Outside and inside noise exposure in urban and suburban areas

Abstract

In urban and suburban areas of the United States (away from major airports), the outdoor noise environment usually depends strongly on local vehicular traffic. By relating traffic flow to population density, a model of outdoor noise exposure has been developed for estimating the cumulative 24-hour noise exposure based upon the population density of the area. This noise model has been used to provide first-order estimates of noise exposure in urban areas of this country. The model also can be used to estimate the variation in noise levels in communities and to plan community noise surveys. Field measurements at 100 locations throughout the country have shown good agreement with this model.

Parent Publication

• Proceedings of the conference on metropolitan physical environment

Citation

Bishop, Dwight E.; Simpson, Myles A. 1977. Outside and inside noise exposure in urban and suburban areas. In: Heisler, Gordon M.; Herrington, Lee P., eds. Proceedings of the conference on metropolitan physical environment; Gen. Tech. Rep. NE-25. Upper Darby, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Forest Experiment Station. 183-194