Environmental Monitoring and Simulation of Infrasound Generating Mechanism of Traffic Flow

Ground vehicles are the main sources of noise and infrasounds in residential areas. Numerous published works are devoted to the studies of audible sound, its sources in vehicle, and development of measures to its reduction. The authors believe that the problem of infrasound occurrence and propagation in residential areas and – hence – its negative impact on humans and ambient environment is underestimated. Development of predictions and experimental methods of studying the infrasound generating mechanism and environmental monitoring of this negative factor are an urgent issue. A significant portion of acoustic emission from a vehicle comprises infrasound and low frequency range. Internal and external infrasound of vehicle were measured. A prediction model was proposed and the influence of vehicle design features on the infrasound level was estimated. Predictions of the external infrasound generating the mechanism of vehicles reveal that its frequency and level depend on driving speed, drag coefficient, vehicle body length, and Strouhal number Wheels, which execute rotation and progressive movement in airstream, are important sources of vehicle infrasound. Five wheel harmonics were calculated for motor vehicles at various driving speeds, the existing dependences are detected. It was demonstrated that the regulatory levels of infrasound can be exceeded only in residential areas adjacent to traffic flow with driving speeds higher than 80 km/h. The results of field studies of infrasound level on the streets of Moscow were presented. Recommendations on the development of environmental monitoring and main approaches to reduce infrasound in urban environment were given.