Cerema is developing a tool to store and then use environmental data.
The first development phase concerns the acoustic data, which will then be supplemented by outside air quality data, then others according to the needs. These data are intended to be shared by a large community of stakeholders, and thus feed a dedicated and secure “space” where they would be grouped.
Currently, regulatory documents (CBS, CSV, PPBE…) are produced by the competent authorities in charge of noise pollution control policy (DDT(M) on behalf of Prefects, EPCIs and urban areas. more than 100,000 inhabitants). These authorities call on various operators (Cerema, associations such as BruitParif and Acoucité, design offices, motorway concession companies, rail operators…) to support them in their efforts.
To help with this production, national methodological guides are available (“How to produce strategic noise maps in urban areas” published by Cerema (formerly CERTU) in 2006, “Production of strategic noise maps of major road and rail axes” published by Cerema (formerly SETRA) in 2007). They primarily organise the processing of input data, along with the formatting of output data.
These guides, however, remain rather discreet about the data with regard to their inspection, quality control and the optimisation of the intermediate technical processes necessary for their processing.
Collecting input data is a particularly time-consuming and resource-consuming phase. The data are then reproduced or even duplicated by the various competent authorities, due in particular to a lack of unified, structured and sustainable technical organisation.
The input data used come from multiple and sometimes very heterogeneous sources (traffic data in particular). They require, at the least, a reformatting, but more generally an in-depth reprocessing, even sometimes approximations/packages requiring skills going well beyond acoustics.
Today, due to a lack of organisation, intermediate validations of input data by external suppliers or of output data by future users can lengthen map production times.
European directive 2002/49/EC on environmental noise management requires the production of acoustic diagnostics (called Strategic Noise Maps, CBS - Cartes de Bruit Stratégiques), followed by the development of noise reduction plans (Environmental Noise Prevention Plans, PPBE - Plans de Prévention du Bruit dans l’Environnement).
French regulations, on the other hand, complete the system by relying on several strategic prevention-related areas (channel noise classification maps).
In order to optimise these two approaches, Cerema is working on the possibility of making them “converge”. Among the areas of progress envisaged and validated by the Directorates-General in 2014, is the establishment of the unified “PlaMADE” platform for “Mutualised Platform for Environmental Diagnosis Assistance” (Plate-forme Mutualisée d’Aide au Diagnostic Environnemental), which includes
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All the input data required to generate the maps,
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The acoustic modelling files produced from the input data,
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Output products (maps, object tables …) used in particular for drawing up action plans.
The three foundations of the proposed tool are therefore:
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Hosting = storage of all necessary or useful information,
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Sharing = collaborative system open to all stakeholders,
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Security = access and backup security.
Cerema aims to make this platform operational for CBS production for the 4th deadline with Cnossos for large land infrastructures and towns.
Cerema was mandated by the DGs of the ministry:
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Directorate-General for Risk Prevention, DGPR
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Directorate-General for Infrastructure, Transport and the Sea, DGITM
Steve Darry
Information Systems and Modelling in Environment-Health Project manager
Cerema Transport Infrastructures and Materials
Centre for Safety, Environment and Heritage / Environment Division
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