Svantek » Case Studies » Road Traffic Noise

Case Study:
Road Traffic Noise and Building Shielding in Warsaw, Poland

Assessment of Acoustic Shielding by Buildings in Urban Noise Monitoring

Introduction

Monitoring Environmental Noise and the Influence of Urban Surroundings

Traffic noise is one of the key environmental challenges in cities. In Warsaw’s growing Wawer district, a comprehensive study was conducted to measure road traffic noise levels and evaluate the acoustic shielding effect of buildings. The project addressed both compliance with noise limits and the effectiveness of urban structures in reducing environmental noise.

Measurement Operator

SVANTEK Consultants

Measurements were carried out by SVANTEK acoustic experts using two professional monitoring stations positioned at contrasting locations: one at the roadside façade and the other behind the residential building. Both setups followed best practices for environmental noise monitoring and enabled high-resolution, simultaneous data collection for comparative analysis.

Challenge

Assessing Acoustic Shielding in a Mixed-Use Residential Area

The main challenge was to measure actual road traffic noise under varying conditions and assess how much the residential building reduced its propagation. Objectives included:

Monitoring day and night noise levels
Measuring shielding effectiveness
Filtering incidental noise events
Verifying compliance with national environmental limits

Location of measurement points: by the road (P1) and behind the building (P2)

Technology Used

Noise Monitoring System from SVANTEK

SV 279 PRO – Noise Monitoring Station with SVAN 979 Sound Level Meter

SV 277 PRO – Noise Monitoring Station with SV 977 Sound Level Meter

SvanPC++ Software

SV 277 PRO & SV 279 PRO

Expert Insight

Accurate Road Traffic Noise Assessment Confirms Effectiveness of Building Shielding

“This study clearly demonstrates how buildings reduce road traffic noise. Using high-resolution data and professional tools, we verified both environmental compliance and the acoustic benefit of architectural shielding.”

Mariusz Truszkowski, Noise Measurement Consultant

Noise measurement points in front of the building (P1) and behind the building (P2)

Result

Noise shielding reduced levels by ~10 dB at shielded location

All measured values complied with legal daytime and nighttime limits

Continuous high-resolution data enabled identification and filtering of incidental events

SVANTEK systems provided reliable results for both compliance and urban planning

Detailed view of acoustic events (car pass-bys) at observation points P1 and P2

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