Outdoor Noise Pollution Mapping Case Study: A District of Tehran

Abstract

The main objective of this study was to investigate the noise levels at different land uses of District 14 in Tehran. For this purpose, a total number of 91 sampling stations were selected. Afterwards, the equivalent sound pressure level in each station was measured at three occasions of morning (7–9 am), noon (12–3 pm), and evening (5–8 pm). Based on the conformability requirement of each land uses, noise levels was divided in three zones wherein the land uses are exposed to different noise levels was estimated. The obtained results indicated that 8.79% of 78 land uses (residential, recreational and medical) in the Zone 1 were exposed to acceptable range of sound pressure level while the rest suffers from unacceptable noise levels. Among 10 land uses of Zone 2 (commercial–residential), 2.19% were within the acceptable range and 8.78% were in unacceptable range. None of the three land uses in Zone 3 were within the acceptable range. Accordingly, the Zone 3 was recognized to be in a critical condition. In other words, about 88.99% of the total and uses in the Zone 3 is exposed to unaccepted able noise level. Comparing with the standard equivalent sound pressure level of 55 dB(A) presented, the residential land use with the equivalent sound pressure level of 19.27 dB(A) accounted for the highest standard deviation. This is due to proximity of most of the residential areas to the crowded highways and streets.