SoundPLAN City Noise Map

The City Noise Map is adding a new powerful noise modeling and contouring method to SoundPLAN software.  The City Noise Map calculation requires two SoundPLAN Modules (Grid Noise Map & Facade Noise Map). 

SoundPLAN Graphic Example - City Noise Map
 

The Grid Noise Module computes receiver location on an equal spaced grid.  The Facade Noise Map is an automatic computation of receiver location on buildings. The City Noise Map develops a receiver mesh over a calculation area.  The spacing and density of the mesh depends on run setting and the input data.

The Grid Noise calculation have certain limitation and/or problems.  With increasing the grid spacing the computation time is getting shorter, but the resolution of predicted noise levels may be effected.  
Typical aliasing problems are found close to:

• Barriers - a grid receivers can be right behind or in front of the barrier
• Source - a grid receiver can be right on top of a source or very far from a source
• Buildings when they are close together - a grid receiver could be right between the buildings or not find the gap

Of course that aliasing problem can be solved by using a smaller grid spacing, but depending on the size of the project that may increases the computation time astronomically.

The meshing concept of the City Noise Map is comparable to the meshing concept of Finite Element Models (FEM).  The density of the node points is increase in areas, where large changes are expected.  The density is decreased in areas, where the changes are less significant.

Advantages of the City Noise:

• The contouring results are more accurate than Grid Noise Maps with 1/3 of the calculation points
• In general shorter calculation time with higher resolution
• Solution for narrow streets with housing on both sides
• No calculation aliasing
• Calculation of Spectral Noise Contribution - Spectral Noise Contour Maps

Spectral Noise Contour Map Example:

Mesh Examples & Graphic Results:

	Max 5 m Mesh (Thumbnail - Please Click to Enlarge)
	City Noise Contour Map Max 5 m Mesh with 5681 Receiver (Thumbnail - Please Click to Enlarge)
	Comparison Grid Noise Map Grid Spacing 5 m with 5684 receiver (Thumbnail - Please Click to Enlarge)
	Max 20 m Mesh (Thumbnail - Please Click to Enlarge)
	City Noise Contour Map Max 20 m Mesh with 1618 Receiver (Thumbnail - Please Click to Enlarge)
	Comparison Grid Noise Map Grid Spacing 10 m with 1480 receiver (Thumbnail - Please Click to Enlarge)