions exposed to noise value 35dB(A) and below, 35-45dB(A), and 45-55dB(A) levels decreased while a proportional increase was detected in regions exposed to 60dB(A) noise value that is close to the legal threshold value and noise level above 65dB(A).

Seasonal Change and Spatial Distribution of Traffic Noise in Seferihisar, Turkey

Abstract In this study, traffic noise in Seferihisar, which is a holiday resort by the Aegean Sea in the West of Turkey, was investigated. The noise occurring in summer and winter, on weekdays, and at weekends was mapped separately. Besides, land uses exposed to traffic noise were specified. In the carried out method, the land uses were primarily mapped by using the satellite images of the study area. Then, the noise was measured at 46 points during ten days in summer and winter, on weekdays and at weekends, and it was mapped by using Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) method and by means of Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques. The measurements were taken in the daytime (07:00-19:00), in the evening (19:00-23:00), and at night (23:00-07:00) as stated in the Turkish Regulation of Assessment and Management of Environmental Noise. Since the time interval of the daytime measurements was large, the noise was measured in three different periods for the daytime measurements. In the formation of noise maps, logarithmic averages of all measurements taken at each point were used. The noise maps were overlapped with the land use maps by the help of the GIS techniques; the land use affected by the noise was analyzed. The results showed that the road traffic noise varied from summer to winter seasons in the study area depending on heavy or light traffic. The noise occurring in summer showed an increase both on weekdays and at weekends. While the limit value was exceeded in 49 of the measurement averages taken in winter, the limit value was exceeded in 96 measurements taken in summer. The noise maps formed according to the IDW method displayed that the areas in which the limit value was exceeded in the daytime in summer took up 14.27% of the study area while this rate went down to 4.06% in winter. The study area is one of the most important destinations for summer holiday. 20.12% of the area that exceeded the limit value in summer was builtup and 10.69% of them was tourism area. The noise together with population and traffic that increase in summer season is an important environmental problem against which some precautions should be taken. The findings of the study present significant results which might guide local governments in preventing and managing the noise.

Soundscape mapping in environmental noise management and urban planning: case studies in two UK cities

Soundscape mapping in environmental noise management and urban planning: case studies in two UK cities

PROPOSALS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL NOISE MANAGEMENT BOOST AT A NATIONAL LEVEL IN THE EUROPEAN UNION MEMBER STATES

Environmental noise is currently becoming one of the most dominant types of environmental pollution. The effects of environmental noise closely correlate with quality of life especially regarding the physical and psychological health of inhabitants, social and economic costs, and thus also impacting the sustainable development of a country. Environmental noise management, therefore, is one of the most necessary and exigent aspects of environmental pollution management governance. The management of noise need to be developed in a comprehensive, integrative and cross-sectorial way, and appropriate methods and approaches for the management of overall noise impacts need to be found to deal with them in the most effective and sustainable manner. Taking into account above mentioned, the aim of this research is to study environmental noise management at a national level, taking into account environmental noise management framework in the European Union (hereinafter – EU). Research mostly focuses on new EU member states that joined EU after the year 2000, including Baltic countries. The objectives of this research are as follows: (1) to justify the need for development of environmental noise management, based on theoretical studies of environmental noise as a comprehensive environmental pollution component; (2) to analyze the established practices for noise management in EU in order to identify the best practice examples; (3) to study and analyse problem situations in Latvia that is chosen as an example of new EU member states; (4) to propose improvements for noise management processes at a national level, based on the analysis of the case. In the scope of the study authors analyze existing legislation and the institutional system for environmental noise management, and provide conclusions from Latvian case studies. The research allows providing suggestions for improvements of a noise management at a national level. Latvian case study allows concluding that necessary improvements are related to following processes: development of legislation, noise policy, environmental noise mapping and action planning, environmental noise control and complaints management, data and information collection, analysis and dissemination, as well as environmental impact assessment.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.eis.0.11.18133

A traffic-noise-map update method based on monitoring data.

The traffic noise map is an important tool for environmental noise management, whose update is notably necessary. A method to quickly update the noise map based on a few noise-monitoring data points is proposed to avoid recollecting regional traffic data and a large amount of noise monitoring. The noise-monitoring data of roads with monitoring are compared with the original noise data in the noise map to obtain the deviation, and the roads that share the similar characteristic as sound sources are clustered. The roads without monitoring are corrected by the average noise deviation of the road class whose characteristic as a sound source is close to the characteristic as a sound source. The update accuracy of this method is analyzed, and a formula to calculate the precision is proposed. Finally, experiments to verify the method and its accuracy are organized; the results show that the method accurately and rapidly updates the noise map.

