IJED: Vol. 9, No.

1, (January-June 2012): 63-68

TRAFFIC NOISE POLLUTION

P. D. Marathe1

Abstract: In developing country like India with the vehicle population increasing at an almarmg
rate, the residents of cities are experiencing severe environmental problems that results from
road traffic in particular from Automobiles. Noise from road traffic is major source of
environmental pollution and it has detrimental effects on human beings.
In this paper road traffic noise survey was conducted on Gwalior city roads at four sites via.
Industrial, Commercial, Semi residential and completely residential. Various parameters are
evaluated e.g. Noise Pollution Level, Traffic Noise Index and Equivalent sound level. Based on
this study broad conclusions are presented and suggestion made to reduce noise due to traffic.
INTRODUCTION
Fast growing vehicle population in town in the recent years, has resulted in considerable increase
in traffic on roads causing alarming noise pollution, air pollution. Noise level increases with
traffic volume in a exponential manner. In India like many other developing countries traffic
noise is major continents of environmental pollution and now it has become a permanent part of
urban and sub-urban life. It is very harmful to human beings. In the new millennium, for protection
environmental degradation it is imperative to pay greater attention towards measuring noise
pollution, enforcing regulation for noise emission limits, elimination and control noise pollution.
Taking a step in this direction a case study was undertaken in MITS Gwalior in post graduate
M.E. dissertation work. Noise pollution level was measured in Gwalior city and various
parameters determined and the same are briefly presented in this paper.

NOISE LEVEL PARAMETERS

(i) Unit of noise: The basic unit of noise is decibels.
If the amplitude of pressure fluctuationsa is P the sound level in decibel is given by
L = 10 log [P/Po] db
Where Po = 2*10-5 , N/m2 (amplitude of audible pressure wave)
The overall sound pressure is denoted by dB(A)
(ii) Percentile exceeded sound Level (Lx) decibel.

1
Professor, Civil Engineering, NRI I.T.M., Gwalior, (E-mail: pratap_marathe@yahoo.com)
64 P. D. Marathe

The noise level exceeded for x per cent of the time is denoted by Lx. The most common
noise exceeded level used is L10 ie noise level exceeding for 10 per cent of time. It is
an indication of the peak level of the intruding noise, where as L90 level is an indicator
of the background noise level.
(iii) Traffic Noise Index (TNI)
It is defined as TNI = 4(L10-L90)+L90 30dB(A)
This index attempts to make an allowance for noise variability with respect to L10
level.
(iv) Equivalent (A Weighted ) Sound level (Leq). It is combined index of common measure
o environmental noise. This is the steady noise which in the measurement period would
carry the same energy as the time Le = L50+ (L10-L90)/56
(v) Noise Pollution level (LNP)
It is found that Leq on an energy basis is not sufficient to describe the degree of annoyance
caused by fluctuating noise. A new parameter noise pollution level is given
LNP = Leq + (L10-L90)

ROAD TRAFFIC NOISE & ITS EFFECT

Road traffic noise is the most important major source of community noise specially near an
important road with high volume of traffic of any major city. In developing country like India
where Roads are in bad condition, and poorly maintained and has considerable number of vehicles
of outdated technology , the road traffic noise assumes much more importance.
Factors effecting traffic noise. There are various factors that affect the traffic noise.
(i) Type of traffic flow speed, as the traffic flow increase, the noise level increases. Higher
speed also causes higher noise levels. At lower speeds, the influence of engine
transmission of noise is predominant on the other hand at higher speed the tyre surface
interaction assumes importance. Noise level increases during acceleration.
(ii) Tyre-road surface interaction: It is a major generator of noise Grooved cement concrete
pavement is found to be source of annoying noise to neighbour hood.
(iii) Road surface condition: Smooth surface generally produce less noise. Rough surface
and poorly maintained road with pot-holes produce more noise.
(iv) The noise generated by various parts of vehicle:
Important Sources are , Engine Inlet Exhaust , propulsion & transmission including
gears, brakes, horns, chasis body structure, Load in vehicle, door slamming etc. Further
as the vehicle grow older and their mechanical condition deteriorate the noise generated
in more.
(v) Motor cycles, scooter, tempos, and minibuses are generally noiser as compared to
passenger cars.
 Traffic Noise Pollution 65

