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To reduce noise exposure along railway lines various combinations of noise mitigation measures can be considered. However, predicting and assessing their effects is non-trivial and the potential need for multiple measures is difficult to communicate to stakeholders. Auralisation is a promising tool that can help to support communication and decision-making, and enable psychoacoustic evaluations. This paper presents developments of a physics-based auralisation model for train pass-bys that allows various mitigation measures to be included. The work is conducted within the European research project SILVARSTAR. The proposed model includes contribution from rolling noise, impact noise, traction, auxiliary systems, and aerodynamic noise. It is physically based and allows a direct assessment of pass-by parameters such as speed, roughness, wheel flats and track design. Based on the TWINS model, five structural transfer paths for rolling noise are considered to integrate mitigation measures such as wheel and rail dampers. Shielding by noise barriers is simulated with analytical models. Reflection at different ground types is considered and can account for track embankments. The results can be coupled to an immersive Virtual Reality environment, by first panning the synthesised sounds to a small virtual speaker array and subsequently dynamic binaural rendering for headphones.

The European research project ARTEM (Aircraft noise Reduction Technologies and related Environmental iMpact) develops innovative aircraft noise reduction technologies such as advanced engine fan lining, metamaterials and low-noise high-lift systems applied to a vehicle with enhanced shielding of the engine noise, namely, a blended wing body. Using aircraft flyover auralisation in laboratory listening experiments, such future technologies can be evaluated with respect to human sound perception. To assess the reliability of such perception-based evaluations, the simulation chain should be validated with existing aircraft flyovers. This contribution presents a systematic and rigorous hierarchical validation of auralisations of current jet aircraft using field recordings. Uncertainty in the source modelling is considered by using two different prediction tools for partial sound sources. In addition to comparing computed noise indicators, a psychoacoustic validation is done in laboratory listening experiments with a 3D loudspeaker array. The validation comprises three levels: (i) direct comparison of auralisations with recordings to study the identifiability of auralisations, (ii) ranking of auralisations and recordings regarding plausibility, and (iii) subjective annoyance ratings to test whether auralisations and recordings differ with respect to noise effects. Further, first results on the comparison of a future concept with a current aircraft are presented.

Residents around airports are impacted by noise produced by civil aircraft operations. With the aim of reducing the negative effects of noise, new low-noise aircraft concepts and flight procedures are being developed. The design processes and the assessments of design variants can be supported by auralization of virtual flyovers. The plausibility of auralized aircraft is increased by considering the effects of atmospheric turbulence on sound propagation. This paper presents a simple approach to include turbulence-induced coherence loss in ground effect. Compared to earlier approaches, the proposed model is closer to the physical mechanisms. It is based on the von Kármán turbulence spectrum and a time-variant partial decorrelation filter. The application of the model to jet aircraft flyovers revealed audible improvements by reducing unnatural flanging. The proposed model increases the accuracy and plausibility of aircraft flyover auralizations. It will thus be applied in the perception-based evaluation of future aircraft concepts.

