Assessment of Tools for Modeling Aircraft Noise in the National Parks
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
FICAN Federal Interagency Committee on Aviation Noise Assessment of Tools for Modeling Aircraft Noise in the National Parks Gregg G. Fleming Kenneth J. Plotkin Christopher J. Roof Bruce J. Ikelheimer David A. Senzig March 18, 2005 USDOT Research & Special Programs Administration John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center Environmental Measurement and Modeling Division Acoustics Facility Wyle Laboratories Table of Contents Section Page Table of Contents................................................................................................................. i List of Tables .....................................................................................................................iii List of Figures.................................................................................................................... iv List of Acronyms .............................................................................................................. vii 1. Introduction.................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Study Background and Introduction to the Models ................................................ 1 1.1.1 INM.................................................................................................................. 2 1.1.2 NMSim............................................................................................................. 3 1.2 Objectives ............................................................................................................... 4 1.3 Organization of Document...................................................................................... 4 2. Comparison of Model Capabilities ............................................................................... 5 2.1 Source Characterization.......................................................................................... 6 2.1.1 Description....................................................................................................... 6 2.1.2 Fleet Coverage ................................................................................................. 8 2.2 Propagation ........................................................................................................... 12 2.2.1 Atmospheric Absorption................................................................................ 13 2.2.2 Lateral Effects................................................................................................ 14 2.2.3 Terrain Shielding ........................................................................................... 16 2.3 Contouring/Grid Development and Noise Metrics............................................... 16 2.4 Simulation vs. Integrated Models ......................................................................... 18 2.5 Calculating Audibility........................................................................................... 19 2.6 Other Capabilities ................................................................................................. 19 3. Comparison of Model Calculations ............................................................................ 23 3.2 Grand Canyon Noise Model Validation Study (GCNP MVS) ............................. 27 3.2.1 Grand Canyon MVS Sensitivities.................................................................. 30 4. Grand Canyon Noise Analysis...................................................................................... 39 4.1 Contributions by Category..................................................................................... 39 4.1.1 Aircraft Scenario 1......................................................................................... 39 4.1.2 Aircraft Scenario 2......................................................................................... 41 4.1.3 Aircraft Scenario 3......................................................................................... 42 4.1.4 Aircraft Scenario 4......................................................................................... 43 4.1.5 Aircraft Scenario 5......................................................................................... 44 4.1.6 Aircraft Scenario 6......................................................................................... 44 4.1.7 Aircraft Scenarios 7 to 10 .............................................................................. 45 4.2 Aggregate Contributions....................................................................................... 50 4.3 Contour Sensitivities............................................................................................. 51 4.4 Margin of Safety (Contours with uncertainties) ................................................... 52 5. Model Usability ........................................................................................................... 55 5.1 Data Requirements................................................................................................ 55 5.2 User Interface........................................................................................................ 56 5.3 Outputs.................................................................................................................. 56 5.4 Implementation ..................................................................................................... 57 5.5 Other ..................................................................................................................... 59 i Table of Contents (continued) Section Page 6. Summary of Findings and Recommended Improvements to the Models.................... 61 7. References.................................................................................................................... 63 Appendix A: FAA/NPS Letter to FICAN, Terms of Reference and Statement of Work… A-1 Appendix B: Summary of Enhancements Included in INM Version 6.2 for use in the National Parks ...................................................................................................... B-1 B.1 Summary of INM 6.2 Updates ............................................................................ B-2 B.2 Commercial Aircraft Noise/Performance Database............................................ B-2 B.3 Noise Modeling for National Parks..................................................................... B-2 B.3.1 New Noise Metrics...................................................................................... B-3 B.3.2 Using TAUD and DDOSE in INM ............................................................. B-3 B.3.3. National Parks Noise Database Enhancements........................................... B-5 B.3.4. Terrain Modeling - Line-of-Sight Blockage ............................................... B-6 B.3.5. Terrain Modeling – Additional Terrain Data Capability ............................ B-7 B.3.6. Disabling Lateral Attenuation for Propeller Aircraft .................................. B-8 B.3.7. Level Flyover NPD Curves......................................................................... B-8 B.4. New MapInfo Interchange File Export Function ............................................... B-9 B.5. Database Modifications...................................................................................... B-9 B.6. Program Modifications...................................................................................... B-13 B.7. Reported Problems Fixed................................................................................. B-16 Appendix C: Summary of Commercial Jet Overflights in GCNP, August 31, 2003 .. C-1 Appendix D: Theoretical GCNP Jet Audibility Assessment ....................................... D-1 Appendix E: GCNP Sound Level Measurements of High Altitude Jet Aircraft ..........E-1 Appendix F: Statistical Definitions...............................................................................F-1 Appendix G: Development of Reference Noise Data for High Altitude Jets.............. G-1 Appendix H: Audibility Calculations for National Parks............................................ H-1 ii List of Tables Table Page 1. Comparison of Features in INM and NMSim............................................................ 5 2. Aircraft Represented in the INM NPD Database....................................................... 9 3. Comparison of Absorption Coefficients, SAE versus ISO...................................... 13 4. Noise Metrics in INM .............................................................................................. 17 5. Noise Metrics in NMSim......................................................................................... 18 6. %TAud Statistics........................................................................................................ 29 7. Comparison of Terrain Data Elevations .................................................................. 31 8. Summary of GCNP Model Sensitivities.................................................................. 52 9. Summary of Lower Bounds to Contour Area Uncertainty GCNP Aircraft Scenario 11............................................................................................................... 53 10. Comparison of Core Computational Run Time (minutes)....................................... 60 B-1. One-Third Octave Band Characteristics .................................................................. 24 B-2. Equivalent Auditory System Noise