Getting insight in the performance of noise interventions by mobile sound level measurements

In this intervention study, a mobile measurement procedure has been explored to get insight in the noise mitigation performance of a complex shaped berm near a highway. Focus was on reducing sound pressure levels on a cycling path. Mobile measurements, before and after the execution of the plans, using the same methodology, stress that both the exposure to environmental noise and the efficiency of mitigation measures can be strongly spatially dependent. Furthermore, practical constraints during the implementation of the noise abatement have a strong impact on the final efficiency. Maps based on mobile measurements show to be an interesting learning tool for spatial planners, pointing at the consequences of deviations from acoustically optimized plans. When the mobile measurements are able to provide a sufficient temporal and spectral detail, more advanced analyses are possible as well. In this work, as an example, the difference between the C-weighted and A-weighted total level allowed a more detailed understanding of the efficiency of the road traffic noise intervention. (C) 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

This intervention study focused on using a mobile measurement procedure to analyze the noise mitigation effectiveness of a complex shaped berm near a highway. The results showed that environmental noise exposure and mitigation measures are highly dependent on spatial factors, and practical constraints during implementation can greatly impact final efficiency. Maps based on mobile measurements were found to be useful for spatial planners in indicating the consequences of deviating from acoustically optimized plans.