1.
Forssén, Jens, 1968, et al.
(författare)
How can we plan for a good urban sound environment, focusing on road traffic noise?
2020
Ingår i: IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science. - : IOP Publishing. - 1755-1307 .- 1755-1315. ; 588:5
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat) abstract
The sound environments in our cities are affected by unwanted sounds, i.e. noise, to an extent that is largely undesired, affecting health and wellbeing. The World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated the burden of disease from traffic-related noise within the western part of Europe and concluded that we each year lose at least one million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) and that only air pollution has a larger disease burden among environmental factors. The burden of environmental noise is mainly sleep disturbance and annoyance. And the dominant source is road traffic. Methods. This paper describes the mechanisms behind road traffic noise and how we can use them in an urban sound planning perspective to improve the sound environment, as an integral part of sustainable cities and communities. The results are based on calculations and measurements made in previous and ongoing projects. Results. Treatments at source consider tyre, road, engine (whether electric or combustion), driving speed and acceleration, and further vehicle restrictions. Methods for reduction of noise during propagation and more general urban planning aspects include low-height barriers and ground treatments; acoustically absorbing facades and roofs of buildings, e.g. including vegetation; and building morphology and quiet side. Quantitative reductions, in decibels, as well as qualitative aspects are presented. Conclusions. The described possible improvements to the urban sound environment, with focus on road traffic noise as the dominant impairing factor, inform us about how a good urban sound environment can be reachable. However, to reach a good sound environment in reality, the work process of applied urban sound planning demands work across disciplines, also at early-stage planning, instead of traditional noise control applied late in the planning process.
2.
Forssén, Jens, 1968, et al.
(författare)
An urban planning tool demonstrator with auralisation and visualisation of the sound environment
2020
Ingår i: Proceedings of the FA2020 Conference. ; , s. 869-871
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat) abstract
The paper presents findings from a recent project about the development of a demonstrator of an urban planning tool that includes auralised sounds as well as visualisations of sound propagation and facade noise levels linked to health impact. In urban development projects, the sound environment is one of the key elements, but often enters late in the planning process. As a result, even if the noise regulations are fulfilled, the potentially good sound environment may suffer unnecessary quality reductions. In addition, the standard ways of presenting and analysing the situations, using noise levels and noise maps, has potential for improvement, especially considering the transdisciplinary approaches to planning that are increasing in use. The tool aims to simplify the usage also at early stage planning, including scenario analysis, as well as to facilitate the urban planners' understanding of the sound environment and its effects. The paper presents results from the development of the demonstrator, reflecting on auralisation as well as on multiple aspects of visualisation including grid noise maps, health-related facade noise levels and choice of colour scales.
3.
Stahre Wästberg, Beata, 1974, et al.
(författare)
Visualizing environmental data for pedestrian comfort analysis in urban planning processes
2017
Ingår i: Proceedings for CUPUM 2017 - 15th International Conference on Computers in Urban Planning and Urban Management.
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat) abstract
Digital tools are being developed for involving stakeholders in urban planning and transformation processes. One challenge is how to visualize and act upon all parameters that are relevant for dealing with complex plan-ning problems, such as environmental factors. Dialogue tools involving vis-ualization can bridge the distance between planners and citizens. This paper focuses on the problem of representing invisible environmental parameters affecting the urban climate such as wind, solar radiation, air pollution and noise, in a city model. The aim of the paper is to discuss challenges for rep-resenting and communicating environmental data in city models. In this pa-per, we have accounted for literature studies; our own conceptual modelling and prototype studies in three projects; as well as a survey with 16 urban planners. We conclude with defining design criteria for dialogue tools cre-ating a comprehensible base for communication in urban transformation processes.
4.
Höstmad, Patrik, 1974, et al.
(författare)
Off-peak low noise heavy-duty vehicles, facade insulation and indoor noise disturbance
2016
Ingår i: Proceedings of the INTER-NOISE 2016 - 45th International Congress and Exposition on Noise Control Engineering. - 9783939296119 ; , s. 5258-5266, s. 5258-5266
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat) abstract
Off-peak delivery of goods can result in increased transport efficiency, fuel savings, less pollution and increased traffic safety. However, unless carefully managed it causes increased annoyance and health risks for inhabitants exposed to the transportation noise during hours used for recovery and sleep. The presented work focuses on heavy-duty vehicles with Diesel engines during the "last mile" of the transport corridor through densely populated city centers. The aim is to study preconditions, open questions, and problem areas when nighttime soundscapes are altered by low noise vehicles. By using measured and simulated sounds, different driving conditions and acoustical treatments of vehicles and facade were studied at the facade and indoors in terms of 1/3-octaveband levels and judgments in listening tests. The evaluation shows that low-frequency noise of the vehicles is important indoors, while high-frequency noise is the major contributor outdoors. According to the listening tests the low-frequency noise is coupled to the degree of reported arousal, indicating that reduced low-frequency noise is especially important at nighttime. It was concluded that an acceptable indoor environment was achieved with a modified truck that is driven by a responsible driver, and by using "noise proof" windows with higher sound insulation.
