Environmental Methods for Transport Noise Reduction

Presents Evidence-Based Guidance on Noise Abatement Methods Solutions for reducing the noise impact of road and rail traffic can be found in the use of natural elements in combination with artificial elements in urban and rural environments. Ground and road surface treatments; trees, forests, and tall vegetation; and the greening of buildings and other surfaces can contribute to powerful and cost-effective noise reduction. Environmental Methods for Transport Noise Reduction presents the main findings of the Holistic and Sustainable Abatement of Noise by optimized combinations of Natural and Artificial means (HOSANNA) research project. This project involved experts from seven countries, and assessed noise reduction in terms of sound level reductions, perceptual effects, and cost–benefit analysis. It considered a number of green abatement strategies, and aimed to develop a toolbox for reducing road and rail traffic noise in outdoor environments. Combines Theory with Practice Broad in both theory and application and based on leading-edge research, the book brings together the findings and their practical use. It details assessment methods for perceived noise, and outlines noise prediction methods that can be integrated with noise mapping software. It also explores the economic benefits and positive effects on urban air quality and CO2 levels. The material is this book: Includes up-to-date results on noise mitigation using vegetation and ground treatments Contains relevant results on innovative noise barrier designs Presents data on acoustic performance of vegetation and soil substratum Provides perceptual and cost–benefit analyses of noise mitigation methods Environmental Methods for Transport Noise Reduction is a helpful guide for noise consultants, city planners, architects, landscape architects, and researchers.

Introduction to traffic noise abatement; Jens Forssén, Wolfgang Kropp, and Tor Kihlman Background Principles of Noise Reduction Concluding Remarks References Innovative barriers; Jérôme Defrance, Philippe Jean, Faouzi Koussa, Timothy Van Renterghem, Jian Kang, and Yuliya Smyrnova Introduction Urban Streets Tramways Motorways Railways References Acoustic performance of vegetation and soil substratum in an urban context; Kirill Horoshenkov, Amir Khan, Haidj Benkreira, Agnes Mandon, René Rohr Introduction Experimental Setup and Measurement Procedures Effect of Moisture on Soil Absorption Modelling of the Acoustical Properties of Soils Low Growing Plants Modelling of the Acoustical Properties of Plants Absorption of Soil in the Presence of a Plant Modelling the Random Incidence Absorption Coefficient of Soil with and without Plants Conclusions References Acoustical characteristics of trees, shrubs, and hedges; Timothy Van Renterghem, Dick Botteldooren, Jian Kang, Kirill Horoshenkov, and Hong-Seok Yang Introduction Absorption by Leaves Reflection and Diffraction by Vegetation Scattering by Vegetation References Designing vegetation and tree belts along roads; Timothy Van Renterghem, Keith Attenborough, and Philippe Jean Introduction Designing Vegetation Belts Near Roads Improving Microclimatology by Vegetation References Noise reduction using surface roughness; Keith Attenborough, Imran Bashir, Toby J. Hill, Shahram Taherzadeh, Jérôme Defrance, and Philippe Jean Ground Effect and Its Modification by Roughness Laboratory Data Field Data from Brick Configurations Predicted Effects of Roughness on Road Traffic Noise Predicted Effects of Roughness Configurations around Railways Predicted Effects of Surface Roughness on the Acoustical Performance of Berms Meteorological Effects on Roughness-Based Noise Reduction Conclusion References Porous ground, crops, and buried resonators; Keith Attenborough, Shahram Taherzadeh, Imran Bashir, Jens Forssén, Bart Van der Aa, and Manuel Männel Porous Ground and Crops Predicted Effects of Ground Treatments around Railways Road Traffic Noise Reduction Using Buried Resonators Conclusion References Vegetation in urban streets, squares, and courtyards; Jian Kang, Maarten Hornikx, Timothy Van Renterghem,Yuliya Smyrnova, Jens Forssén, Chris Cheal, Dick Botteldooren, Hong-Seok Yang, Jin Yong Jeon, Hyung Suk Jang, Shahram Taherzadeh, Keith Attenborough, and Agnes Mandon Acoustic Potential of Green Roof and Green Wall Systems in the Urban Context Studied Cases Traffic Model and Prediction Approaches Effect of Vegetation Summary References Perceptual effects of noise mitigation; Mats E. Nilsson, Dick Botteldooren, Jin Yong Jeon, Maria Rådsten-Ekman, Bert De Coensel, Joo Young Hong, Julien Maillard, and Bruno Vincent Introduction Noise: Psychoacoustics of Noise Mitigation Soundscape: Wanted and Unwanted Sounds in Interactions Environment: Audio-Visual Interactions Concluding Remarks References Economic analyses of surface treatments, tree belts, green façades, barriers, and roofs; Ronny Klæboe and Knut Veisten Introduction Economic Analyses of Green Roofs and Roof Barriers Economic Analyses of Vegetated Façades Economic Analyses of Surface Treatments Economic Analyses of Low, Vegetated Barriers Economic Analyses of Source + Propagation Measures Economic Analyses of Tree Belts Economic Analyses: Simplified Version Charting the Unknown: Aesthetic Appreciation Concluding Remarks

Mats Nilsson is professor in psychology at Gösta Ekman Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, Sweden. Jörgen Bengtsson is senior health inspector at Stockholm City’s Environment and Health Administration, Sweden. Ronny Klæboe is associate professor and chief research officer at the Institute of Transport Economics, Oslo, Norway.