Skip to content

Sound propagation according to ISO 9613-2 (1996)

The A-weighted sound pressure level at a receiver point LAT (equivalent continuous sound pressure level) according to ISO 9613-2 (1996) is calculated by:

\(L_{AT}=L_W+D_I+D_{\Omega}-A_{div}-A_{atm}-A_{gr}-A_{bar}-A_{misc}\)

where:

$L_W$ sound power level in dB, relative to the reference sound power of 1 pW
$D_I$ directivity index: deviation of the continuous sound pressure level for the directionally radiating source in a specified direction from the level of an omnidirectional point source with the sound power level PWL.
For building radiation the directivity index in CadnaA considers the self-screening effect.
$D_{\Omega} (K_0)$ Correction for solid angle: Term that accounts for sound propagation into angles of less than 4π steradians.
$A_{div}$ attenuation due to geometrical divergence:
The geometrical divergence calculates from the distance d between source and receiver:
Adiv = [20 lg (d/d0) + 11] dB
with d distance source-receiver, d0 = 1m
$A_{atm}$ atmospheric absorption:
AatmL * d / 1000
where
αL atmospheric attenuation coefficient per kilometre,
d distance source-receiver.
In CadnaA, for the default frequency of 500 Hz, the attenuation coefficient is 0.002 dB/m.
$A_{gr}$ attenuation due to ground effect
$A_{bar}$ attenuation due to screening (due to berms, barriers, buildings, topography, cylinders, etc.)
$A_{misc}$ attenuation due to miscellaneous effects:
- foliage Afol
- industrial sites Asite
- housing Ahous