Prediction and mitigation of construction noise in an urban environment

Abstract

A growing number of construction projects are performed in congested urban areas. Often, the surrounding community finds these projects annoying because of noise, vibration, dust, light, and greenhouse gas emissions. This paper focuses on one type of irritant, noise. Common noise generators on construction sites are identified, and the elements of a generic program for mitigating construction-related noise are outlined. Mitigation strategies including source control, path control, and receiver control are discussed. A deterministic model based on the Monte Carlo simulation technique is used. It is capable of predicting the magnitude and frequency of noise levels generated by construction equipment at receptor locations around a construction site during each construction stage. The utilization of the model as a planning tool for optimizing the composition, geometry, and location of noise barriers around a construction site is demonstrated via a case history, namely the construction of an eight-storey parking garage in London, Ont. The model is validated by comparing its predictions to field measurements undertaken during various construction stages. Predictions agree favourably with field measurements.Key words: construction, noise, mitigation, barriers, modeling, Monte Carlo simulation.