Study on the relation between road traffic noise and urban characteristics

摘要

Road traffic is a major source of urban noise. Noise maps, according to internationalstandards, are the main tool to evaluate this sound source. There are differentmethodologies to perform noise maps but most of them are made with prediction software.Among the different variables used by these software packages, the variables thatdetermine the highest percentage of variability in noise levels are flow traffic, type ofvehicle and average vehicle speed. However, there are different urban characteristics that can explain also a significant percentage of the noise levels variability. Some of them arenot included in these softwares: land use, population, distance to the downtown, type ofroads, road marks, car parks, bus stops... In this study, a detailed compilation of all thoseurban variables in different streets of the city of Cáceres is carried out. Then, thesignificance of the relation of these characteristics with the measured noise levels isanalyzed. Based on the urban variables that showed significant correlation with L_(Aeq), astepwise multiple linear regression model was built. The model is composed of the urbanvariables: Street length, street width, traffic light per meter, parking areas, good conditionof pavement surface, parking spaces and leisure areas. This model explains the 57% of thevariability of the L_(Aeq).