Calibration and Validation of a Measurements-Independent Model for Road Traffic Noise Assessment

The assessment of road traffic noise is very important for the health of people living in urban areas. Noise is usually assessed by field measurements, and predictive models play an important role when experimental data are not available. Nevertheless, when they are based on regression techniques, p...

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Main Authors: Domenico Rossi, Aurora Mascolo, Claudio Guarnaccia
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-05-01
Series:Applied Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/10/6168
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author Domenico Rossi
Aurora Mascolo
Claudio Guarnaccia
author_facet Domenico Rossi
Aurora Mascolo
Claudio Guarnaccia
author_sort Domenico Rossi
collection DOAJ
description The assessment of road traffic noise is very important for the health of people living in urban areas. Noise is usually assessed by field measurements, and predictive models play an important role when experimental data are not available. Nevertheless, when they are based on regression techniques, predictive models suffer from the drawback of strong dependence on the calibration data. In this paper, the authors present a regressive model calibrated on computed noise levels without the need for field measurements. The independence from field measurements makes the model flexible and adjustable for any road traffic condition possible. A multilinear regression technique is applied to establish the correlation between the computed equivalent noise levels and several independent variables, including, among others, traffic flow and distance. The model is then validated on a large field measurement database to check its efficiency in terms of prediction accuracy. The validation is performed both via error distribution analysis and using different error metrics. The results are encouraging, showing that the model provides good results in terms of the average error (less than 2 dBA) and is not susceptible to the presence of outliers in the input data that correspond to unconventional conditions of the traffic flow.
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spelling doaj.art-64b226b9482f44f19c52b41c87584ef32023-11-18T00:21:35ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172023-05-011310616810.3390/app13106168Calibration and Validation of a Measurements-Independent Model for Road Traffic Noise AssessmentDomenico Rossi0Aurora Mascolo1Claudio Guarnaccia2Department of Civil Engineering, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II 132, I-84084 Fisciano, ItalyDepartment of Civil Engineering, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II 132, I-84084 Fisciano, ItalyDepartment of Civil Engineering, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II 132, I-84084 Fisciano, ItalyThe assessment of road traffic noise is very important for the health of people living in urban areas. Noise is usually assessed by field measurements, and predictive models play an important role when experimental data are not available. Nevertheless, when they are based on regression techniques, predictive models suffer from the drawback of strong dependence on the calibration data. In this paper, the authors present a regressive model calibrated on computed noise levels without the need for field measurements. The independence from field measurements makes the model flexible and adjustable for any road traffic condition possible. A multilinear regression technique is applied to establish the correlation between the computed equivalent noise levels and several independent variables, including, among others, traffic flow and distance. The model is then validated on a large field measurement database to check its efficiency in terms of prediction accuracy. The validation is performed both via error distribution analysis and using different error metrics. The results are encouraging, showing that the model provides good results in terms of the average error (less than 2 dBA) and is not susceptible to the presence of outliers in the input data that correspond to unconventional conditions of the traffic flow.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/10/6168road traffic noisemodeling and simulationmultilinear regressionerror analysis
spellingShingle Domenico Rossi
Aurora Mascolo
Claudio Guarnaccia
Calibration and Validation of a Measurements-Independent Model for Road Traffic Noise Assessment
Applied Sciences
road traffic noise
modeling and simulation
multilinear regression
error analysis
title Calibration and Validation of a Measurements-Independent Model for Road Traffic Noise Assessment
title_full Calibration and Validation of a Measurements-Independent Model for Road Traffic Noise Assessment
title_fullStr Calibration and Validation of a Measurements-Independent Model for Road Traffic Noise Assessment
title_full_unstemmed Calibration and Validation of a Measurements-Independent Model for Road Traffic Noise Assessment
title_short Calibration and Validation of a Measurements-Independent Model for Road Traffic Noise Assessment
title_sort calibration and validation of a measurements independent model for road traffic noise assessment
topic road traffic noise
modeling and simulation
multilinear regression
error analysis
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/10/6168
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AT auroramascolo calibrationandvalidationofameasurementsindependentmodelforroadtrafficnoiseassessment
AT claudioguarnaccia calibrationandvalidationofameasurementsindependentmodelforroadtrafficnoiseassessment