(vi) Large H.P. Diesel engine vehicle, Commercial truck, Tractor-trolly, transport vehicle
are the main source of noise.
Effect of traffic noise This can be classified under following categories:
(a) Subjective effect e.g. annoyance, disturbance, dis-satisfaction and noisiness. It is difficult
to measure this precisely.
(b) Behavioral effect e.g. interference to with sleep, speak or any general task. It can cause
disturbance in enjoyment of T.V. class room studies and other tasks involving mental
actives.
(c) Physiological effects: It causes fright phenomena, resulting in harmful effect in various
parts of body periods. At extremely high level and for a long period (e.g. Power station,
transformers) of exposures it may produce deafens Further continuous noise causes
cardiovascular effects, increases blood pressure. & heart rates.
NOISE LEVEL SURVEY
In Gwalior city noise level survey was undertaken along four roads namely (Site I) Tansen
Road, Jinsi Nala Road, (Site II) Kilagate Road (Site III) and Laxmibai road(Site IV) Noise level
was recorded with the help of a sound level meter at the edge of road for every interval of 15
Sec. A weighted noise level dB(A) was measured, 120 reading in 30 minutes at each station
during peak hours, Typical reading as observed is shown in Table 1. In this table the monitoring

Table 1
Sound Level in dB(A)
75.3 81.3 75 69.8 69.8
70.6 77 73.8 72.9 71.3
81.3 72.7 72.6 96.7 78.5
69.8 74.2 71.2 77.8 70.3
72.5 71.9 80.9 72.7 27.8
76.3 78.8 75.7 77.6 85.3
85.6 72.2 75.4 73.8 82.6
71 74.8 72.1 91.6 79.8
74.4 78.4 71 70.9 78.3
98.3 71.3 81 68.9 71.2
73.9 73 73.9 69.8 68.6
71.4 79.5 80.1 75.6 72.9
90.2 76.3 76.4 70.6 73.1
69.3 84.7 71 73.3 78.3
71.2 73.7 74.3 78.4 75.3
73.4 72.6 80.5 71.3 75.3
75.2 81.2 78.9 82.3 74.8
78.4 75.3 80.6 75.6 79.3
69.4 72 68.2 84.2 72.3
72.3 70.9 87.6 72.5 75.8
69.3 86.3 76 73.8 71.1
76.2 83.2 71.6 78.5 69
69.8 73.5 76.6 89.1 80.2
79.6 76.9 70.8 74.2 75
66 P. D. Marathe

station, time day, date of noise observation are given, further volume survey was also carried
out all the site. The value of L10, L50 and L90 for each set of observation are obtained by plotting
the graph with sound level in dB(A) on X axis as and cumulative percentage of time of the
observation period for which that sound level is exceed on Y-axis as shown in typical graph
Figure 1 Table 2 gives Noise level interval , No. of occurance, percentage, cumulative percentage.

Figure 1

Table 2
Noise Level Paramenter
Site No. Station L10 L50 L90 Le.g. TNJ Lnp
I Hazira 83.0 74.8 69.8 77.9 92.6 91.1
II Jinsi-Nala 81.0 76.0 72.2 77.3 77.4 86.1
III Kila-gate 82.0 75.5 69.4 78.3 89.8 90.9
IV Laxmi Bai Colony 67.9 59.1 53.4 62.8 81.4 77.3

RESULT & DISUSSIONS

Table 3 gives the noise level parameter at all the four sites considered in study. Acceptable
value of L10 as suggested by Langdon (1) is around 66 dB(A) The L10 value determined at all
the four sites considered in this study were 14 dB(A) to 18 dB(A) higher than could be consider
acceptable.
 Traffic Noise Pollution 67

