This page has only limited features, please log in for full access.
Lígia Torres Silva is an Associate Professor of Civil Engineering Department, Engineering School, University of Minho, Portugal (UM). PhD in Civil Engineering by the University of Minho, with the thesis: “Evaluation of urban environmental quality”, acclaimed by unanimity (2008). Since 2005, during his PhD thesis she started in the specialization field of “Noise and Air Pollution modelling”, progressively dedicating her research interests to the area of Urban Environment Quality. In 2002, at UM, she started his regular work as a lecturer and researcher. Since then she published more than 100 scientific papers in reviewed journals or presented at international conferences. Supervisor of 5 PhD thesis and 30 MSc thesis. Since 2001 she is an Independent Expert of Air Pollution and Urban Noise WG (within Healthy Cities European Network). Since 2013 she is an Expert Group Member of UN-HABITAT World Secretariat of City Prosperity Index. Since 2015 she is a Member of the sub-commissions SC3 - Environmental Acoustics, for standardization in environmental acoustics, in tight connection with CEN and ISO groups. Since 2017 she is Member of International Geographical Union's Commission on Health and Environment - IGU CHE. Since 2018 member of Specialized Council for the Sustainable Development Plan - Guimarães 2030. The main research subjects includes urban environmental manage
In a context of increased environmental awareness, the Internet of Things has allowed individuals or entities to build their own connected devices to share data about the environment. These data are often obtained from widely available low-cost sensors. Some companies are also selling low-cost sensing kits for in-house or outdoor use. The work described in this paper evaluated, in the short term, the performance of a set of low-cost sensors for temperature, relative humidity, atmospheric pressure and carbon dioxide, commonly used in these platforms. The research challenge addressed with this work was assessing how trustable the raw data obtained from these sensors are. The experiments made use of 18 climatic sensors from six different models, and they were evaluated in a controlled climatic chamber that reproduced controlled situations for temperature and humidity. Four CO2 sensors from two different models were analysed through exposure to different gas concentrations in an indoor environment. Our results revealed temperature sensors with a very high positive coefficient of determination (r2 ≥ 0.99), as well as the presence of bias and almost zero random error; the humidity sensors demonstrated a very high positive correlation (r2 ≥ 0.98), significant bias and small-yet-relevant random error; the atmospheric pressure sensors presented good reproducibility, but further studies are required to evaluate their accuracy and precision. For carbon dioxide, the non-dispersive infra-red sensors demonstrated very satisfactory results (r2 ≥ 0.97, with a minimum root mean squared error (RMSE) value of 26 ppm); the metal oxide sensors, despite their moderate results (minimum RMSE equal to 40 ppm and r2 of 0.8–0.96), presented hysteresis, environmental dependence and even positioning interference. The results suggest that most of the evaluated low-cost sensors can provide a good sense of reality at a very good cost–benefit ratio in certain situations.
Tiago Araújo; Lígia Silva; Adriano Moreira. Evaluation of Low-Cost Sensors for Weather and Carbon Dioxide Monitoring in Internet of Things Context. IoT 2020, 1, 286 -308.
AMA StyleTiago Araújo, Lígia Silva, Adriano Moreira. Evaluation of Low-Cost Sensors for Weather and Carbon Dioxide Monitoring in Internet of Things Context. IoT. 2020; 1 (2):286-308.
Chicago/Turabian StyleTiago Araújo; Lígia Silva; Adriano Moreira. 2020. "Evaluation of Low-Cost Sensors for Weather and Carbon Dioxide Monitoring in Internet of Things Context." IoT 1, no. 2: 286-308.
This paper summarizes the presently available knowledge about the association between low-frequency noise and its effects on health. A database was constructed with a total of 142 articles published between 2016 and 2019 regarding low-frequency noise exposure and its effects on health. A total of 39 articles were analysed in depth. The articles were divided into categories according to the effects on human health addressed. Regarding the emitting source, there was a greater number of articles addressing issues related to sources of environmental noise and noise from wind turbines. As for the effects generated on human health, there was a greater number of articles referring to the effects on sleep disorders, discomfort, sensitivity to and irritability from noise, annoyance, hearing loss, and cardiovascular diseases, and these effects are analysed in more detail in the present article.
