Vibration nuisance in residential properties caused by road traffic is a widespread problem. The aim of the survey described in this report was to investigate the nature of this disturbance by interviewing residents and by the measurement of noise and window vibration and traffic flow parameters. The subjective data was obtained by interviewing approximately 30 people at each of 50 residential locations. The sites were chosen in the south of England and the midlands. One objective was to develop predictive equations which would enable planners to determine the likely disturbance due to traffic-induced vibrations from measures of noise, vibration or traffic flow. 18-hour noise exposure measures were found to be more closely associated with the site median vibration and noise nuisance ratings than window vibration or traffic flow levels. The leq db(a) level was the noise measure most closely associated with subjective site median vibration nuisance ratings, accounting for about half the variance in the median ratings. However a number of other noise measures were only slightly less well correlated and so no preferred noise index can be determined simply on the basis of the rank order of the correlation coefficients. Respondents considered large lorries to be a major cause of building vibration and concern about the possibility of building damage caused by traffic vibration was an important reason given for being bothered by vibration. (Author/publisher)
Samenvatting