VDI 3722 Blatt 2:2013-05

The guideline has been prepared by Working Group NA 001-01-02-09 AK "Bewertung von Verkehrsgeräuschen" ("Traffic noise evaluation") in collaboration with Working Committee NA 001-01-02 AA NA 001-01-02 AA "Geräuschemission - Grundlagen, Ermittlung, Beurteilung" ("Noise immission - Principles, determination, rating"). For decades the evaluation of impairments resulting from environmental noise has been a topic in the research of noise effects in national as well as in international studies. This guideline proposes methods to determine characteristics for evaluating in case of impact of different types of noise sources with regard to annoyance, disturbance and self-reported sleep disturbance. The substitution method has been chosen as the evaluation method which requires the declaration of a reference quantity. Here road traffic is selected basically as the reference quantity for the effects of combined sources of traffic noise. For this purpose, procedures are provided based on exposure-response relations for particular types of sources, which can be used for the evaluation of influence of several of these types of sources on the inhabitants. These include a method to estimate the total annoyance based on effect equivalent continuous sound pressure levels for the different types of sources, a method to estimate the self-reported total sleep disturbance based on effect equivalent continuous sound pressure levels for the different types of sources and auxiliary means for the acoustic evaluation of planning alternatives. The statements laid down in the guideline are primarily applicable for combined effects of traffic noise on living areas. This guideline is particularly directed at experts who in the context of city planning deal with issues of noise effects on inhabitants caused by street, rail or flight traffic. This guideline is likely to gain importance regarding action planning in the course of the implementation of the European Environmental Noise Directive.