Juliana Alves; Filipa Paiva; Lígia Silva; Paula Remoaldo. Low-Frequency Noise and Its Main Effects on Human Health—A Review of the Literature between 2016 and 2019. Applied Sciences 2020, 10, 5205 .
AMA StyleJuliana Alves, Filipa Paiva, Lígia Silva, Paula Remoaldo. Low-Frequency Noise and Its Main Effects on Human Health—A Review of the Literature between 2016 and 2019. Applied Sciences. 2020; 10 (15):5205.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJuliana Alves; Filipa Paiva; Lígia Silva; Paula Remoaldo. 2020. "Low-Frequency Noise and Its Main Effects on Human Health—A Review of the Literature between 2016 and 2019." Applied Sciences 10, no. 15: 5205.
Pétilin Souza; Filipa Paiva; Lígia Silva; Paulo Pereira. Quantifying the Carbon Dioxide Emissions Resulting from Awareness-Raising Actions of Sustainable Mobility. Lecture Notes of the Institute for Computer Sciences, Social Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering 2020, 15 -30.
AMA StylePétilin Souza, Filipa Paiva, Lígia Silva, Paulo Pereira. Quantifying the Carbon Dioxide Emissions Resulting from Awareness-Raising Actions of Sustainable Mobility. Lecture Notes of the Institute for Computer Sciences, Social Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering. 2020; ():15-30.
Chicago/Turabian StylePétilin Souza; Filipa Paiva; Lígia Silva; Paulo Pereira. 2020. "Quantifying the Carbon Dioxide Emissions Resulting from Awareness-Raising Actions of Sustainable Mobility." Lecture Notes of the Institute for Computer Sciences, Social Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering , no. : 15-30.
The paper aims to demonstrate the interconnection between occupational hygiene and health, which is based on three main pillars: economy, environment and society, just as sustainable development is based on three major topics: people, planet and profit. Thus there must be strong OHS policies that encompass sufficient environmental programs to ensure workers are safe and thus ensure sustainability. Sustainable development is an increasingly imminent concern in all countries and organizations today. The United Nations (UN) has played a key role in this context. In 1992 at Rio-92, through Agenda 21, elaborated with the collaboration of 172 countries, they decided to create goals for sustainable development, giving priority to the environment. The document was based on environmental conservation, social justice and economic growth. In the meantime, at the beginning of the century, the eight outlined goals that became known as the «8 millennium goals» for the period 2000–2015 were set. At the UN Summit, in New York (USA), a new action agenda, until 2030, was established. This agenda is the result of the joint work of governments and citizens, around the world, to create a new global model for ending poverty, promoting prosperity and well-being, protecting the environment and fighting against climate change. The year of 2015 will be in history as the year of defining the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, known as the 2030 agenda.
Cristina Reis; Carlos Oliveira; Paula Braga; J. F. Silva; L. T. Silva. Occupational Health and Safety-Sustainable Development and the Changes in Organizations. Developments in Advanced Control and Intelligent Automation for Complex Systems 2020, 677 -687.
AMA StyleCristina Reis, Carlos Oliveira, Paula Braga, J. F. Silva, L. T. Silva. Occupational Health and Safety-Sustainable Development and the Changes in Organizations. Developments in Advanced Control and Intelligent Automation for Complex Systems. 2020; ():677-687.
Chicago/Turabian StyleCristina Reis; Carlos Oliveira; Paula Braga; J. F. Silva; L. T. Silva. 2020. "Occupational Health and Safety-Sustainable Development and the Changes in Organizations." Developments in Advanced Control and Intelligent Automation for Complex Systems , no. : 677-687.
