Comprehensive Suite of Noise and Air Pollution Evaluation Software

SoundPLAN has a modular structure. The Geographical Database is required, but beyond that, you choose additional modules to create a package optimized for the jobs you perform. You can order any set of modules you want, plus we offer specific packages with advantageous pricing.

SoundPLAN contains multiple executable, BPL and DLL type modules. All the modules are installed on the PC and the user's licensed modules are activated according to the information in the copy protection key attached to the PC. New modules are activiated by entering a user specific code in the update module.

Below is a list of SoundPLAN modules followed by
typical software packages for various uses. Modules with an
asterix * are part of every package and are not licensed separately.

SoundPLAN - AirPLANS
Air pollution modeling for traffic and industrial sources
Gauss
uGauss Industry (TA-Luft)
uGrid Air Map (included with Gauss Industry)

uWindfield Air Pollution Dispersion Model (for city environment)
MISKAM (Traffic and Industry)
uMISKAM Grid Air Maps (included with MISKAM)
MISKAM Screening (Traffic)

Typical software package -
Industrial Noise Application
Modules	Additional module options
Geographical Database	Indoor Factory Noise
Industry Noise Propagation	Cross Sectional Map
Grid Noise Map	Cartography
DXF Import/Export	Expert System
ArcView Shape File Import/Export	Wall Design

Typical software package -
Road or Railroad Application
Modules	Additional module options
Geographical Database	Cross Sectional Map
Road and/or Railroad Noise Propagation	Cartography
Grid Noise Map	Facade Noise Map
Wall Design	Expert System for Industry Noise
DXF Import/Export	Dimensioning of Sound Isolation of Windows

Typical software package -
OSHA Application
Modules	Additional module options
Geographical Database	Industry Noise Propagation
Indoor Factory Noise	Expert System
Grid Noise Map	DXF Import/Export
Cartography

The SoundPLAN Manager is the hub of SoundPLAN. All modules are accessible from here by clicking on the icon depicting one of the modules. The SoundPLAN Manager is also responsible for managing projects. Facilities are incorporated to start new projects, configure them, write descriptions about them, pack them into an archive, unpack them from an archive and delete them. The SP Manager hosts the licensing information, so the user can see what modules are licensed and what are not. If the user has a maintenance contract, he can download the latest SoundPLAN update from the www.
Additional Information

SoundPLAN's built in documentation enables the user to view the results of calculations in various degrees of depth. From the same single point calculation, a simple result table can be generated or more complex Master-Detail tables generated to present in-depth information about a single calculation run. Tables can be formatted with "on board" tools or exported to Excel for further analysis of processing.
Additional Information

The Spreadsheet takes result data from single point calculations or Facade Noise Maps and presents them in a spreadsheet format. New columns can be added with results from different calculations to generate difference files for the before and after scenarios. For the Noise Exposure Analysis, additional values are available to estimate the population numbers for an area or for a building. The accounting of the number of people exposed to excessive noise levels is done in the Spreadsheet. Area type spreadsheets can prepare the data to be graphically presented with the information of the density of noise exposures.
Additional software maintenanceInformation

This central module organizes data entry, manipulation and storage. The data storage is structured in Geo-files and situations. Geo-files contain the coordinates and attributes of the objects. Situations combine multiple geo-files into the representation of a planning scenario. The planning scenario can be the situation at a particular time (year ..) or a particular planning variation. Geo-files are the smallest units used to build the model.

Data can be imported with the optional data import modules, digitized with an external digitizer or entered on screen on top of an imported bitmap. Each data type has provisions to declare, find and further manipulate the attributes describing the module (emission levels for roads, absorption spectra...). View can be set show all data, an object type or the content in a geo-file. The model can be viewed as 2D or 3D views or as projections to the bottom or to the right side of the screen. Zooms, zoom window, and zoom to show the maximum size of an object, help with navigation. Edit functions are available to manipulate the coordinates, create parallel lines, filter data down to the required density, insert points in the line, change buildings into rectangular shapes and so forth.

The Geographical Database includes facilities of the SoundPLAN library to set custom noise assessments and define spectral information for transmission, absorption and sound power. Documentation facilities are available to provide many different views of the results of a single calculation. The Expert Tables allow the user to compare multiple calculation runs in a spreadsheet environment where additional columns, headers and formulas can help present the findings of the noise study. Graphics allow the user to sketch the layout of the geometry in the study area. The user has full control over the paper and drawing sizes and the appearance of all objects of the drawing. Templates store the settings of the drawing to be reused.
Additional Information

contains all the facilities to enter roads and parking lots. According to the calculation standard chosen for the study, the data input is reconfigured to allow the data input of the traffic data. SoundPLAN converts the traffic volume and speed into emission levels that are assigned to the source lines. Changes in traffic volume, speed etc. can be made at any coordinate without the need to declare new source lines. This is unique to SoundPLAN.

