MONITORING AND

ASSESSMENT OF TEMPORAL
VARIATION OF DAY TIME
ROAD TRAFFIC NOISE NEAR A
ROAD SIDE URBAN
ENVIRONMENT OF KOLKATA
CITY, INDIA - A CASE STUDY
Anirban Kundu Chowdhury*
Research Scholar, Department of Civil Engineering
(Environmental Engineering Division), Jadavpur
University
I
Anupam Debsarkar
Reader, Department of Civil Engineering, (Environmental
Engineering Division), Jadavpur University
Shibnath Chakrabarty
Professor, Department of Civil Engineering,
(Environmental Engineering Division), Jadavpur
University
ABSTRACT
The principal objective of the present study was
to monitor and assess the temporal variation of day
time road traffic noise near a road side urban
environment of Kolkata city and in addition, to
determine the minimum duration for monitoring the
road traffic noise which consequently provide
consistent road traffic noise exposure. Accordingly,
extensive noise measurement was performed at the
Gate No. - 3 of Jadavpur University on Raja S. C.
Mallik road during peak (8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. and
4:00 - 8:00 p.m.) and non-peak (12:00 - 4:00 p.m.)
traffic hours over twelve working days. A-weighted
equivalent continuous sound pressure level (Lel was
recorded periodically at an interval of 0.5, 1, 5, 15,
30, 45, 60, 90, 120, 180 and 240 minutes. Thirty six
sets (n=36) of time-integrated noise measurement
were performed with one second resolution.
Descriptive statistical analysis revealed that mean
values of L increased consistently within the
eq
interval of 0.5 to 45 minutes, beyond which the mean
values of L (over the interval Of 45 to 240 minutes)
eq
were found almost constant. It was concluded from
the temporal variation study and principal
com
ponent analysis that L within the time interval
eq
of 45 to 240 minutes were equivalent except the
duration of exposure. The study also revealed that
minimum 45 minutes monitoring of road traffic
noise was necessary near a road side urban
environment of Kolkata city to report consistent
* Corresponding author
road traffic noise exposure.
Keywords:Equivalent continuous sound
pressure level (Lel' Principle component analysis.
INTRODUCTION
Traffic is a significant part of urban
environment. It contributes about 55% to the total
urban noise<1.2). Traffic noise is associated with
adverse health effects, such as deafness,
hypertension, myocardial infarction, atheros-
clerosis, annoyance and stress hormone disorder<3-
5).Unfortunately, however, there is lack of published
documents in India which may embody the
procedure for monitoring road traffic noise level.
The principal objective of the present study was to
monitor and assess the temporal variation of day
time road traffic noise near a road side urban
environment of Kolkata city in addition to
determine the minimum duration for monitoring
the road traffic noise which accordingly provide
consistent road traffic noise exposure.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Noise measurement
Extensive_noise measurement was performed
at the Gate No. - 3 of Jadavpur University on Raja
S. C. Mallik road (Fig. 1) during peak (8:00 a.m. -
12:00 p.m. and 4:00 - 8:00 p.m.) and non-peak (12:00
- 4:00 p.m.) traffic hours over twelve working days.
Thus, a total thirty six sets (n=36) of time integrated
noise measurement were performed with one
second resolution. A-weighted L was recorded
eq
periodically at an interval of 0.5, 1,5,15,30,45,60,
90, 120, 180 and 240 minutes with a CESV A make
(Type-II) sound level meter (Model No.SC-160) in
fast operation mode. The sound level meter was
placed beside road side walk, above 1.5 meter from
ground level and 1 meter from the boundary wall
using a tripod stand.
Fig. 1 : The sampling station
21
Volume2012-13. Number 2. July 2012
Anirban Kundu chowdhury, Anupam Debsarkar, Shibnath chakrabarty
Statistical analysis
Descriptive statil?tical parameters such as
minimum, maximum, mean, standard deviation and
percentage coefficient of variation were calculated
over L values from 0.5 to 240 minutes time
eq
interval. Pearson's correlation coefficients were also
calculated for these L values. Varimax rotated
eq
principle component analysis was performed with
SPSS.v10(6) to determine the underlying components
in the data set.
.)0
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Temporal variation of traffic noise
Results of descriptive statistical analysis
revealed that mean values of L recorded within
eq
interval of 0.5 to 30 minutes were lower compared
to that of 45 to 240 minutes. Temporal variation
plot of mean LeqdB (A) vs. time (Fig. 2) described
that mean values of L increased consistently within
eq
the interval of 0.5 to 45 minutes beyond which
within 45 to 240 minutes interval the mean values
of L were found almost constant. Thus
eq
measurement of road traffic noise for less than 45
minutes underestimated the level of exposure when
it was compared with that of greater than 45
minutes. The minimum, maximum, standard
deviation and percentage coefficient of variation of
the respective mean values ofLe are given in Table-
1. Values of standard deviati6n and percentage
coefficient of variation were found higher for the
L values within the interval of 0.5 to 15 minutes
eq
as compared to that of 30 to 240 minutes. This
implied that measurement of road traffic noise for
less than 15 minutes was inconsistent when
compared with that of greater than 30 minutes.
Table 1: Descriptive statistics of noise
measurement
82.0
8J.0
<'
if' ".0
"IS
J
179.1
:a
78.8
77.0
0.0 SO.O 100.0 lSO.0
'IBoe (MiDute.)
