Result and considerations of the survey on noise coming from railway running in Urban area

Evaluation of noise by vehicles, trains and aircrafts in urban areas shows significant complexity with reference to estimating of sound propagation and forecasting of acoustic climate of area too. Frequently the evaluation by means of specific software can mislead if not supported by previous empirical investigations about state of places and characterization of noise sources. The research on the evaluation of noise coming from a smart railway of Catania city was carried out taking into consideration the previous judgment. The light railway line, named "Circum Etnea" because joins Catania city with same small villages around Etna Vulcan, predominantly runs into underground tunnels but there are some sections of railway crossing at ground level of inhabited areas of Catania. The research, carried out with phonometric surveys and some few interviews to people living in areas crossed by railway aimed at following goals: • To evaluate negative impact of noise on people, with reference also to limits of noise emission in out-door environment determined by Italian Regulation. • To calibrate, for this particular case, the acoustics software named "MITHRA" • To realize acoustics mapping of critical areas due to railway noise emissions