In the calculation core, the user defines the calculation run, accepts the default conditions or sets new parameters and starts the calculations for single point calculations, noise maps or other macro type operations. A log book keeps track of all operations performed with dates, files etc. Result files are supplied for tabular output and graphics. All operations of the calculation core are documented to ensure repeatability at a later time.
Additional Information

contains all the facilities to enter railways. According to the calculation standard chosen for the study, the data input is reconfigured to allow the data input of the specific number and type of trains. Internal libraries can be generated to describe the rolling stock. SoundPLAN converts the traffic data, speed, and train specific data into emission levels that are assigned to the source lines. Changes in traffic composition, volume, speed etc. can be made at any coordinate without the need to declare new source lines. This is unique to SoundPLAN.

contains all facilities to enter and calculate the noise from individual industrial sources and as an industrial building. The data entry is always in sound power either as a spectrum (octave or third octave) or as a single frequency. Spectra can be entered as dB(linear), dB(A), or any other filter. Sources can be associated with directivities and information describing the hours of operation. This module interacts directly with the library to load the needed information about the acoustical characteristics of the material. The libraries are user extendable. Sources can be stand alone of the type point, line or area, or can be part of an industrial building where the noise levels inside the building are the start point and the transmission through the walls is accounted for. The noise levels inside the factory building can be imported from the library or simulated in the indoor factory noise model.

In the calculation core, the user defines the calculation run, accepts the default conditions or sets new parameters, and starts the calculations for single point calculations, noise maps or other macro type operations. A log book keeps track of all operations performed with dates, files, etc. Result files are supplied for tabular output and graphics. All operations of the calculation core are documented to ensure repeatability at a later time.
Additional Information

calculates noise levels inside a factory building using a hybrid method that involves direct and reflected image sources as well as Sabine type scatter. Sources and absorption spectra for walls, ceiling and floor are entered in the Geo-Database. The scattering area density and its spectrum describe all elements in the room aside from the walls. The results of the calculations can be directly linked to the industrial building to be used for the transmission into the environment. Single receiver results show where noise levels are excessive and which of the sources is responsible. For a hypothetical source in any location of the room, the propagation in a given direction can be traced and mapped as a sound decay curve. The sound decay curve describes the acoustical properties in frequency terms much better than the reverberation time.
Additional Information

will be released in January. It is already available if you are in a hurry, but we are completing our usual extensive testing in the different application environments to ensure you receive a product which functions well with many different systems (Network Protocols TPC/IP, Pipe, NetBEUI, SPX). Distributed Networking allows SoundPLAN to use all networked computers to calculate noise maps. The "master" PC with the SoundPLAN hardlock sends sections of a noise map to each networked "slave" PC to complete. The slave reports the results back to the master. The more computers available, the more time you save. Two computers complete the calculations in half the time, and so on.
Additional Information

Grid Noise Maps are the basis for noise contours and filled areas of equal noise level. After entering data for the calculation area and declaring the grid cell spacing and height above the ground, the grid noise map is calculated cell by cell. Advanced interpolation is possible to speed up the calculation process in areas where the noise levels don't change very much. A calculation which has been interrupted can resume calculations without loss of calculation time. The calculations can be carried out in the background while the user enters new data or formats output from other calculations. Multiple Grid maps can be loaded to form a continuous area. Scales of up to 16 values are generated automatically, but the user can extend this to any size. The contour lines can be calculated as straight lines or different Bezier variations with different line tensions giving different degrees of smoothness in the contour line.
Additional Information

is a grid map in the vertical position. A cutting line is entered along which the program intersects the geometry and places receivers in a vertical grid pattern. All facilities of the regular Grid Noise Map are available.
Additional Information

The evaluation part of the Grid-Noise Map shows where the noise limits are exceeded. In the Geo-Database, different area uses are declared. The library has noise limits for each chosen area type (residential, hospital....) for the time slot specified (day, night ..). The evaluation realizes the noise levels in a cell, compares them to the limit, and maps out how many dB the limit is exceeded. The resulting contours are calculated separately for each area rather than for the entire map. In this way the representation for each of the areas is accurate. A tabular excerpt can be generated showing how many points inside each area exceed the noise criteria. This can be used to easily calculate annoyance and depict how many people are exposed to which noise level.
Additional Information

calculates noise for receivers along a given facade of a building. The spacing is user selectable and can lead to various graphical representations. Noise levels can be simply mapped or compared to the noise limit. Receivers exceeding the limit can be marked with different symbols than the compliant receivers. Entire facades can be marked according to a color scale showing the level of the highest receiver per facade.
Additional Information

offers an extension of the graphic capabilities of all the other graphics modules. Multiple drawings can be positioned on a single sheet to depict different scenarios or different map types. All maps can share the same scales or use individualized scales. The control of the object's appearance can be enhanced with user defined line types and fills. Bitmaps can be merged with grid noise maps and other data. Boxes with photos or other drawings can be placed anywhere on the sheet. Contour lines can be enhanced with labels.
Additional Information

