This study conducted detailed modeling of traffic noise exposure in Burlöv municipality, revealing that many residents experience high noise disturbance despite previous models indicating low exposure levels. The new modeling indicates a significant proportion of the population exceeds accepted noise limits, aligning more closely with residents' perceived disturbances. The findings emphasize the need for more precise models in areas of high disturbance but low measured exposure and inform future noise management strategies in the region.

1. Modeling traffic noise exposure for Burlöv municipality
Kristoffer Mattisson
Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
Department of Laboratoriemedicin, Lund university
Abstract
• Former modeled traffic noise show low levels of exposure, still a
questionnaire shows a high experienced disturbance.
• The more detailed model over Burlöv municipality in this study
showed higher levels of noise exposure
• This shows that areas with low modeled levels and a high
disturbance needs to be investigated more in detail
• Knowledge about how to model road traffic noise in Burlöv
where used to model noise levels all over Scania

2. Introduction
Burlöv municipality, in the county of Scania, (southern Sweden) has a
heavy load of traffic on both roads and railways. The inhabitants are
also, according to a public health questioner, the ones who experience
themselves as most annoyed of noise from roads and railways in Scania.
Despite this, previous mapping of noise in Burlöv has shown that
exposure is not very high. Is that possible?
Purpose of the study
The purpose of the study was to make detailed modeling of noise from
roads and railways for Burlöv municipality and compare individual noise
exposure from roads and railways for Burlöv municipality to more
coarse models.
LundLund University / Faculty of Medicine / Department of Health of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
University / Department of Laboratoriemedicin/ Divison Sciences

3. Methods
Modeling was done
separately for roads and
railways, with both facade
and area calculation, based
on the Nordic calculation
models from 1996 and the
software SoundPLAN. A 3-D
model was constructed
consisting of the following
data :
• Buildings Within these two models some parameters
• Roads where stated such as number of reflections,
• Topography search area and number of recievers per
• Noise screens facade. Noise levels in LAeq24, Lmax, Lden
• Ground softness
and Lnight where then calculated for each
facade of all residential buildings. Residental
(see picture)
levels where connected to individuals living
in Burlöv based on geographical position.
LundLund University / Faculty of Medicine / Department of Health of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
University / Department of Laboratoriemedicin/ Divison Sciences

4. Ground softness Topography
Noise is differently reflected against a In this study laser-scanned elevation
hard and soft surface. In this study land collected from a aircraft with one
cover satellitedata where used to measurement for each m², where used
classify the ground into hard and soft. as topography.
Results
The results show that a significant proportion of the population is
calculated to be exposed to noise over current limits by either road or
rail. Of these, only a small proportion is exposed to high levels of noise
from both roads and railways. In comparison with previous studies, the
modeled noise levels are higher and more consistent with the perceived
disruption to traffic in the municipality. Modeled noise levels in Burlöv
are in the same size as noise levels in the three biggest cities in
Sweden.
Number of people in Burlöv
exposed to road noise
Lden dB(A), 4m above ground LAeq24 >55 dB(A)
55-59 60-64 65-69 70-74 >75 This study 21%
Coarse model 2500 800 300 100 0 National study 15%
This study 4943 2217 696 229 270 Regional study 4%
LundLund University / Faculty of Medicine / Department of Health of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
University / Department of Laboratoriemedicin/ Divison Sciences

5. Conclusions
• There are a number of uncertainties when modeling noise and it is
therefore important to carefully describe the method and data.
• Noise modeling is very complex and computer demanding. It is
therefore important to have knowledge about generalizations that can
be made, with as small impact on the result as possible, and have
access to high computer capacity, when modeling for large areas.
• The result shows that in areas with a high disturbance and a low
exposure more detailed models are needed.
How will the result and obtained knowledge be used?
The method learned in this study have been used to model noise
exposure from roads distributed all over Scania (a county in southern
Sweden, 11000km²). The result also helped to highlight the noise
problem in Burlöv in connection to the development of a new railway
running through the area.
LundLund University / Faculty of Medicine / Department of Health of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
University / Department of Laboratoriemedicin/ Divison Sciences