This research purpose concerns a major challenge facing civil construction today: to promote, safely, the rehabilitation of historic centers. This problem occurs due to several factors, either due to the difficulty of removing debris from a work in historic centers, or because one does not know what the balance of some constructive elements is. Also often in buildings of historical areas is mandatory to maintain the facades. Therefore, this procedure must be carried out very carefully, in order to avoid instability in the structure, which can lead to serious or fatal accidents, since these are high-risk tasks and preventive measures must be effective. A very effective alternative is the use of wooden beams to act as shoring of facades, exerting an opposition to the operant compressive forces.
Cristina Reis; Carlos Oliveira; Paula Braga; L. T. Silva; J. F. Silva. Safety of Containment of Facades in Urban Rehabilitation Works. Developments in Advanced Control and Intelligent Automation for Complex Systems 2020, 75 -82.
AMA StyleCristina Reis, Carlos Oliveira, Paula Braga, L. T. Silva, J. F. Silva. Safety of Containment of Facades in Urban Rehabilitation Works. Developments in Advanced Control and Intelligent Automation for Complex Systems. 2020; ():75-82.
Chicago/Turabian StyleCristina Reis; Carlos Oliveira; Paula Braga; L. T. Silva; J. F. Silva. 2020. "Safety of Containment of Facades in Urban Rehabilitation Works." Developments in Advanced Control and Intelligent Automation for Complex Systems , no. : 75-82.
The growth of the World’s population has been followed by the reinforcement of the population living in urban areas, which very often results in additional stress over space, ecosystems, infrastructures, facilities and the way of life. Domestic and industrial sources, and mainly motorized traffic are responsible for pollutant emissions and noise which decisively affects the living in today’s cities. Besides the impact caused to the quality of life of the urban citizens and public health, the urban noise and the air pollution contribute negatively to the values of the properties that, due to the location, are more affected by this kind of urban pollution. How we can assess the environmental impacts on residential property values? High noise levels and fair air quality is negatively correlated with health issues risk and housing price. Saying so, it is expectable the establishment of a correlation between the noise and the air pollution and the market value of the residential property. The main objective of this paper is to reflect on the implications of urban environmental quality on people's quality of life and consequently on the quality of places. This theoretical discussion, based on applied case studies, aims to contribute to a better understanding of an important question: How much is a family willing to spend on the various environmental attributes of a residential property?
L. T. Silva; C. Reis; C. Oliveira; J. F. Silva. How the Environment Affects the Residential Property Values? Developments in Advanced Control and Intelligent Automation for Complex Systems 2020, 743 -748.
AMA StyleL. T. Silva, C. Reis, C. Oliveira, J. F. Silva. How the Environment Affects the Residential Property Values? Developments in Advanced Control and Intelligent Automation for Complex Systems. 2020; ():743-748.
Chicago/Turabian StyleL. T. Silva; C. Reis; C. Oliveira; J. F. Silva. 2020. "How the Environment Affects the Residential Property Values?" Developments in Advanced Control and Intelligent Automation for Complex Systems , no. : 743-748.
Fog harvesting is a technique used to collect water from the fog. This technique became widely used around the world due to the lack of fresh water, as fog harvesting is considered to represent an economical and a reliable source of water. On that sense, fog collecting methods are mostly implemented in areas that lack access to fresh water and is mostly used for agricultural purposes and, in some cases, also for providing clean drinking water. The basic idea of harvesting the fog was first developed by farmers when some types of adjoining cavities and containers were put around plants to collect water from humid air, after that those techniques were turned into fog harvesting structures. The introduction of fog harvesting techniques was accompanied with the introduction of new materials and different structures, providing a range of options in regards to the meshes and to the harvesting methods. In this paper, a practical and theoretical assessment of existing fog harvesting meshes is performed in order to characterize their economic and physical characteristics. The final objective is to provide information about their ability to perform in different conditions which is to be added to an environmental conditioning structure for exterior spaces.
