Accuracy of Temporal Sampling Strategies for the Estimation of the Annual Average Equivalent Noise Levels in Urban Scenario

Noise monitoring and mapping strategies are the key tools for environmental noise monitoring, management and control. Long-term noise monitoring is a cumbersome process and incurs lot of infrastructural and manpower resources. The present study compares the accuracy of temporal sampling strategies for estimating the annual average equivalent noise levels in Indian scenario exclusively for commercial, industrial, residential and silence zone. The results indicate that it is possible to determine day and night equivalent levels representative of the annual average levels by means of random sampling strategy with a reasonable accuracy. The random days sampling strategy was found to be more accurate than consecutive days strategy for estimating the annual average equivalent levels. The study revealed that the temporal random sampling strategies enhances the accuracy of estimation of long-term noise levels and serve to be the best practicable and economical option for estimation of annual ambient noise levels of urban cities in India. The study also analyzes the accuracy associated with stratified temporal sampling strategy of utilizing the working days and weekend.