200.0 2SO.0
Fig. 2 : Temporal variation of noise at a rode
side urban environment
Correlation analysis
Pearson's correlation matrix (Table-2) revealed
that L measured for 0.5 minute interval had strong
positi~ correlation with that of 1 minute interval
and moderate positive correlation with that of 5
minute interval. L measured for 1 minute interval
eq
also had moderate positive correlation with that of
5 minute interval. L measured for 5 minute
eq
interval had moderate positive correlation with that
of 15 minute interval and weak positive correlation
with that of 30 minute interval. L measured for 15
minute interval had strong positiv~ correlation with
that of 30 minute interval and moderate positive
correlation with that of 45 to 240 minutes interval.
Strong positive correlation coefficients were found
among the L measured from 30 to 240 minutes
eq .
interval. This implied L measured within 30 to 240
minutes interval were identical in nature.
Principle component analysis
The correlations among L of 0.5 to 240
. minutes interval were explained ein terms of two
underlying components (Fig. 3), which covered
83.25% of total variance in the data. It can be
interpreted :trom Fig. 4 that Component-l had strong
positive loadin g
with L measured form 15 to 30
eq
minute intervals and very strong positive loading
with that of measured from 45 to 240 minutes
interval. In fact the values of L for the interval of
eq
45 to 240 minutes were found clustered in the same
figure i.e., they were equivalent. The Component-2
had strong positive loading with L measured from
eq
0.5 to 5 minute interval.
CONCLUSION
It can be concluded from temporal variation
study and principal component analysis that L
eq
measured for the time interval of 45 to 240 minutes
were equivalent except the duration of exposure.
Volume2012-)3. Number 2. July 2012
22
.
Time Maximum Minimum Standard Coefficient
(Minutes)
LeqdB(A) LeqdB(A)
LeqdB(A) ofvariation
(%)
0.50 86.9 70.3 2.9 3.7
1.00 84.9 73.7 2.3 2.9
5.00 82.2 76.3 1.4 1.8
15.00 81.6 77.3 1.2 1.5
30.00 81.9 77.9 1.1 1.3
45.00 82.0 78.0 1.0 1.3
60.00 81.5 77.9 1.1 1.3
90.00 81.7 78.0 1.0 1.3
120.00 81.3 77.8 1.0 1.2
180.00 81.6 77.6 1.0 1.2
240.00 81.6 77.8 0.9 1.1
/.
Anirban Kundu chowdhury, Anupam Debsarkar, Shibnath chakrabarty
Table 2: Correlation matrix
**Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed), * Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed)
8
7
. Volue of KMO measure ofsampliol adequaey was fouod 0.7'
. Bartle"', ten of .pheridty was fouod ..aH,tiUy ,llolfie'D')
6
5
8
~ 4
5i,
ii1 3
2
0
2 3 4 5 6 7 9 10
Component Number
Fig. 3 : Screeplot ofthecomponents
1.0
1..0.'
. ...,
.
.5 I....
.
I M
'..,.
.
,.
-.5
-1.0~
-1.0 -.S 0.0 .S
Component 1
Fig. 4 : Component leading plot
The study revealed that minimum 45 minutes
measurement of road traffic noise was necessary near
a road side urban environment of Kolkata city to
report consistent road traffic noise exposure.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The authors are thankful to Mr. Nakibul Hossain
Mondal, Mr. Nasim Mondal, and Prasanta Mondal for
their active participation in air, traffic, noise and
meteorological monitoring.
IJ
REFERENCES
1. Pandya, G. H. (2002). Comprehensive investigation
of noise exposure in and around an integrated iron
and steel works. American Industrial Hygiene
Association, 63, 172-177.
2. Sinha, S., Sridharan, P. V. (2003). Present and
future assessment of noise level in the Neyveli
region, Journal of Environmental Studies and
Policy, 2(1), 1-13.
3. van Kempen, E., Kruize, H., Boshuizen, H.C.,
Ameling, C.B., Staats en, B.A.M., de Hollander,
A.E.M. (2002). The association between noise
exposure and blood pressure and ischemic heart
disease: a meta-analysis. Environmental Health
Perspectives, 110(3), 307-317.
4. Finkelstein, M.M., Jerrett, M., Sears, M.R. (2004).
Traffic air pollution and mortality rate
" advancement periods. American Journal of
Epidemiology, 160(2), 173-177.
5. Selander, J., Nilsson, M.E., Bluhm, G., Rosenlund,
M., Lindqvist, M., Nise G., Pershagen, G. (2009).
Long-term exposure to road traffic noise and
myocardial infarction, Epidemiology, 20(2), 272-
279.
6. SPSS Inc., 1999: SPSS for Windows, SPSS Inc.
1.0
Volume 2012-13. Number 2 .July 2012
23
L
Leql Leq5
L L L L L L L L
eqO.5 eq15 eq30 eq45 eq60 eq90 eq120 eq180 eq240
L 1.00
eqO.5
Leql
0.80** 1.00
Leq5
0.48** 0,61 ** 1.00
L 0.19 0.30 0.61** 1.00
eq15
L -0.03 0.19 0.37* 0.80** 1.00
eq30
L -0.10
0.08".
0.24 0.69** 0.83** 1.00
eq45
L -0.02 0.07 0.21 0.66** 0.82** 0.96** 1.00
eq60
L -0.02 0.05 0.18 0.59** 0.79** 0.91 ** 0.96** 1.00
eq90
L 0.03 0.09 0.20 0.59** 0.78** 0.86** 0.93** 0.97** 1.00
eq120
L 0.02 0.08 0.16 0.54** 0.73** 0.77** 0.84 ** 0.90** 0.95** 1.00
eq180
L 0.02 0.07 0.17 0.55** 0.74 ** 0.76** 0.83** 0.91 ** 0.96** 0.99** 1.00
eq240