L. Hadba; P. Mendonça; L. T. Silva; M. A. Carvalho. Selecting Fog Harvesting Meshes for Environmental Conditioning Structures. International Journal of Environmental Science and Development 2020, 11, 540 -548.
AMA StyleL. Hadba, P. Mendonça, L. T. Silva, M. A. Carvalho. Selecting Fog Harvesting Meshes for Environmental Conditioning Structures. International Journal of Environmental Science and Development. 2020; 11 (12):540-548.
Chicago/Turabian StyleL. Hadba; P. Mendonça; L. T. Silva; M. A. Carvalho. 2020. "Selecting Fog Harvesting Meshes for Environmental Conditioning Structures." International Journal of Environmental Science and Development 11, no. 12: 540-548.
Tiago De Araújo; Lígia Silva; Adriano Moreira. Deviation Prediction and Correction on Low-Cost Atmospheric Pressure Sensors using a Machine-Learning Algorithm. Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Sensor Networks 2020, 41 -51.
AMA StyleTiago De Araújo, Lígia Silva, Adriano Moreira. Deviation Prediction and Correction on Low-Cost Atmospheric Pressure Sensors using a Machine-Learning Algorithm. Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Sensor Networks. 2020; ():41-51.
Chicago/Turabian StyleTiago De Araújo; Lígia Silva; Adriano Moreira. 2020. "Deviation Prediction and Correction on Low-Cost Atmospheric Pressure Sensors using a Machine-Learning Algorithm." Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Sensor Networks , no. : 41-51.
Noise pollution is the second most harmful environmental stressor in Europe. Portugal is the fourth European country most affected by noise pollution, whereby 23.0% of the population is affected. This article aims to analyze the effects of exposure to low frequency noise pollution, emitted by power poles and power lines, on the population’s well-being, based on a study of “exposed” and “unexposed” individuals in two predominantly urban areas in north-western Portugal. To develop the research, we used sound level (n = 62) and sound recording measurements, as well as adapted audiometric test performance (n = 14) and surveys conducted with the resident population (n = 200). The sound levels were measured (frequency range between 10 to 160 Hz) and compared with a criterion curve developed by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). The sound recorded was performed 5 m away from the source (400 kV power pole). Surveys were carried out with the “exposed” and “unexposed” populations, and adapted audiometric tests were performed to complement the analysis and to determine the threshold of audibility of “exposed” and “unexposed” volunteers. The “exposed” area has higher sound levels and, consequently, more problems with well-being and health than the “unexposed” population. The audiometric tests also revealed that the “exposed” population appears to be less sensitive to low frequencies than the “unexposed” population.
Juliana Araújo Alves; Lígia Torres Silva; Paula Remoaldo. How Can Low-Frequency Noise Exposure Interact with the Well-Being of a Population? Some Results from a Portuguese Municipality. Applied Sciences 2019, 9, 5566 .
AMA StyleJuliana Araújo Alves, Lígia Torres Silva, Paula Remoaldo. How Can Low-Frequency Noise Exposure Interact with the Well-Being of a Population? Some Results from a Portuguese Municipality. Applied Sciences. 2019; 9 (24):5566.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJuliana Araújo Alves; Lígia Torres Silva; Paula Remoaldo. 2019. "How Can Low-Frequency Noise Exposure Interact with the Well-Being of a Population? Some Results from a Portuguese Municipality." Applied Sciences 9, no. 24: 5566.
