Noise level in a middle-sized town and implementation of noise control measures

摘要

Urban medium-sized towns in Catalonia suffer severe noise pollution from railway and road vehicles provoking an adverse environmental impact. The extent of this problem was investigated in Girona with the application of one capacity acoustical map, in order to detect the "zones of conflict". The goal was to analyze two strategies for expressing noise abatement by using commercial computer programs. One was based to compare different solutions with noise barriers. The other was based on the traffic calming strategies. Noise measurements were taken following the noise acoustical capacity map methodology to describe existing noise exposure levels and to calibrate a noise attenuation model. Simulations were performed in several traffic railway and road vehicles scenarios, including with and without acoustical barriers and different traffic road flow alternatives. The simulation results suggest that application of noise barriers, in problematic noisier places, and besides application of traffic calming strategies; reduce noise impacts according to their ability to deviate and minimize waves from receivers. However, the alternatives considered in this study would be an important alternative to control urban noise in other medium-sized cities in Catalonia.