The (dis) advantages of different types of models to predict traffic noise levels in built-up areas.

To predict sound levels in built-up areas we could make use of three types of models (a) comparison with an existing situation; (b) a computer model to calculate the levels; and (c) measurements in a scale model 1:30 to 1:100. At this moment a computer gives faster results than a scale model only in very simple configuration but in the long run this will probably be the case in more simplex situations too. A problem still to be solved is the attenuation caused by the groundeffect.