Development of a traffic noise prediction model on inland waterway of China using the FHWA.

Based on the local environmental standards, vessels types and traffic conditions, an inland waterway traffic noise prediction model was developed for use in China. This model was modified from the US FHWA model by adding the ground absorption and water surface attenuation correction terms to the governing equations. The parameters that were input into the equations, including traffic flow, vessel speed, distance from the center of the inland waterway to the receiver, position and height of the barriers and buildings, location of the receiver, type of ground, percentage of soft ground cover within the segment, and water surface conditions were re-defined. The model was validated by comparing the measured noise levels obtained at 33 sampling sites from Shugang Channel, Yanhe Channel and Danjinlicaohe Channel in China with the predicted values. The deviation between the predicted and measured noise levels within the range of ±1.5dB(A) was 81.8%. The mean difference between the predicted and measured noise levels was 0.15±1.75dB(A). However, the noise levels predicted developed model are generally higher than the measured levels. Overall, the comparison has proved that the developed method is of a high precision, and that it can be applied to estimate the traffic noise exposure level on inland waterway in China.

[Offshore ecosystem health status assessment: a review].

With the promotion of the concept of sustainable development, the issues of aquatic ecosystem health attract substantial attention, and considerable work has been carried out on the health assessment of waters, e. g. , rivers and lakes. However, the health assessment of offshore ecosystem is still at its exploratory stage. Based on the investigations on the related references at home and abroad, this paper analyzed the concepts of offshore ecosystem health assessment, summarized the main methods for the assessment, the principles for screening related indicators, and the research philosophy, and systematically listed the quantitative indices for the assessment. Aiming at the main existing issues in the researches of offshore ecosystem health, the future research directions about the offshore ecosystem health were suggested. It was considered that the concept and connotation analyses, the screening of assessment indicators, the choice of assessment scale, and the integration of assessment methods should be further strengthened to improve the assessment of offshore ecosystem health.