Characterization of urban sound environments
Modelling, noise sensors network and open data
The CENSE Project
Urban noise reduction is a societal priority. In this context, the European Directive 2002/49/EC aims at producing strategic noise maps for large cities. However, nowadays the relevance of such maps is questionable, due to considerable uncertainties, which are not quantified. Conversely, the development of noise observatories provides a more realistic description of the sound environment, but at the expense of insufficient spatial details and a significant cost. Thus, the CENSE project aims at proposing an new methodology for the production of more realistic noise maps, based on an assimilation of simulated and measured data through a dense network of low-cost sensors. Beyond the production of physical indicators, the project is also positioned on the characterization of sound environments. CENSE is a resolutely multidisciplinary project, bringing together experts from environmental acoustics, data assimilation, statistics, GIS, sensor networks, signal processing and noise perception.