optimizes the height or cost of noise protection barriers (walls and berms). The optimization delivers the least expensive noise protection wall that properly shields the noise sensitive receivers. An optimization diagram depicts the sequence of use of individual wall sections and heights and allows the user to recreate any wall shape used during the optimization. Wall elements can then be increased or decreased to suit the landscape design needs. The resulting noise levels are shown immediately. SoundPLAN's Wall Design Module is unique in its wall design and optimization capabilities.
Additional Information

takes the results of SoundPLAN single receiver calculations and combines them with the information about facade, window and room sizes to calculate the noise levels inside and the required sound transmission index for the window. The sound transmission index is an indication of the window type required (single glazing, double glazing, forced ventilation...).
Additional Information

enables the calculation plume dispersion from industrial point pollution sources (smoke stacks). The height of the plume above the terrain is regarded as well as the wind direction. Average and maximum concentrations can be simulated.
Additional Information

is an excerpt of the full version MISKAM. The number of possible wind directions and scenarios has been reduced. The scope of this application is the broad screening process to find out where concentrations from road or industrial sources might exceed the limits.

is an air pollution plume dispersion model based on the hydraulic modeling of the air flow in congested areas. It was developed by the Institute of the Physics of the Atmosphere of the University of Mainz in Germany. The program has 2 parts. In the first section the wind field is calculated, and in the second step the air pollutants are released into this wind field. The dispersion of the gas concentration is calculated for the wind and meteorological situations entered in the calculation. To obtain averages and maximum concentrations, multiple calculations simulate the weather throughout the year. MISKAM Screening is included in this module.
Additional Information

simulates the noise from aircraft operations in accordance to the German AzB. Flight paths are entered in sequences of straight stretches and turns to specific heading instructions. The combined path information and elevation profiles make the trajectory of the plane. Spreadsheets of operations data defines the noise.
Additional Information

SoundPLAN Expert System Industry has proven to be a very useful tool for SoundPLAN users. Sources, contributions of the sources to individual receivers, and the receivers themselves can be ranked in accordance to the noise level or to the number of dB exceeding the limit. Expert System acts as an extension to the Documentation, allowing use of tables or graphics with diagrams of all spectra. Expert System Industry optimizes the selection of individual noise control measures for individual sources. For each source, the price and performance is taken into account for an unlimited number of receivers. Expert System selects the optimum combination of measures.
Additional Information

allows you to view your model as a solid structure or wire frame from any viewpoint of your choice. The ground can be be shaded to show the different angles of the surfaces towards the light or can depict the Grid Noise Map. Facade Noise Map color symbols can also be visualized in the model. This model uses OpenGL and therefore requires an advanced graphics card capable of executing OpenGL.
Additional Information

creates "film" sequences from the 3D model by moving along any of the roads or railway lines present in the model. Just select a road and a driving speed and you can view a movie. The ground can be a noise map or the 3D facets of the ground. The view options for the normal 3D model are also enhanced. This option requires a good graphics card executing OpenGL in "silicone" and not as an emulation.
Additional Information

imports data from external data sources. Attributes not included in the DXF files can be set with SoundPLAN's flexible attribute function. Model data created in SoundPLAN, for example noise protection walls, can be exported to the construction programs where the data originated. For the export of noise contour lines there are data reduction mechanisms to reduce the file size by exporting the contour lines not as Bezier lines but as straight line sections.
Additional Information

is a file format containing information about the geometry and additional attributes of an object. ArcView requires a new file for each object type. For the SoundPLAN shape file import, the user defines what information the shape file contains and where the data should be imported in SoundPLAN. The data is analyzed and the attributes are identified as a data type. The SoundPLAN user defines the interface by cross-linking the shape file attributes to a SoundPLAN attribute. The import function can be defined as a default property so the next file to be imported can be imported without the need to customize or modify the interface.
Additional Information

Price and performance need to be in relationship to the tasks the software does. It is important for us to understand the nature of jobs you have in mind for SoundPLAN. There are many different combinations that can work for you. Please discuss your needs with us to develop a SoundPLAN package that works for you.

SoundPLAN is sold worldwide. There are many currencies involved and many trading partners. Because of fluctuations in the exchange rate and adjustments to local conditions, there is no single price list for SoundPLAN. Please contact your local SoundPLAN trading partner or SoundPLAN LLC about prices.

VAT is always added on the local level to meet the tax requirements of the country.

SoundPLAN offers big reductions in the prices for multiple licenses. A second copy is available with a 25% discount, the third copy can be obtained with 40% discount, copy 4 is half price and every subsequent copy is available with a 60% discount. If multiple licenses are purchased for use in different countries, special rules apply. Please contact us for details.

SoundPLAN comes with a one year warranty. During this time, all updates will be sent automatically, and can also be downloaded from the www. Hotline is available through dedicated SoundPLAN trading partners or by SoundPLAN LLC in areas where there is no partner. After the first year, we offer a software maintenance contract for 15% of the current software price.