Table 3
Calculation
Table 4.1(b)
Noise Level No. of Percentage Cumulative
Interval dB(A) Occurance Percentage
66-69 4 3.33 100
69-72 29 24.16 96.66
72-75 32 26.66 72.49
75-78 20 16.67 45.83
78-81 19 15.83 29.16
81-84 5 4.17 13.33
84-87 5 4.17 91.6
87-90 2 1.66 4.99
90-93 3 2.5 3.33
93-96 0 0 0.83
96-99 1 10.83 0.83

L10 value varies with the speed variation. It increases in stream spread and vice versa.
Impact of traffic speed on value L10 value is highest as compared to other traffic variable e.g.
PCU/Hr. and percentage of heavy vehicle. Whereas value background noise level varies
considerably with volume of traffic.
Site 1 is Industrial as an be seen from Table 3 the value of L10 83.0 dB.(A) is highest because
of more speed. Further TNI is highest is 92.6 dB(A) and Lnp is also high.
Site 2 is Commercial area, the value of back-ground noise level L90 is highest as compared
to other site the traffic volume in PCU is high at this site.
Site 3 is Semi Residential unit with small market, average traffic speed is low and valve of
Leg. is highest and Lnp is also high.
Site 4 is Completely Residential area and as can be seen from Table No.3 have all noise
parameters0 have lowest value as compared to the remaining three sites. So this site can be
consider satisfactory from noise point of view.

SUMMARY
In India like many developing countries the residents of cities are now becoming aware of
environmental problems that result from the transportation facilities in general from road traffic
and in particular from automobiles. Traffic noise is a major factor of environmental pollution.
Noise affects human body in a number of ways ranging from Psychological to Physiological,
e.g. auditory damage, speech interference, sleep interference, general annoyance, reduces the
working efficiency, increases blood pressure & fatigue etc.
The paper presents the survey for measurement of noise on roads, causes of road traffic
noise and it effect, evaluation of important noise level parameters and suitable measures to
68 P. D. Marathe

reduce traffic noise with the help of study carried out in Gwalior city. For this purpose four sites
viz. Industrial, Commercial, Semi-residential & completely residential areas were selected.
It has been observed that all the four sites under study, noise level has exceeded the acceptable
limits laid by Central Pollution Board. Further it has been observed that poor surface condition
of roads and poor vehicle maintenance, old vehicles are responsible to a considerable extent for
higher noise level. Road aboriculture i.e. planting trees by the side of road & shrubs on road
divider help in reducing the noise pollution, as they act as barrier to the sound propagation.

CONCLUSIONS
1. The noise level at all the four sites under study have exceeded the acceptable limits as laid
down by Central Pollution Control Board.
2. Higher the volume of traffic, higher are the value of the traffic noise parameters.
3. Value of L10 varies directly with speed of stream
4. Higher percentage slow moving vehicle retard the mixed traffic stream and consequently
also reduce LNP & TNI.
5. It has been observed that poor surface condition of road area, poor condition vehicle are
also responsible to a great extent for higher noise level.
6. Heavily loaded vehicle, tempo, auto-riksha, tractor-trolly are main reason of highly intolerable
noise-level.
7. Road side tress and road divider with shrubs considerably reduce noise pollution.
Site-1
Location : Hazira road
Measuring Period : 30 Minutes
Time : 10.15 a.m. to 11.45 a.m.
Date : 13.04.2009
Day : Tuesday
References
Traffic Noise Pollution Assessment & Management (1990), M.E. Dissertation at M.I.T.S. Gwalior.
Under guidance of Dr. P.D. Maarathe.
Langdon F. I. (1976), Noise Nuisance Caused by Road Traffic in Residential Area: Part I, Journal of
Sound and Vibration, 47(2), Southampton, U.K.
Kadiyali L. R. (1997), Traffic Engineering and Transport Planning.
Bhatt R. D., Parmar, N. B. and Prof. Sompura G. B. (1978), Road Traffic Noise, Indian Highway.
D. Pearson Kirk and S. M. Sabir (1989), Road Traffic Noise in Developing Countries Assessment and
Predition, Proc. of the International Conference on Roads & Road Transportation Problem, New
Delhi.