ROAD TRAFFIC NOISE IN THE CITY OF KONYA MODELING USING BY GIS

6th International Scientific Conference - SGEM2006, www.sgem.org, SGEM2006 Conference Proceedings/ ISBN: 954-918181-2, June 12-16, 2006, Vol. 2, 427-432 pp

ABSTRACT

Noise is defined as unwanted sound and one of the threatening factors for human health. Noise effects on human health psychological, physiological and mentally such as interference with communication, hearing loss, sleep disturbance, stress, annoyance, effects on performance.
Road traffic is one of the most important noise sources in residental areas. Subsource of the road noise are engine noise, tyre/road noise and aerodynamic noise. The level of noise from traffic is correlated with the traffic flow rate, the speed of the vehicles, and the proportion of heavy vehicles, which, together with motorcycles, tend to be about twice as loud as motor cars.
The aim of this study is road traffic noise modelling and visualization based on GIS as a noise map. The noise maps are important to determine whether noise levels due to the roadway exceeds admissible levels according to Turkish Noise Regulation or not. The needed datas for noise map of road traffic were obtained from measurements along the Konya – Istanbul motorway. Road traffic noise was measured at different points on main road, where traffic flow is free, in the morning hours between 07.00 - 09.00, at noon hours between 11.00 - 14.00, in evening hours between 16.00 - 18.00 and at night hours between 22.00 – 24.00. The measured datas were included traffic volume and combination, the average speed of each type of vehicles, physical conditions of roadway, number of lanes, lane, shoulder and median width for main carriageway. The total traffic noise was analyzed from traffic volume of all vehicles types on both sides of mainroad.
Noise propagation calculations were made by a developed visual basic application in the present study. Traffic noise model used in this study was developed by the US’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).
Geographical Information Systems (GIS) play an important role in noise mapping. An appropriate use of GIS in mapping noise effects makes it possible to optimise quality and efficiency of noise effect studies. So noise visualition was implemented by a commercial Georaphical Information Systems (GIS) in this study.
As a result, noise pollution from roadway is visualized in the form of noise contours which provide a visual description of the soundscape. Futhermore, it’s seen that noise was not admissible levels according to Turkish Noise Regulation.

KeyWords: Road traffic noise, noise modelling, noise map, GIS, FHWA.