Acoustic Environment
Noise is one of the major factors of environmental degradation and thus of quality of life. The kind of noise effects on human health has long been a key area of research and study. The quality of the acoustic environment in our country has deteriorated significantly in recent years, with the major problems identified in major urban centers, caused primarily by vehicle traffic particularly heavy vehicles and motorcycles.
Road traffic is one of the most serious sources of noise. The major problems identified in the main urban centers and are due primarily to the vehicles circulation. Driving conditions, the vehicles engines condition and maintenance, driving behavior as well as the climatic conditions exacerbate the problem for the receptor (man) in megacities. The European Commission has adopted Directive 2002/49/EC which aims "to define a common approach intended to avoid, prevent or reduce the harmful effects, including annoyance, due to exposure to environmental noise." There is thus a need for noise mapping in urban areas for providing information about the noise to the public and establishing action plans aimed at preventing and reducing noise.
Environmental noise from road traffic, according to the latest estimates of Directorate DG XI of the European Union, disturb about 20-25% of the population of the Western Europe developed countries, while 19% of the total EU population (about 67 million) is located in areas with high noise levels. The road noise is considered as the most annoying noise source for the urban population, especially the noise from motorcycles and mopeds.
Depending on the noise source, measures should be taken to reduce noise levels. Main causes of this phenomenon in urban areas are: the spread of urban areas (living-movement), the mix of land uses, high population density, lack of open spaces, densely built areas close to highways etc. Moreover, the construction and operation of infrastructure projects and the development of industrial and commercial activities, etc. further increase noise levels. In all the above issues, AXON has considerable experience and a high level of expertise.