MONITORING AND PREDICTION OF NOISE LEVEL IN URBAN AREA USING RLS-90 MODEL

Abstract

Noise pollution is the major environmental problem in developing countries as well as in developed country. Rapid industrialization, vehicle growth, urbanization and change in lifestyle of people has increased the noise level above the prescribed standard level. Traffic noise contribution in the total noise pollution is approximately 75%. Delhi is the fourth noisiest city in the world and third noisiest city of the India. During this study, by keeping in mind the significance of the noise pollution in Delhi, ten locations have been selected to monitor the ambient noise level. These locations have been identified on the basis of different kind of land use pattern like residential, commercial and silence zone. The monitoring has been conducted during morning peak hour, off peak hour and evening peak hour. Sound level meter (Cesva SC 260) type two instrument has been used to monitor the ambient noise level at selected location. Worldwide, various traffic noise model like FHWA, CORTN, Stop and Go and RLS -90 are available for the prediction of traffic noise in different condition. In this study RLS-90 Model has been used to predict the noise level at all the selected location. At the same time, this model used to forecast the traffic noise for the year of 2022, 2027 and 2032. After data analysis, it was observed that the measured ambient noise level at all the locations were violated the permissible limits prescribed by CPCB. During monitoring, highest traffic noise level was observed at Ashram Chowk. This may be due to higher traffic volume as well as high traffic congestion at the particular location. The parentage error between monitored traffic noise level and predicted traffic noise level was found within the range of 0.5 % to 5.75% which indicates the suitability and applicability of the model in city like Delhi.