This project aimed to use a multi-disciplinary approach to advance our fundamental knowledge about low noise road surfaces and 1) Develop low noise pavements to improve comfort and health of urban dwellers focusing on noise mitigation. 2) Target certain waste materials from the urban environment, for the purpose of producing low noise pavements. 3) Exploration of the noise reduction potential by modification of absorption and reflection properties of the surfaces that form urban street canyons and evaluation of the measures from a subjective point of view by auralization and listening tests.4) the results from 3) will be used to improve extend existing methods for noise health assessment in Life Cycle Impact Assessment, and the new models will be embedded into a full Life Cycle assessment of the new pavements. Various open access publications listed below and one PhD thesis report on the findings of this project. In case you need data from this project that you cannot find please contact the authors. PHD Thesis Urban mining for low-noise urban roads Zhengyin Piao, https://esd.ifu.ethz.ch/research/research-projects/research-and-theses/urban-mining-low-noise-roads.html Poulikakos, L.D., Kakar, M.R., Piao, Z. Urban mining for low-noise urban roads towards more sustainability in the urban environment (2023) Road Materials and Pavement Design, DOI: 10.1080/14680629.2023.2180993 Piao, Z., Waldner, U., Heutschi, K., Poulikakos, L.D., Hellweg, S. Modified life cycle assessment for Low-Noise urban roads including acoustics and monetarization (2022) Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 112, art. no. 103475. DOI: 10.1016/j.trd.2022.103475 Piao, Z., Mikhailenko, P., Kakar, M.R., Hellweg, S., Poulikakos, L.D. Comparative Environmental Analysis for Using Waste Polyethylene and Steel Slag in Semi-dense Asphalt Pavements (2022) Journal of Testing and Evaluation, 51 (4) DOI: 10.1520/JTE20220273 Kakar Rafiq, M., Mikhailenko, P., Piao, Z., Poulikakos, L.D. High and low temperature performance of polyethylene waste plastic modified low noise asphalt mixtures (2022) Construction and Building Materials, 348, art. no. 128633, DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2022.128633 Piao, Z., Heutschi, K., Pieren, R., Mikhailenko, P., Poulikakos, L.D., Hellweg, S. Environmental trade-offs for using low-noise pavements: Life cycle assessment with noise considerations. DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156846 (2022) Science of the Total Environment, 842, art. no. 156846 Mikhailenko, P, Arraigada, M, Piao Z, Poulikakos, L D., Multiscale Laboratory Mechanical Performance of SDA Mixtures with Construction and Demolition Waste Filler J. Mater. Civ. Eng., 2022, 34(6): 04022106, DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)MT.1943-5533.0004244 Poulikakos, L., Athari, S., Mikhailenko, Kakar, M.R., P., Piao, Z., Bueno, M., Pieren, R., Heutschi, K., Effect of waste materials on acoustical properties of semi-dense asphalt mixtures, Transportation Research Part D 102 (2022) 103154, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trd.2021.103154 Piao, Z.; Bueno, M.; Poulikakos, L. D.; Hellweg, S., Life cycle assessment of rubberized semi-dense asphalt pavements; A hybrid comparative approach. Resources, Conservation and Recycling 2022, 176, 105950. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2021.105950 Mikhailenko, P, Piao Z, Kakar, M R, Bueno M, Poulikakos, L D., Durability and surface properties of low-noise pavements with recycled concrete aggregates, Journal of Cleaner Production, Volume 319, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.128788. Mikhailenko, P, Piao, Z, Kakar, M R, , Athari, S, Bueno, M, Poulikakos, L.D. Effect of waste PET and CR as sand replacement on the durability and acoustical properties of semi dense asphalt (SDA) mixtures, Sustainable Materials and Technologies,Volume 29, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.susmat.2021.e00295. Kakar, M R, Mikhailenko, P, Piao, Z, Bueno, M, Poulikakos, L. (2021) Analysis of waste polyethylene (PE) and its by-products in asphalt binder. Construction and Building Materials Volume 280, 19 April 2021, 122492. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2021.122492 Piao, Z., Mikhailenko, P., Kakar, M.R., Bueno, M., Hellweg, S., Poulikakos, L.D., (2021). Urban mining for asphalt pavements: A review. Journal of Cleaner Production 280, 124916. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.124916. Mikhailenko, P., Kakar, M.R., Piao, Z., Bueno, M., Poulikakos, L. Improving the Sustainability of Semi-Dense Asphalt Pavements by Replacement of Recycled Concrete Aggregate Fractions (2020) Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering, 76, pp. 343-351. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-48679-2_33 Mikhailenko, P., Rafiq Kakar, M., Piao, Z., Bueno, M., Poulikakos, L. Incorporation of recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) fractions in semi-dense asphalt (SDA) pavements: Volumetrics, durability and mechanical properties (2020) Construction and Building Materials, 264, art. no. 120166. DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2020.120166 Mikhailenko, P., Piao, Z., Kakar, M.R., Bueno, M., Athari, S., Pieren, R., Heutschi, K., Poulikakos, L. Low-Noise pavement technologies and evaluation techniques: a literature review (2020) International Journal of Pavement Engineering,DOI:10.1080/10298436.2020.1830091

The main objective of the SILVARSTAR Shift2Rail project is to develop validated software tools for application in the field of ground vibration and auralisation in the railway sector. The first project work stream focuses on the prediction of ground vibration through the development and validation of a hybrid approach, combining numerical prediction with experimental results. The general framework adopted expresses the vibration level in a building as the product of terms describing the source, the propagation through the soil and the receiver. For each term, a database of both measured and pre-computed data is provided, allowing rapid calculations to be performed. In the upcoming project phase, this ground vibration software will be integrated in an industrial noise mapping software (IMMI). This will result in a unique software platform that will allow engineers to perform noise and vibration environmental impact studies within the same software environment, on a large scale. In the second work stream, auralisation and Virtual Reality (VR) software tools are developed based on physical models to synthesise railway noise in high quality. The novel auralisation and VR tools enable perception-based evaluation of noise mitigation technologies and an effective demonstration of different noise scenarios, including noise mitigation measures and vehicle design variants. This will support decision-making and facilitate communication with stakeholders through VR prior to project delivery. The new software tools will be made available to the industry at the end of 2022.

Study Objectives Nighttime transportation noise elicits awakenings, sleep-stage changes, and electroencephalographic (EEG) arousals. Here, we investigated the potential sleep-protective role of sleep spindles on noise-induced sleep alterations. Methods Twenty-six young (19-33 years, 12 women) and 18 older (52-70 years, 9 women) healthy volunteers underwent a repeated measures polysomnographic 6-day laboratory study. Participants spent one noise-free baseline night, followed by four transportation noise-exposure nights (road traffic or railway noise; continuous or intermittent: average sound levels of 45 dB, maximum sound levels of 50-62 dB), and one noise-free recovery night. Sleep stages were scored manually and fast sleep spindle characteristics were quantified automatically using an individual band-pass filtering approach. Results Nighttime exposure to transportation noise significantly increased sleep EEG arousal indices. Sleep structure and continuity were not differentially affected by noise exposure in individuals with a low versus a high spindle rate. Spindle rates showed an age-related decline along with more noise-induced sleep alterations. All-night spindle rates did not predict EEG arousal or awakening probability from single railway noise events. Spindle characteristics were affected in noise-exposure nights compared to noise-free nights: we observed a reduction of the spindle amplitude in both age groups and of the spindle rate in the older group. Conclusions We have evidence that spindle rate is more likely to represent a trait phenomenon, which does not seem to play a sleep-protective role in nighttime transportation noise-induced sleep disruptions. However, the marked reduction in spindle amplitude is most likely a sensitive index for noise-induced sleep alterations.

