Contribution of urban blocks geometry and façades on the noise insulation of buildings

• Grant number: 11/06802-6
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: August 01, 2011
• End date: July 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Applied Social Sciences - Urban and Regional Planning - Methods and Techniques of Urban and Regional Planning
• Principal Investigator: Lea Cristina Lucas de Souza
• Grantee: Lea Cristina Lucas de Souza
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Exatas e de Tecnologia (CCET). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Eliane Viviani ; Mariene Benutti Giunta

Abstract

This research aims to verify the role of urban blocks geometry and their façades in the sound insulation of buildings. Considering an urban area in the city of São Carlos, a data basis in ArcGis will be developed, as well as a classification of the urban blocks will be suggested. Georeferenced points will be considered for real data measurements that will be later compared to simulated data. Based on the files created with the ArcGIS, the simulation of external data will apply the software Cadna-A, which is an application of a French model for urban noise propagation. The simulated data will be validated with the real data and then noise maps will be developed, allowing the verification of critical noise points. At these critical points, some buildings will be investigated, by simultaneously measuring noise levels of internal and external places. This process will assess the noise insulation of their façades. The expected results are the determination of noise levels at the study area, the determination of noise insulation as a function of the urban geometry and the validation of the French model for the study area. Furthermore, it is expected that this basis will be used as an instrument to help on the proposition of a new discipline on the curriculum of the Pos-Graduation Course of Urban Engineering, which will be offered by the two professors that are developing this research. (AU)