Traffic related noise is currently considered as an environmental pollution. Paper presents results of multidirectional study attempting to serve urban traffic without the need to erect noise barriers interfering urban space. Initial concept of the road expansion included construction of 1000 m of noise barriers dividing city space. Improvement in the acoustic conditions after construction completion is possible due to the applied noise protection measures: vehicle speed limit, smooth of traffic flow, use of road pavement of reduced noise emission and the technical improvement of the tramway.

The paper shows a study on the relationship between noise measures and sound quality (SQ) features that

are related to annoyance caused by the traffic noise. First, a methodology to perform analyses related to

the traffic noise annoyance is described including references to parameters of the assessment of road noise

sources. Next, the measurement setup, location and results are presented along with the derived sound quality

features. Then, statistical analyses are performed to compare the measurement results and sound quality

features. The included conclusions are focused on showing that the obtained loudness values, regardless of

the used system, are similar in a statistical sense. Contrarily, sharpness, roughness and fluctuation strength

values differ for the tools employed.

The existing traffic noise prediction models in road intersections relate mainly to the typical solutions of intersection geometry and traffic organisation. There are no models for large and more complex intersections such as signalised roundabouts. This paper presents the results of studies on the development of a traffic noise prediction model for this type of intersection. The model was developed using a multiple regression method based on the results of field measurements of traffic parameters and noise levels in the vicinity of signalised roundabouts in Poland. The obtained model consists of two groups of variables affecting noise levels at the intersection. The first group determines in detail the influence of traffic and geometry of the closest entry. The second group shows the influence of more distant noise sources (traffic at the three remaining entries of the intersection) and the influence of the dimensions of the entire intersection. The developed model was verified through additional field measurements, as well as compared to the results of two methods of traffic noise prediction: the French ‘NMPB-Routes-2008’ and the German ‘RLS-90’. The obtained results confirmed a higher accuracy of calculations performed using the developed model in the range of: −1.2 dB ÷ +1.0 dB, while the ‘NMPB-Routes-2008’ and ‘RLS-90’ calculate precision were respectively: −2.8 dB ÷ +1.3 dB, and +0.8 dB ÷ +5.2 dB. Therefore, the developed model allows for a more accurate prediction of noise levels in the vicinity of signalised roundabouts in a flat terrain without buildings and noise barriers.

In the paper, the simulation PROP5 program is used to predict the sound level in proximity of a road with defined surroundings. The simulation involves road geometry (number of lanes and their positions) and traffic structure (vehicle flow rates and their average speeds), with equivalent omnidirectional point sources representing vehicles. In Part I of the paper, the agreement between measurement and simulation results is tested to verify the accuracy degree of the applied models of a road, as a noise source and propagation throughout surrounding space. In Part II, using the pre-tested simulation program, the possibility of acoustic climate improvement has been analyzed.

n the paper, the simulation PROP5 program with the road model defined as a noise source and road surroundings model, is used to predict the efficiency of noise protecting means for the chosen building. The appropriate models of verified accuracy have been chosen by comparison of the simulation results with field measurements (Walerian et al., 2010). Here, using the pre-tested simulation program, the possibility of acoustic climate improvement has been analyzed in the ranges of practical variations of the input parameters. The road parameters: its geometry (number of lanes and their positions) and traffic structure over lanes (vehicle flow rates and their average speeds) have been taken under consideration as changeable parameters, that could be corrected to obtain acoustical climate improvement. Moreover, an acoustical screen designing has been considered. The screen efficiency has been evaluated under conditions defined by the input parameters of the road and its surroundings.

The aim of the research was to determine the occurrence of possible, significant levels of infrasound and low frequency noise both in classrooms and around the primary school. Two sources of noise during research were significant: traffic on the national road and a wind farm, located near the school building. So far, few studies have been published regarding the impact of low-frequency, environmental noise from communication routes. The identification of hazards in a form of estimated noise levels resulted in preliminary information whether the location of the school near the road with significant traffic and the nearby wind farm can cause nuisance to children. There have been determined the criteria for assessing infrasound and low frequency noise. There have been made third octave band analyses of noise spectrum and the essential noise indicators were calculated. The results of learning in that school were thoroughly analysed for a long period of time and they were compared to the results obtained in other schools within a radius of 200 km situated near similar noise sources. Chosen assessment criteria show small exposure to low frequency noise. Measured infrasound noise levels are below hearing threshold.

