The AVTUNE Noise Model

This article briefly describes the implementation of a new road traffic noise prediction facility, AVTUNE (Airviro Traffic and Urban Noise Evaluator) within the framework of the existing Airviro pollution management system. The joint noise and air quality modelling system forms a major component of the Leicester element of the European Union Fifth Framework project, HEAVEN (Healthier Environment through the Abatement of Vehicle Emissions and Noise). The noise model itself has been broken down into two major components: the SNEM (Source Noise Emissions Module) that works in quasi real-time and compliments the Airviro system’s ability to acquire directly from Leicester’s UTC (Urban Traffic Control) centre in predicting pollutant emissions, and the SPM (Sound Propagation Module) that provides additional long-term prediction and noise mapping facilities outside of the real time framework. At the time of writing, the model has just completed a validation exercise covering a section of Leicester’s road network. Initial results from this exercise are presented here. A larger demonstration exercise is planned to run throughout the Summer of 2002. Keywords: urban traffic control, decision support systems, noise modelling, noise mapping, emissions modelling