Urban spaces are increasingly exposed to air pollution, which critically influences the health and well-being of cities’ inhabitants. Urban green areas provide recognised important environmental and social functions. Providing, planning, managing, and protecting urban green areas are on the agenda of sustainability and liveability of cities. In this paper, urban green areas are classified as Sensitive Areas in Urban Spaces (SAUS), corresponding to critical environmental and social spaces that should be preserved from surrounding air pollution sources. The concept of SAUS was tested in two urban green areas of Guimarães, a medium-sized Portuguese city, by defining a buffer of 300 m (m) around each area. Industrial plants and traffic were the sources of air pollution analysed by considering their emissions of NOx, PM10 and SO2. Horizontal maps of NOx, PM10 and SO2 were produced by using the model AUSTAL2000. Results showed that more than 97% of the SAUS had concentrations equal to or below 5 μg/m3 of NOx, 0.5 μg/m3 of PM10 and 0.1 μg/m3 of SO2. Besides the globally low levels of emissions, the sources located in the two buffers had environmental impacts and affected the quality of the air at both SAUS. As the proposed concept was useful for identifying the main air pollution sources and their impact on the air quality of urban green areas, the concept of SAUS could be helpful for support the adoption of planning actions towards improving the sustainability of these areas and maximising their environmental and social benefits. However, more applications are needed for confirming the efficiency of this concept to improve the air quality of urban green areas.
Lígia T. Silva; Fernando Fonseca; Maria Pires; Bruno Mendes. SAUS: A tool for preserving urban green areas from air pollution. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening 2019, 46, 126440 .
AMA StyleLígia T. Silva, Fernando Fonseca, Maria Pires, Bruno Mendes. SAUS: A tool for preserving urban green areas from air pollution. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening. 2019; 46 ():126440.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLígia T. Silva; Fernando Fonseca; Maria Pires; Bruno Mendes. 2019. "SAUS: A tool for preserving urban green areas from air pollution." Urban Forestry & Urban Greening 46, no. : 126440.
Road pavement develops distresses over time, which increase tyre/road noise. This work focuses on the impact of these distresses on environmental noise. To calculate the environmental noise, a method to transform Close ProXimity (CPX) measurement results into the required input for traffic noise models was defined and used. The tyre/road noise levels were determined by the CPX method for three types of pavement, with three types of distress, at three different speed levels. The study was carried out in the city center of Guimarães, a medium-sized Portuguese city. Using the NMPB model, 18 noise maps were produced for the passing of one single vehicle, taking into account two levels of distress (50% and 100%) for the pavement. The presence of distresses increased the noise, calculated at control points, by up to 7.1 dBA, and the percentage of the population exposed to levels over 45 dB was more than 11%. It was shown that pavement maintenance at early stages of distress development is, particularly for low-speed roads, very important to reduce environmental noise and population exposure. A comprehensive selection of the type of surface and speed control policies can mitigate the impact of a lack of maintenance.
Elisabete Freitas; Lígia Silva; Cedric Vuye. The Influence of Pavement Degradation on Population Exposure to Road Traffic Noise. Coatings 2019, 9, 298 .
AMA StyleElisabete Freitas, Lígia Silva, Cedric Vuye. The Influence of Pavement Degradation on Population Exposure to Road Traffic Noise. Coatings. 2019; 9 (5):298.
Chicago/Turabian StyleElisabete Freitas; Lígia Silva; Cedric Vuye. 2019. "The Influence of Pavement Degradation on Population Exposure to Road Traffic Noise." Coatings 9, no. 5: 298.
The growth of the world’s population has been followed by the increase of residents living in urban areas, which very often results in additional pressures concerning space, ecosystems, infrastructures, facilities and the way of life. The impact of pollutants, emitted into the atmosphere, on materials is enormous and could be irreversible. The effects of the air pollution in façades and on the structural systems lead to unexpected costs for the buildings maintenance and may be avoided if pollution monitoring systems exists. This work presents a methodology to evaluate, on a regular basis, the potential impact of air pollution on historical buildings. It uses a monitoring system to collect samples of particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), particulate matter concentration levels and weather parameters. It is possible to act, in time, for the preservation and protection of this historical heritage by joining all of these data. This methodology could complement the studies of the environmental impact assessments on the historical buildings from the outdoor air pollution sources and contributes to the preservation and protection of the historical buildings. This work is being applied in the Portuguese midsized city of Vila Real, where the urban pollution assessment and their effects in urban historical buildings was considered the main goal.
