[Keynote Address] Status of Road Traffic Noise and Vehicle Noise Regulations

Yasunori Tatsuta (Ministry of the Environment)

In this article, we will explain the system for monitoring of road traffic noise, introduce the results of monitoring, and introduce the history of the discussion about measures against motor vehicle noise in the Central Environment Council and "Future Policy for Motor Vehicle Noise Reduction (Fourth Report)”.

Evaluation of the Relationship between Noise Level and Road Surface Characteristics

Tadashi Tsunematsu･Takayuki Mima (The Nippon Road)･Koji Kato･Masakiyo Takahira (Toyota Motor)

Road surfaces compliant with ISO 10844:2011-2021 are specified as road surfaces for external noise measurement tests. However, from extensive experiences, it has become clear that even the slightest differences in road noise factors can cause differences in road noise levels. Therefore, in this study, we constructed several trial pavements with different road surface characteristics and, the relationship between tire/road noise and road surface factors was evaluated.

Survey Results Regarding Automobile Running Noise

Makiko Kadoya (Kanagawa University)

According to the Ministry of the Environment, the achievement rate of environmental standards for automobile traffic noise is increasing, but the number of complaints has not decreased. In order to understand the actual status of complaints, we conducted a questionnaire survey of all wards and cities in charge of environmental affairs, and further narrowed down our focus to running noise and summarized the status of complaints. Complaints were most common on roads with two lanes or less, but it was found that sleep disturbances were more common on large national highways.

Examination on Noisiness of Time-Varying Road Traffic Noise due to Passing-by High Sound Level Vehicles
-Effect of Different Vehicle Noise-

Masayuki Kito･Katsuya Yamauchi (Kyushu University)･Makoto Morinaga (Daido University)

Equivalent contentious A-weighted sound pressure level (L_Aeq) may not be sufficient to evaluate the noisiness impression of road traffic noise that widely varies due to the passing-by high noise vehicles. The authors have investigated the effects of the frequency and volume of passing middle sized trucks through the subjective evaluations. In this paper, we examined the effect of different vehicle noise on the evaluation of noisiness.

Comparison in Community Response to Road Traffic Noise by Housing Classification

Shigenori Yokoshima (Kanagawa Environmental Research Center)･Yui Komi (Kanagawa University)･Makoto Morinaga (Daido University)･Sohei Tsujimura (Ibaraki University)･Naoki Suda (Onosokki)･Yoshiki Umezaki (Creative Research and Planning)･Toru Yamazaki (Kanagawa University)

A social survey of community response to road traffic noise was conducted in residential areas facing arterial roads in Kanagawa Prefecture as part of the Kanagawa University Cross-Disciplinary Research Promotion Project. The questionnaire was formed on the basis of our previous findings. This paper explains the survey method and the estimation method of noise exposure using noise maps. Furthermore, we develop the relationship between noise exposure and the following community response: annoyance, listening disturbance, sleep disturbance, and other responses added in the survey. We discuss the differences in the community responses between detached and apartment houses.