Input Data for Tram Noise Analysis

The European Union passed the Environmental Noise Directive in 2002. The Directive deals with issues relating to the assessment and management of environmental noise in Member States. This main EU instrument requires that the information on environmental noise and its effects are predicted as accurately as possible. In general, the most accurate data on noise levels can be collected by measurement; however, it is a lengthy and complicated method, inapplicable to making predictions of noise levels in practice. The acoustic situation is therefore more easily determined by calculation. The Directive recommends the “Schall 03” Methodology for the calculations of tramway noise levels. Strategic noise maps are regularly produced to provide an overview on noise levels in residential areas and noise management action plans are prepared to reduce unacceptable exposures to noise. The article analyses input parameters used in the calculations of final levels of tramway noise. The basis for the analysis was a parametric study of input data, field measurements and the statistical evaluation of the measurement results. After making some generalizations and analyzing the influence of individual parameters on the calculation of tramway noise levels, it can be stated that the emphasis in calculations should be placed on the most accurate determination of the speed of a tram.

Environmental noise management in the area of opencast mines

Environmental noise management in the area of opencast mines

Modeling of Tarsus-Adana-Gaziantep highway-induced noise pollution within the scope of Adana city and estimated the affected population

The purpose of this study is, via employing SoundPLAN 7.3 software, to model the noise pollution that Tarsus-Adana-Gaziantep (TAG) Highway passing through Adana city induces in Adana city center and to designate the ratio of population exposed to the noise. The study was executed in an area extending from a 17km-route of TAG Highway passing through Adana city center and 1900.62ha area that surrounding 500m north and 500m south directions of this particular route.The geographical data around the TAG Highway was used to prepare elevation, open-space area, greenfield site, residential building, hospital and school layers in “SoundPLAN 7.3” software. Vehicles data were collected at varying intervals: morning, evening and night in both summer and winter. Noise distribution maps of study area was concocted and assessed as per the Regulation on the Assessment and Management of Environmental Noise issued to prevent noise pollution in Turkey and became effective as of 04.06.2010 upon proclaiming on 27601 no Official Gazette.Subject to the volume of traffic on TAG Highway, it was designated that noise distribution indicated higher scores during summer period in comparison to winter period for the entire set of time-zones. It was found that 63% of the land area of the research area (0.5% of the land area of the Adana city center) exceeds the threshold of 68dB(A) during daytime in summer. Nearly 5% of the population in Adana city center (16.5% of the population in research area) is exposed to noise levels greater than 68dB(A). At the night time, 12.5% of the population in Adana city center (45.3% of the population in research area) is exposed to 58dB(A) or higher noise levels. Comparing the noise level obtained in this study to the standard level, it can be obviously concluded that the noise levels are higher than that of acceptable levels in most parts of the research area.

LIFE DYNAMAP project: The case study of Rome

The DYNAMAP project (Dynamic Acoustic Mapping – Development of low cost sensors networks for real time noise mapping) is a LIFE project aiming at developing a dynamic noise mapping system able to detect and represent in real time the acoustic impact due to road infrastructures. Scope of the project is the European Directive 2002/49/EC relating to the assessment and management of environmental noise (END).The main project idea is focused on the research of a technical solution able to ease and reduce the cost of noise mapping, through an automatic monitoring system, based on customized low-cost sensors and a software tool implemented on a general purpose GIS platform, performing the update of noise maps in real time (dynamic noise maps). The feasibility of this approach will be proved implementing the system in two pilot areas with different territorial and environmental characteristics: an agglomeration and a major road. The first pilot area will be located in Milan, in a significant portion of the town, while the second one will be situated along the motorway A90 surrounding the city of Rome. The two pilot areas show peculiar needs and characteristics, such as the presence of multiple noise sources, roads junctions, traffic and weather conditions, that require a different system’s implementation approach. In this paper the main issues related to the design of the system configuration in the pilot area of Rome are described.

Social choice functions: A tool for ranking variables involved in action plans against road noise

Traffic noise is gaining importance in planning and operation of roads in developing countries, and particularly in Europe and Latin America. Many variables with different degrees of importance influence the perception of noise from roads. Thus, the problem of prioritizing road stretches for action against such noise is an important issue in environmental noise management. For example, it can be addressed using multicriteria methods. However, these methodologies require criteria or suitable variables to be ranked according to their relative importance. In the present study, for this ranking, a list of nine variables involved in the decision-making process (called “road stretch priority variables”) was presented in the form of questionnaires to high-level experts from Andalusia, southern Spain. These experts ranked the variables by relevance. Using the same data, seven social choice functions (Plurality, Raynaud, Kemeny-Young, Copeland, Simpson, Schulze, and Borda) were used in order to rank the variables. The results indicate that the most important variables were those that take into account the parameters of greatest exposure for the citizens, followed by variables related to the intensity of the problem analyzed. The results show that a combination of the use of social choice functions on aggregated information from expert panels can provide a consensus for ranking priority variables related to road stretches.

