scholarly journals Automotive traffic noise and urban public spaces

Author(s):  
Greicikelly Gaburro Paneto ◽  
Cristina Engel de Alvarez ◽  
Paulo Henrique Trombetta Zannin

In contemporary cities, and usually without realizing it, the population has been exposed to high sound pressure levels, which besides causing discomfort, can lead to health problems. Considering that a large part of this noise comes from emission from motor vehicles, this research aims to evaluate the sound behavior in sound environments configured by voids in the urban fabric, in order to identify whether open spaces can act as attenuators of sound levels. To obtain the expected results, the methodology used was structured from a review of the state-of-the-art and computer simulations relating the variables that influence the formation of urban space and sound emission and propagation, taking as a case study an urban portion of the municipality of Vitória/ES. In parallel, questionnaires were applied to evaluate the user's perception of their exposure. The measurement results indicated that the sound pressure levels caused by traffic noise are above the limit tolerated limit by the NBR norm 10151:2000 for the daytime period. In turn, the results obtained from the population indicated that there is little perception of noise by the users of the spaces surveyed.

Author(s):  
Ned M. Endres

This paper presents investigational findings and a discussion of recommendations relating to sound and vibration measurements performed in connection with a fluid induced vibration issue on two air blowers and attached exhaust piping at an industrial facility. These vibration and sound measurements were prompted by recent check valve failures for the air blower units, and unacceptable sound levels emanating from these units and affecting nearby residents. This data was acquired during steady state operating conditions of the blowers under normal operating conditions. An FFT data acquisition system, a piezoelectric microphone and three piezoelectric triaxial accelerometers were used to collect vibration measurements at each of the 70 locations on the blowers, motors, blower bases, and exhaust piping, while sound measurements were simultaneously acquired with the microphone. Piping and blower vibration readings were used to construct an operating deflection shape analysis of the blowers, foundations and attached piping system. The resulting vibration and sound analysis revealed that acoustic excitation of the piping system appeared to be the likely source of the high vibration, high sound pressure levels; piping cracks and check valve failures. Corrective actions were implemented that reduced the sound pressure levels, vibration levels, and reduced/eliminate the piping damage and valve failures.


Noise Mapping ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 248-264
Author(s):  
Rosa Maria Alsina Pagès ◽  
Francesc Alías ◽  
Patrizia Bellucci ◽  
Pier Paolo Cartolano ◽  
Ilaria Coppa ◽  
...  

AbstractThe COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed in Italy at the end of January 2020, when the first positive cases for the virus were identified. At the beginning of March, the virus had spread to all Italian regions and on 10 March 2020 the lockdown phase began, limiting the movement of people and prohibiting almost all commercial activities, businesses and non-essential industries. As a result, millions of people were forced to stay at home, causing a drastic drop in traffic volume, which significantly changed the acoustic environment and air quality of cities. On 4 May 2020, the lockdown was partially lifted and activities were progressively reopened. Therefore, traffic gradually started to increase and, consequently, the noise emitted by motor vehicles. This behaviour was confirmed by the data collected by the DYNAMAP system, an automatic platform developed within the LIFE DYNAMAP project, providing real time traffic noise maps in terms of sound pressure levels and impacts at receivers (people and dwellings exposed to noise level bands). In this paper traffic and non-traffic-related noise events in the cities of Rome and Milan from March to May 2020 are analysed and compared to the corresponding values in 2019 to evaluate the effects of the lockdown period.


2021 ◽  
Vol 263 (4) ◽  
pp. 2550-2554
Author(s):  
Timothy Van Renterghem ◽  
Pieter Thomas ◽  
Dick Botteldooren

Excessive road traffic noise exposure in (sub)urban parks hinders its restorative function and will negatively impact the number of visitors. Especially in such green environments, noise abatements by natural means, well integrated in the landscape, are the most desired solutions. Although dense vegetation bordering the park or raised berms could come first in mind, local landscape depressions are typically underused. In this work, a case-study of a small suburban park, squeezed in between two major arterial roads, is analyzed. The spatially dependent road traffic noise exposure in the park is assessed in detail by mobile sound pressure level measurements. Local reductions of up to 6-7 dBA are found at landscape depressions of only a few meters deep. It can therefore be concluded that this is an efficient measure and should be added to the environmental noise control toolbox for noise polluted parks.


SLEEP ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bastien Lechat ◽  
Hannah Scott ◽  
Felix Decup ◽  
Kristy L Hansen ◽  
Gorica Micic ◽  
...  

Abstract Study Objectives This study was designed to test the utility of cardiovascular responses as markers of potentially different environmental noise disruption effects of wind farm compared to traffic noise exposure during sleep. Methods Twenty participants underwent polysomnography. In random order, and at six sound pressure levels from 33 dBA to 48 dBA in 3 dB increments, three types of wind farm and two types of road traffic noise recordings of 20-sec duration were played during established N2 or deeper sleep, each separated by 20 seconds without noise. Each noise sequence also included a no-noise control. Electrocardiogram and finger pulse oximeter recorded pulse wave amplitude changes from the pre-noise onset baseline following each noise exposure and were assessed algorithmically to quantify the magnitude of heart rate and finger vasoconstriction responses to noise exposure. Results Higher sound pressure levels were more likely to induce drops in pulse wave amplitude. Sound pressure levels as low as 39 dBA evoked a pulse wave amplitude response (Odds ratio [95% confidence interval]; 1.52 [1.15, 2.02]). Wind farm noise with amplitude modulation was less likely to evoke a pulse wave amplitude response than the other noise types, but warrants cautious interpretation given low numbers of replications within each noise type. Conclusion These preliminary data support that drops in pulse wave amplitude are a particularly sensitive marker of noise-induced cardiovascular responses during. Larger trials are clearly warranted to further assess relationships between recurrent cardiovascular activation responses to environmental noise and potential long-term health effects.


2013 ◽  
Vol 471 ◽  
pp. 125-129
Author(s):  
N.V. David ◽  
K. Ismail

Excessive environmental noise and poor air quality can be adverse to human health, living comfort and the environment itself. Measurement of sound pressure levels and air quality in critical areas including libraries, campus areas, public parks and hospitals thus becomes necessary to monitor and mitigate existing noise levels. In a university environment, student activities will be less disrupted if the locations of the activities are sufficiently away from noise sources. The present study is intended to measure sound levels and air quality around the Engineering Complex, Universiti Teknologi Mara, Shah Alam. The measured data is compared with to acceptable sound pressure levels and air quality index specified by the Department of Environment (DOE), Malaysia. Sound pressure levels are measured using the Castle Sound Level Meter Type 6224 and air quality measurement was done by using the BW Gas Alert MicroClip XT device. Both measurements were conducted at five selected stations around the Engineering Complex for three times each weekday for five weeks. Results obtained indicated that sound levels at some locations and time zones are above the thresholds recommended by the DOE. The air quality is acceptable in most locations except the vicinity of a bus stop. With the growing number of students in the university and other factors like construction and redevelopment of existing roads, a continuously increasing noise situations and air pollution proportional to the traffic flow is inevitable.


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