Transportation Noise Annoyance, Cognitive Performance and Sleep Disturbances Related to Temporal Structures and Traffic Modes (Deufrako Project “RAPS”)

The aim of this project is to further understand the influence of transport noise on sleep, to apply this knowledge to the development of measures for the reduction in noise. The topic comes within the scope of a DEUFRAKO cooperation (Noise group) and is subsidised by the ADEME, for the French part of the program. The project brings together some major French and German specialists in this field; the SNCF and DB have contributed to the development of scenarios that are the most representative of the current situation. The French part of this project has now been completed, and is presented in this paper. Two subjects were studied. On one hand, the LINC concentrated on sleep studies. The analysis of train noise influence on the sleeping pattern and the cognitive performances, as well as its impact on the cardiovascular system carried out by the LINC is developed in this paper. On the other hand, tests on cognitive performances and short-term discomfort have been carried out by the LMRTE. The experiments linked to the sound quality of the pass-by as well as the results related to the study of the influence of temporal parameters on functional discomfort are presented. The results concerning railway noise will be compared with road and aircraft noise at the end of the project in partnership with the German part.