Noise Control Plans in Cities – Selected Issues and Necessary Changes in Approach to Measures and Methods of Protection

The Directive (2002) establishing the assessment and management of environmental noise mandates that the Member States of the EU to prepare action plans to manage noise-related issues and consequences of acoustic impact on areas adjacent to the busiest roads, railway lines, main airports and the biggest agglomerations. Every five years there are environmental noise control plans developed in the EU countries for the biggest cities with a population exceeding 100 thousand inhabitants. Each plan contains a set of proposed remedial measures aimed at improving noise conditions of the areas that have the greatest number of inhabitants exposed to noise above the limit values. As a rule, a few selected remedial measures are possible to apply in those areas and their combined effect is meant to result in a sensible improvement of noise conditions. In most programs, the tasks related to protection against environmental noise are based on single methods, which often present little effectiveness and are unrelated to other programs and policies.The present report describes the results of studies and analyses that were performed in most Polish cities where noise control plans were delivered. The studies enabled to determine the basic problems encountered in relation to noise control plans as well as issues confronted while adopting actual measures protecting the environment against noise. The conclusion points out the necessity to introduce changes in the approach to noise protection measures and methods in cities.

A system for evaluating the impact of noise pollution on the population's health.

The aim of this study was to develop a support system for the evaluation of noise pollution, applied to the central urban area of Rio Claro, São Paulo State, Brazil. Data were obtained from noise measurements and interviews with the population, generating the following indicators: equivalent sound level (Leq ), traffic noise index (LTNI ), and a participatory diagnosis (Dp ), integrated through a fuzzy inference system (FIS). The proposed system allowed classifying the measurement points according to the degree of impact of noise pollution on the population's health (IPS ) in the study area. Impact was considered significant in 31.4% of the measurement points and very significant in 62.9%. The FIS can be adjusted to local conditions, allowing generalization and thus also supporting noise pollution evaluation and respective environmental noise management in other geographic areas.

Quiet Areas in Open Country in the Czech Republic

This paper focuses on an issue that has yet to be resolved satisfactorily and with legal relevance in the Czech Republic. European law determines framework requirements, as well as obligations of Member States to designate quiet areas in nature and in open country. The Directive of the European Parliament and Council Directive 2002/49/EC relating to the assessment and management of environmental noise was indeed incorporated into Czech legislation, but legal instruments are still lacking for fulfilling the obligation under this directive to create and protect quiet areas in nature. Therefore, the purpose behind this paper is to open certain relating problem areas and to search for an answer to the question of why this obligation has yet to be fulfilled.

The effect of road traffic noise on the prices of residential property – A case study of the polish city of Olsztyn

The key factors that determine the prices of real estate are location, technical standard of property as well as the local environment. In urban agglomerations, road traffic noise has a considerable impact on the purchasing decisions made by apartment buyers. This is a widespread problem in Central-Eastern Europe. The main objective of this study was to verify the working hypothesis that apartment prices are correlated with traffic noise levels in Olsztyn, the capital city of the Region of Warmia and Mazury in north-eastern Poland.The study was carried out in four principal stages. Firstly, traffic noise intensity was determined for apartments (objects of real estate transactions concluded in 2013), based on an acoustic map for the city of Olsztyn. The map was developed in line with the provisions of Directive 2002/49/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 June 2002 relating to the assessment and management of environmental noise. Secondly, the values of the Noise Depreciation Sensitivity Index (NDSI) were calculated. NDSI determines the percentage change in property prices per dB increase in noise levels. The distribution of unit prices of apartments was mapped relative to noise levels, and the relationships between the analyzed variables were assessed. Thirdly, linear correlations between the unit prices of apartments and noise levels were analyzed. The strength and direction of relationships between the analyzed parameters were determined based on Pearson’s correlation coefficient. In the last stage, the distribution of the unit prices of apartments was mapped by ordinary kriging, a geostatistical estimation method. The research hypothesis was confirmed by comparing the spatial distribution of traffic noise levels measured in stage 1 with the spatial distribution of apartment prices.

