Characterization of port noise through a measurement campaign

A measurement campaign has been developed for the purpose to identify a survey methodology to be applied to port noise. Until now a specific approach for harbour noise is still missing and this complicates the task of analysing and assessing the acoustic impact of ports on exposed population. The performed study confirmed the need to upgrade the current way. Sources overlapping, directivity ignorance, seasonality and day alternation, sources mix are as many as issues that requires new, more effective, techniques to characterize port noise. With regard to the measures, contemporary close and remote measures are to be made; specific measures designed to characterize the sources are needed (including intensimetric measurements and acoustic cameras); protracted and detailed measurement campaigns are needed. Concerning the port noise modelling, two different approaches are possible. Either every single source and the geometry of the port area are characterized, and then modelled by ray tracing according to the usual method. Or measures are taken on the harbour perimeter, assigning then attempt values to the sound power level of the sources with a "try and correct" technique, until the correct values are determined and the acoustic field is accurately described.