Noise assessment methods
Modelling
Along with measurements, modelling is one of the techniques to assess noise in the environment. It is the method used for the strategic noise maps made obligatory by the 2002/49/EC European directive.
Indicators
The noise generated by a transportation infrastructure or an activity varies constantly: different indicators are used to represent the characteristics of noise for a given period. Among them, there are energetic indicators and event indicators.
Acoustic measurements
An essential complement to modelling, acoustic measurements record and precisely analyse the variations of noise in time, second after second. Truer to the reality of noise, measurements provide a lot of information that noise maps do not show and are therefore a precious public-information and decision-making tool.