Lígia Silva; Bruno Mendes; Carlos Oliveira; Cristina Reis; Paula Silva; José F.Silva. Contribution of an environmental monitoring system to evaluate the potential effect of urban air pollution. Procedia Structural Integrity 2019, 22, 130 -136.
AMA StyleLígia Silva, Bruno Mendes, Carlos Oliveira, Cristina Reis, Paula Silva, José F.Silva. Contribution of an environmental monitoring system to evaluate the potential effect of urban air pollution. Procedia Structural Integrity. 2019; 22 ():130-136.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLígia Silva; Bruno Mendes; Carlos Oliveira; Cristina Reis; Paula Silva; José F.Silva. 2019. "Contribution of an environmental monitoring system to evaluate the potential effect of urban air pollution." Procedia Structural Integrity 22, no. : 130-136.
The rehabilitation of buildings, or historic landmarks, has gained in importance over the years. It is increasingly important to safeguard the cultural identity and history of a country. In this research the mortars of the Roman city of Conimbriga were studied, being one of the oldest archaeological cities in Portugal. Conímbriga has its origin in a Celtic Castro of the tribe of the Conii, at the end of the Iron Age. It was occupied by the Romans from 139 BC. It was under the Emperor Augustus Empire, in the second century AD, that the city achieved its splendor, having then been built public baths and a Forum. With the decline of the Empire, in the late fourth century, a monumental defensive wall was erected, which did not prevent the assault of the city by the Suevi, in 468, and the consequent decline of the city. Large excavations carried out throughout the 20th century revealed a valuable and complex set of buildings, including thermal baths, an aqueduct that runs more than 3,400 meters from the source, and remains of a Christian basilica, probably from the 6th century. In this type of rehabilitation works the use of mortars was predominant, hence the importance of their study to know how they behave. In order for a rehabilitation intervention to be successful it is necessary to know the existing support in place to guarantee the compatibility of the materials. It was necessary to go “in situ” to collect the samples with the proper authorization of the Museum of Conimbriga. These mortar samples were analyzed and characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for further analysis. The composition of the samples will allow to adjust dosages and to choose a restoration mortar, as close as possible, to the one that was collected in order to preserve the maximum historical identity of the place.
C. Oliveira; C. Reis; J. Correia; Lígia Silva; P.L. Silva; J.F. Silva. Study of historical value mortars. Procedia Structural Integrity 2019, 22, 125 -129.
AMA StyleC. Oliveira, C. Reis, J. Correia, Lígia Silva, P.L. Silva, J.F. Silva. Study of historical value mortars. Procedia Structural Integrity. 2019; 22 ():125-129.
Chicago/Turabian StyleC. Oliveira; C. Reis; J. Correia; Lígia Silva; P.L. Silva; J.F. Silva. 2019. "Study of historical value mortars." Procedia Structural Integrity 22, no. : 125-129.
Nowadays, many cities are committed on improving the attractiveness of their historical centers through its renovation. When renovating city centres, one of the most important issues to take into account is the mobility in these central areas and the use of soft transport modes, so as to improve not only its attractiveness, but also its sustainability. In order to achieve this purpose, the walkability of the city centre should be promoted. The main purpose of this work is to present a set of indicators which can assess the footpaths design in the context of renovation of historical city centres, focusing on the walkability of these urban areas. The assessment of those issues allows the creation of different scenarios and reflects, as early as in the preliminary design phase, the overall quality of the proposed solution for the footpaths.
José F. Silva; Carlos Oliveira; Cristina Reis; Lígia Silva. Footpaths Design on Renovation of City Centres – A Model of Assessment. Procedia Structural Integrity 2019, 22, 137 -143.
AMA StyleJosé F. Silva, Carlos Oliveira, Cristina Reis, Lígia Silva. Footpaths Design on Renovation of City Centres – A Model of Assessment. Procedia Structural Integrity. 2019; 22 ():137-143.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJosé F. Silva; Carlos Oliveira; Cristina Reis; Lígia Silva. 2019. "Footpaths Design on Renovation of City Centres – A Model of Assessment." Procedia Structural Integrity 22, no. : 137-143.