5.
Höstmad, Patrik, 1974, et al.
(författare)
Towards a low noise truck specification
2015
Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt) abstract
This report summarises the most important findings in the research project Quiter Transport for More Efficient Distribution aiming at the outline of a sound characterisation specification for noise improved heavy-duty trucks for nighttime distribution of goods. The focus in the project was on the "last mile" of the transport corridor through densely populated city centres, i.e. transport through rather narrow street canyons lined with residential housings. The noise of the loading or unloading of the goods at the destination is beyond the scope of the project. Section 2 gives the general description of the involved elements; the outdoor truck sound source, the street canyon amplification and reverberation, noise reduction by windows and facades, and the indoor noise levels due to a truck passing by in the street. Section 3 gives some specific results from the project; the results of the modifications of a truck with the purpose to reduce outdoor and indoor noise evaluated by measurements. Section 4 summarises the results of the listening clinics; including fundamental and specific results test subjects evaluating their response to real and synthesised outdoor and indoor sound of a heavy-duty truck, a light-duty van and the modified heavy-duty truck. Section 5 discusses, from various perspectives, sound attributes of a low noise truck suitable for nighttime distribution of goods. Finally, Section 6 gives the conclusions in a concise format.
6.
Hornikx, Maarten, 1980, et al.
(författare)
On the improved point-to-point calculations for noise mapping in shielded urban areas
2012
Ingår i: 41st International Congress and Exposition on Noise Control Engineering 2012, INTER-NOISE 2012; New York, NY; United States; 19 August 2012 through 22 August 2012. - 9781627485609 ; 6, s. 5223-5234
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat) abstract
Noise mapping of urban areas according to standardized engineering calculation methods systematically results in an underestimation of noise levels at areas shielded from direct exposure to noise, such as inner yards. In these methods, road traffic lanes are represented by point sources and noise levels are computed utilizing point-to-point propagation paths. For a better prediction of noise levels in shielded urban areas, the attenuation terms describing these propagation paths are extended by terms including geometrical aspects of the urban environment both in the source and in the receiver area. In the present work, it has been studied to what extent these terms may be treated as being independent of the source-receiver distance. Also, the validity of treating the propagation path in a 2D plane rather than in 3D is investigated. Results obtained from a wave-based acoustic propagation model have been used for this assessment.
7.
Stahre Wästberg, Beata, 1974, et al.
(författare)
Visualisering och auralisering av buller i stadsmiljö
2020
Ingår i: Bygg & teknik. - 0281-658X. ; 3, s. 8-12
Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt) abstract
Inom dagens stadsplanering används oftast 2D-kartor för att visa beräknade värden för framtida bullernivåer. Dessa kartor kan ibland vara svåra att tolka. För att öka förståelsen och underlätta kommunikationen mellan olika aktörer inom planeringsprocessen, har vi inom forskningsprojektet DemoVirPEN på Chalmers och Göteborgs universitet utvecklat en prototyp av ett verktyg för visualisering och auralisering (ljudsimulering) av buller från vägtrafik i en stadsmodell.
8.
Ögren, Mikael, et al.
(författare)
Visualisation of traffic noise exposure and health impact in a 3D urban environment
2021
Ingår i: Paper collection of the ICBEN 2021 Congress.
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat) abstract
It is becoming increasingly common to work with urban planning using 3D visualisation tools. In the project DemoVirPEN a research team with participation from different research fields cooperated to create a demonstration concept for visualising traffic noise and the associated health impact in a 3D graphics environment. The project included participation from the following fields; 3D modelling and mapping, traffic noise calculation, auralisation, urban planning and architecture and health impact of noise exposure. The final product of the project is summarised in a film clip that illustrates the main results by visualising and auralising traffic in different configurations from different perspectives. A few key points are visualising short time frames (single vehicle passage) versus yearly average (noise map), and impact of changes such as removing or modifying traffic flows and buildings.