The sound radiation from vehicles travelling on the city roads with T junction was considered. The wind effect on acoustic field was taken into account. The solution of this problem was found with the help of the integral Fourier transforms and stationary phase method as the superposition of solutions for the cases of vehicles moving along the straight roads and roads with right-angle bend. As an example, the numerical analysis of traffic noise characteristics was carried out for the T junction city road on one of streets in the town of Łodź (Poland).

The study is aimed to quantify the effects of social noise exposure (personal music players (PMP), events with high noise exposure) and the exposure to the other environmental noise sources in the selected sample of Slovak university students. The validated ICBEN methodology was used to assess noise annoyance. The measurement of ambient noise levels was done using hand-held sound level analyzer. There were 526 university students (143 males and 383 females, average age 23±2.2) enrolled into the study so far, 192 in the exposed housing facility to road traffic noise and 326 in the control housing facility in Bratislava. The social noise exposure was quantified and followed according to the authorized methodology of the study Ohrkan. From the total sample 416 (79.4%) students reported the use of PMP in the last week for the average time of 314 minutes. There was a significant difference in PMP use between the exposed (85.34%) and the control group (76.31%) (p = 0.01). Among PMP users 28.1% exceeded the LAV (lower action value for industry = 80 dB). The results showed the importance of road traffic and the social noise as well and the need for prevention and intervention in these vulnerable groups.

This work is focused on the automatic recognition of environmental noise sources that affect humans’ health and quality of life, namely industrial, aircraft, railway and road traffic. However, the recognition of the latter, which have the largest influence on citizens’ daily lives, is still an open issue. Therefore, although considering all the aforementioned noise sources, this paper especially focuses on improving the recognition of road noise events by taking advantage of the perceived noise differences along the road vehicle pass-by (which may be divided into different phases: approaching, passing and receding). To that effect, a hierarchical classification scheme that considers these phases independently has been implemented. The proposed classification scheme yields an averaged classification accuracy of 92.5%, which is, in absolute terms, 3% higher than the baseline (a traditional flat classification scheme without hierarchical structure). In particular, it outperforms the baseline in the classification of light and heavy vehicles, yielding a classification accuracy 7% and 4% higher, respectively. Finally, listening tests are performed to compare the system performance with human recognition ability. The results reveal that, although an expert human listener can achieve higher recognition accuracy than the proposed system, the latter outperforms the non-trained listener in 10% in average.

49th Winter School on Wave and Quantum Acoustics constituted platforms for sharing the results and achievements obtained in different branches of physical acoustics, as molecular acoustics, quantum acoustics, acousto-optics, magnetoacoustics, photoacoustics, acoustics of solid state, acoustic emission, and others. Moreover, researches in some selected topics related to those mentioned above (e.g. optoelectronics, relaxation processes) were presented during the school.

The conference consisted of the 16th Workshop on Acoustoelectronics and the 16th Workshop on Molecular Acoustics, Relaxation and Calorimetric Methods. However, the organizers are opened to organizing workshops on other subjects in future. We would like to invite scientific centers and other professional groups to cooperate in organizing workshops on the subjects of their interests.

XLVIIIth Winter School on Environmental Acoustics and Vibroacoustics was a forum for all environmental and vibroacoustics fields. Particularly it was concerned with traffic noise, vibroacoustics of machines, room acoustics, building acoustics, noise protection and similar problems. During the Conference, seminars on “Measurement of noise and vibration at the workplace” and Environmental noise monitoring”, combined with measurement workshops, were organised in association with SVANTEK.

The Conferences began with the special, joined session dedicated to celebration of the 15th Jubilee Conference Integrated Optics – Sensors, Sensing Structures and Methods. In summary, 48 people participated in Conferences and seminars, presenting 37 lectures, reports and posters. In this issue one can find abstracts of some lectures and posters, which were presented during the Conferences.