The aim of this paper is to evaluate the impact of exposure to low-frequency noise in residential areas, where there are power poles and power lines, in the human auditory system. A methodology to assess discomfort due to the low-frequency noise as well as audiometric tests exclusively for the low frequencies is proposed. Two predominantly urban areas were defined in Northwest Portugal to test the methodology. An “exposed” and “unexposed” study was used; the first group was highly exposed to the source under study and the second had no record of exposure to high voltage lines. To develop the research, a methodology was used to assess the discomfort due to low-frequency noise using audiometric tests (based on ISO-8253-1/2010) to determine the hearing threshold for pure sounds and recorded sound, as well as cognitive tests (Mini-Mental State Examination—MMSE). The average hearing threshold for recorded sound of the eight individuals tested in the “exposed” group was 51.3 dB, ranging from 40 to 65 dB, while the mean of the six subjects in the “unexposed” group was 24.1 dB, ranging from 20 to 30 dB. Based on the results obtained, the “exposed” group seems to be less sensitive to the low frequencies when compared to the “unexposed” group. The methodology used is adequate for a subjective assessment of the discomfort due to low-frequency noise.
Juliana Araújo Alves; Lígia Torres Silva; Paula Remoaldo. The Impacts of Exposure to Low Frequencies in the Human Auditory System—A Methodological Proposal. Lecture Notes in Electrical Engineering 2018, 75 -85.
AMA StyleJuliana Araújo Alves, Lígia Torres Silva, Paula Remoaldo. The Impacts of Exposure to Low Frequencies in the Human Auditory System—A Methodological Proposal. Lecture Notes in Electrical Engineering. 2018; ():75-85.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJuliana Araújo Alves; Lígia Torres Silva; Paula Remoaldo. 2018. "The Impacts of Exposure to Low Frequencies in the Human Auditory System—A Methodological Proposal." Lecture Notes in Electrical Engineering , no. : 75-85.
The impact of traffic noise can be prevented by suitable planning measures. This study analyses the relationship between urban geometry and traffic noise, recognizing that the arrangement of buildings and streets greatly influences urban noise. The study was carried out in Braga, a medium-sized Portuguese city, by selecting locations with different urban geometries. At each site, the equivalent continuous sound level was measured. Furthermore, the urban geometry was evaluated by using the sky view factor, a parameter which shows the degree of sky obstructed by buildings. Results show an inverse proportionality between noise and the sky view factor. The highest noise levels were found in areas with a low sky view factor. The results also indicate that the sky view factor is a parameter which can potentially be used in research on urban noise.
Lígia Torres Silva; Fernando Pereira Da Fonseca; Daniel Souto Rodrigues; A. Campos. Assessing the influence of urban geometry on noise propagation by using the sky view factor. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management 2017, 61, 535 -552.
AMA StyleLígia Torres Silva, Fernando Pereira Da Fonseca, Daniel Souto Rodrigues, A. Campos. Assessing the influence of urban geometry on noise propagation by using the sky view factor. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management. 2017; 61 (3):535-552.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLígia Torres Silva; Fernando Pereira Da Fonseca; Daniel Souto Rodrigues; A. Campos. 2017. "Assessing the influence of urban geometry on noise propagation by using the sky view factor." Journal of Environmental Planning and Management 61, no. 3: 535-552.
Tiago C. De Araújo; Lígia T. Silva; Adriano Moreira. Data Quality Issues in Environmental Sensing with Smartphones. Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Sensor Networks 2017, 59 -68.
AMA StyleTiago C. De Araújo, Lígia T. Silva, Adriano Moreira. Data Quality Issues in Environmental Sensing with Smartphones. Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Sensor Networks. 2017; ():59-68.
Chicago/Turabian StyleTiago C. De Araújo; Lígia T. Silva; Adriano Moreira. 2017. "Data Quality Issues in Environmental Sensing with Smartphones." Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Sensor Networks , no. : 59-68.
