Expansion Impacts of Vitória Airport over Urban Noise

This work presents an analysis of the environmental impact of noise after the expansion of the Eurico de Aguiar Salles Brazilian Airport. Noise mapping and geographic information system were used to compare urban scenarios before and after the airport renovation and the addition of a second runway. Operational data and flight path information were used to calculate the aircraft noise curves, according to international metrics such as the daytime and nighttime Equivalent Pressure Level (LD and LN) and the Level Average Day-Night Noise (DNL) over the surroundings of the airport. Geographic information systems were used were used to cross-reference data from the airport’s noise influence area and population statistics to assess the percentage of highly annoyed people. The results are based on thematic maps, considering day of the week, time of day and the most relevant noise metrics. The main results point to an increase in the area of influence of airport noise. Noise was reduced in most of the previous area of influence, but increased in the neighboring city of Serra by approximately 10 dB, mainly at night. The estimate of the highly annoyed population increased by approximately 240% in relation to the scenario prior to the expansion of the airport.