International audience; Due to increased awareness of negative effects of noise exposure, distinct measures are applied to mitigate the sound immission from road traffic in urban areas. This includes strategic planning of road traffic, design of noise mitigating infrastructure, and efforts to reduce the sound emission of the sources. An increased effort has also been aimed at investigating how architectural features of urban areas, such as material properties and texture, affect perception of the local outdoor sound environment. This paper presents a psychoacoustic laboratory experiment investigating the effect of facade absorption and scattering properties on short-term noise annoyance from moving passenger car sounds in outdoor living environments. A virtual acoustic environment was designed based on a newly constructed housing area in Switzerland. Sound propagation was simulated with the ray tracing software ODEON. Car paths were modeled by spatially distributed source points along the roads for which multichannel impulse responses were ambisonically rendered for static receiver locations. The impulse responses were then converted to generic ones that allowed for a crossfading interpolation to estimate an impulse response for an arbitrary position between two source points. Subsequently, synthesized car emission signals were convolved with the position specific impulse responses to auralize moving cars. The sounds were reproduced via five satellite loudspeakers and two subwoofers in the laboratory. This paper presents the experimental results and discusses the possible influence of the facade?s properties.

Proceedings of the ICA 2019 and EAA Euroregio : 23rd International Congress on Acoustics, integrating 4th EAA Euroregio 2019 : 9-13 September 2019, Aachen, Germany / proceedings editor: Martin Ochmann, Michael Vorländer, Janina Fels 23rd International Congress on Acoustics, integrating 4th EAA Euroregio 2019, ICA 2019, Aachen, Germany, 9 Sep 2019 - 13 Sep 2019; Aachen (2019)., Published by Aachen

Proceedings of the ICA 2019 and EAA Euroregio : 23rd International Congress on Acoustics, integrating 4th EAA Euroregio 2019 : 9-13 September 2019, Aachen, Germany / proceedings editor: Martin Ochmann, Michael Vorländer, Janina Fels 23rd International Congress on Acoustics, integrating 4th EAA Euroregio 2019, ICA 2019, Aachen, Germany, 9 Sep 2019 - 13 Sep 2019; Aachen (2019)., Published by Aachen

Proceedings of the ICA 2019 and EAA Euroregio : 23rd International Congress on Acoustics, integrating 4th EAA Euroregio 2019 : 9-13 September 2019, Aachen, Germany / proceedings editor: Martin Ochmann, Michael Vorländer, Janina Fels 23rd International Congress on Acoustics, integrating 4th EAA Euroregio 2019, ICA 2019, Aachen, Germany, 9 Sep 2019 - 13 Sep 2019; Aachen (2019)., Published by Aachen

Proceedings of the ICA 2019 and EAA Euroregio : 23rd International Congress on Acoustics, integrating 4th EAA Euroregio 2019 : 9-13 September 2019, Aachen, Germany / proceedings editor: Martin Ochmann, Michael Vorländer, Janina Fels 23rd International Congress on Acoustics, integrating 4th EAA Euroregio 2019, ICA 2019, Aachen, Germany, 9 Sep 2019 - 13 Sep 2019; Aachen (2019)., Published by Aachen

Besides the commonly considered time-averaged noise exposure metrics such as the Lden, additional indicators(e.g., maximum level, eventfulness, or relative quiet time) might improve the prediction of noise annoyance.An experiment was carried out on the effects of relative duration of quiet periods on annoyance reactions tohelicopter noise scenarios, with the relative duration being the ratio of total duration of quiet periods in a soundscenario to its total duration. Recorded flybys were spatially reproduced with a hemispherical loudspeaker arrayin the laboratory. Ninety-second noise scenarios were prepared, containing two, three, four, or five flybys.All scenarios exhibited the same Leq of 66.5 dB(A), however, differed in the number of flight events and theexposure levels of individual flybys. Subjects were asked to make paired comparisons (i.e., two-alternativeforced choices) for three pairs of scenarios. In each pair, one scenario had a larger number of flybys than theother; i.e., 4 vs. 2, 5 vs. 2, or 5 vs. 3. An analysis of the data of 56 subjects was carried out to investigate theeffect of the relative duration of quiet periods between events on annoyance. The results indicate that longerquiet periods may mitigate noise annoyance., + ID der Publikation: hslu_91027 + Art des Beitrages: Wissenschaftliche Medien + Jahrgang: 2019 + Sprache: Englisch + Letzte Aktualisierung: 2022-06-29 13:53:52