The Health Effects and Keep Down of Whole Body Vibration

Vibration was defined that oscillation of the body according to the reference point. The tools that are used in industry and are the source of vibration cause diseases. For this reason, the vibration has been one of the factors that affect the health and of the most widely researched in the field of ergonomics. The perceived intensity and health effects of vibration depend on the vibration frequency, intensity, direction, acceleration, duration of exposure, vibration affects the region, age, gender, posture, distance from the source person, activity, time of day and the person\'s overall health condition. The one of the most common health effects of whole body vibration is impact on musculoskeletal system. In many studies, indicated that whole-body vibration effect waist, back, shoulder and neck especially. There were varied studies that hormone levels were not changed as well there were varied studies that hormone levels were increased or decreased. There were varied studies about the digestive and circulatory system. In these studies, digestive system complaints, peptic ulcer, gastritis, varicose veins and hemorrhoids were determined frequently. For protection the health effect of vibration, Directives of the European Commission, Turkish Standards, Assessment and Management of Environmental Noise and Vibration Regulations were published. For the control of vibration are need technical and medical measures and education

The link between noise perception and quality of life in South Australia.

Environmental noise is a significant risk factor for a range of short- and long-term adverse health outcomes such as annoyance, cognitive development impairment, sleep disturbance, cardiovascular effects, and psychiatric problems. The aim of this study was to gather standardized quality of life (QOL) data hitherto rarely correlated with noise annoyance by source category. To provide an evidence-base for environmental noise policy development, a representative state-based survey was undertaken in South Australia (SA). A total of 3015 face-to-face interviews were conducted, using a questionnaire addressing noise sources, distances to busy roads and standardized measures of perceived annoyance and QOL. Population weighted descriptive survey and regression analysis. The most common sources of noise annoyances were road transport (27.7%, using a Likert scale, aggregating "little" to "extreme" annoyance), neighbors (22.0%), construction noise (10.0%), air conditioner noise (5.8%), rail transport noise (4.7%), and industry (3.9%). Using the QOL instrument, all eight health dimensions were significantly decreased for those reporting high noise annoyance ("very much" to "extreme") in relation to road transport and neighbors compared to those reporting low annoyance ("none" to "moderate") from these sources. Noise annoyance is common in the SA general population, and the evidence for a strong association with QOL reinforces the need for environmental noise management at a population basis.

Environmental Noise and Policy Implication in Latvia

The European Directive 2002/49/EC on the assessment and management of environmental noise obliges European Union Member states to draw noise maps of communities with more than 100,000 inhabitants (agglomerations) and of areas near the major transport infrastructures for the assessment of noise outdoors. The Latvian law On Pollution and the Cabinet Regulation No 597 Procedures for Noise Assessment and Management (Adopted 13 July 2004) were harmonized with this European Directive to provide the legislative background for the local authorities to draw noise maps to be used as a basis for noise reduction plans. Riga Agglomeration strategic noise map was calculated using software IMMI 6.3. The map shows Riga City as rather noisy city because major roads and railway lines cross the city center and close to it. Riga Freeport, located on the banks of river Daugava, with its supply roads and branch-ways also add to contribute in the total noise levels. The European Directive 2002/49/EC on the assessment and management of environmental noise also obliges European Union Member states to draw Noise reduction Action plans. In Latvia, Capital Riga and Daugavpils are required to have the Action Plans. Action Plans must be completed by 18 July 2008. Much to our regret the Riga City noise reduction Action Plan is still under consideration and in process of development because it touches the interests of many parties.

The ecological context of soundscapes for children's blood pressure

Although the majority of studies on community noise levels and children's physiological stress responses are positive, effect sizes vary considerably, and some studies do not confirm these effects. Employing a contextual perspective congruent with soundscapes, a carefully constructed sample of children (N = 115, M = 10.1 yr) living in households in relatively high (>60 dBA) or low (<50 dBA) noise areas created by proximity to major traffic arterials in Austria was reanalyzed. Several personal and environmental factors known to affect resting cardiovascular parameters measured under well-controlled, clinical conditions were incorporated into the analyses. Children with premature births and elevated chronic stress (i.e., overnight cortisol) were more susceptible to adverse blood pressure responses to road traffic noise. Residence in a multi-dwelling unit as well as standardized assessments of perceived quietness of the area did not modify the traffic noise impacts but each had its own, independent effect on resting blood pressure. A primary air pollutant associated with traffic volume (NO2) had no influence on any of these results. The scope of environmental noise assessment and management would benefit from incorporation of a more contextualized approach as suggested by the soundscape perspective.