Risk assessment of noise pollution by analyzing the level of sound loudness resulting from central traffic in Shiraz

Background: Today, the effects of environmental pollution on human life and human needs, which reduces the level of community health caused by traffic noise in large cities, are clearly visible by creating irritation and pathogenic conditions. The aim of this study was to assess the risk of noise pollution resulted from central traffic in Shiraz by analyzing its indicators and related components. Methods: By specifying the high traffic jam in Shiraz, the sound and its frequency in 156 points of the city were analyzed using a sound analyzer (Tes-1358C model). The sound pressure levels (LA and LP) and the one and one-third octave band were continuously measured in A and C networks. Then, data were extracted and analyzed using Excel 2016 and Minitab 18.1. Eventually, phon and sone indexes were calculated for the heavy traffic jam in some of the central streets of Shiraz and the results were statistically calculated and their charts were prepared with comfort disturbance ranges. Results: The highest harmful frequency of traffic in Shiraz was 50 Hz and 83.3 dB. The sound pressure level ranged from 70 to 92.7 dB in network A and 87.8 dB in network C. The maximum sound level was 87 phon and the maximum sone was 26 at 14 stations. Conclusion: According to the results, the sound pressure levels exceeded the environmental standards of Iran and the values of phon and sone were higher than the standard of comfort at night and day.