Estudo do nível sonoro de tráfego de uma região do município de Caxias do Sul – Mapa de ruído – Parte I: Elaboração e análise

Noise pollution from car traffic is one of the main environmental problems in urban centers and can be considered a public health issue, given the huge range of problems resulting from exposure to high levels of sound pressure for long periods. The present study is divided into two parts, and the objective of this article is to present the stages of the elaboration of a traffic noise map in a region of the city center of Caxias do Sul/Brazil, as well as a detailed analysis of the data obtained. A sound map was obtained through simulations with the SoundPLANessential software, from acoustic, morphological, meteorological and traffic data obtained from the study area. Field acoustic measurements were performed as recommended by the brazilian a technical standard ABNT NBR 10151:2019, at randomly selected locations and the results of these measurements were forwarded to itt PERFORMANCE/Unisinos, which calibrated the LAeq. It was verified that all measurement points had sound pressure levels above the recommended. After obtaining all the necessary parameters for insertion into the simulation software, a study of the data configuration made, to identify the configuration with the major similarity to the sound reality of the region. Through the simulation, the noise map for the daytime period (Ld) was obtained. Sound levels A-weigthed that reached up to 84 dB was found at the intersection of Rua Pinheiro Machado and Borges de Medeiros, due to the relief of the place. The sound levels A-weigthed outside the Hospitals and the education school are above the recommended, reaching 22 dB above the established limit.