L.T. Silva; B. Mendes; D. Rodrigues; Paulo Ribeiro; J.F.G. Mendes; Carlos A. Brebbia; Jos© L. Miralles I Garcia. A mobile environmental monitoring station for sustainable cities. International Journal of Sustainable Development and Planning 2016, 11, 949 -958.
AMA StyleL.T. Silva, B. Mendes, D. Rodrigues, Paulo Ribeiro, J.F.G. Mendes, Carlos A. Brebbia, Jos© L. Miralles I Garcia. A mobile environmental monitoring station for sustainable cities. International Journal of Sustainable Development and Planning. 2016; 11 (6):949-958.
Chicago/Turabian StyleL.T. Silva; B. Mendes; D. Rodrigues; Paulo Ribeiro; J.F.G. Mendes; Carlos A. Brebbia; Jos© L. Miralles I Garcia. 2016. "A mobile environmental monitoring station for sustainable cities." International Journal of Sustainable Development and Planning 11, no. 6: 949-958.
This paper aims to assess the impact of environmental noise in the vicinity of primary schools and to analyze its influence in the workplace and in student performance through perceptions and objective evaluation. The subjective evaluation consisted of the application of questionnaires to students and teachers, and the objective assessment consisted of measuring in situ noise levels. The survey covered nine classes located in three primary schools. Statistical Package for Social Sciences was used for data processing and to draw conclusions. Additionally, the relationship of the difference between environmental and background noise levels of each classroom and students with difficulties in hearing the teacher’s voice was examined. Noise levels in front of the school, the schoolyard, and the most noise-exposed classrooms (occupied and unoccupied) were measured. Indoor noise levels were much higher than World Health Organization (WHO) recommended values: LAeq,30min averaged 70.5 dB(A) in occupied classrooms, and 38.6 dB(A) in unoccupied ones. Measurements of indoor and outdoor noise suggest that noise from the outside (road, schoolyard) affects the background noise level in classrooms but in varying degrees. It was concluded that the façades most exposed to road traffic noise are subjected to values higher than 55.0 dB(A), and noise levels inside the classrooms are mainly due to the schoolyard, students, and the road traffic. The difference between background (LA95,30min) and the equivalent noise levels (LAeq,30min) in occupied classrooms was 19.2 dB(A), which shows that students’ activities are a significant source of classroom noise.
Lígia T. Silva; Ivone S. Oliveira; J Silva. The impact of urban noise on primary schools. Perceptive evaluation and objective assessment. Applied Acoustics 2016, 106, 2 -9.
AMA StyleLígia T. Silva, Ivone S. Oliveira, J Silva. The impact of urban noise on primary schools. Perceptive evaluation and objective assessment. Applied Acoustics. 2016; 106 ():2-9.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLígia T. Silva; Ivone S. Oliveira; J Silva. 2016. "The impact of urban noise on primary schools. Perceptive evaluation and objective assessment." Applied Acoustics 106, no. : 2-9.
This paper presents the relations established between urban morphology and variations in observed air quality within a city centre. A dataset from four monitoring stations in a medium-sized city was collected and clustered by the amount of traffic-generated air pollutants. For each cluster, the relationship between the configuration of the open spaces and average PM10 concentration was established. Results show the impact of urban geometry on the outdoor pollutant concentration, concluding that increasing Sky View Factor and Ratio of Open Spaces lead to a decrease in the PM10 concentration
Ligia T. Silva; João P. Monteiro. The Influence of Urban Form on Environmental Quality within a Medium-sized City. Procedia Engineering 2016, 161, 2046 -2052.
AMA StyleLigia T. Silva, João P. Monteiro. The Influence of Urban Form on Environmental Quality within a Medium-sized City. Procedia Engineering. 2016; 161 ():2046-2052.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLigia T. Silva; João P. Monteiro. 2016. "The Influence of Urban Form on Environmental Quality within a Medium-sized City." Procedia Engineering 161, no. : 2046-2052.