Assessment of Railway Noise Exposure at Shu Station, Kazakhstan: CNOSSOS-EU Modelling, Spatial Population Exposure, and Potential Health Impact
Abstract
Transportation noise is a significant factor affecting public health, yet the spatial assessment of railway noise and its associated consequences remain insufficiently developed in the countries of Central Asia. In this study, based on official technical and operational data provided by JSC NC “Kazakhstan Temir Zholy”, noise propagation in the Shu station was modelled in the NoiseModelling 5.0.1 software using the CNOSSOS-EU method. The number of people exposed to acoustic impact was determined through spatial analysis and a dasymetric method. Within the acoustic exposure zone, 205 residential buildings were identified, home to an estimated 2454 people, including 1767 adults. The potential health impact was assessed using exposure–response functions recommended by the WHO Environmental Noise Guidelines, for high annoyance, high sleep disturbance, and ischemic heart disease. The estimated number of adults with high annoyance was approximately 87 (4.9%), with high sleep disturbance approximately 41 (2.3%), and the population attributable fraction for ischemic heart disease was approximately 0.0225%. Because approximate CNOSSOS-EU values were used for rail roughness and rolling stock, the uncertainty of the results was assessed using a sensitivity analysis with a symmetric ±2 dB shift applied to the calculated noise levels. The proposed workflow is based on open-source software and publicly available data and can be transferred to other railway junctions in Kazakhstan and Central Asia. The proposed framework may also support the integration of environmental-noise and population-health considerations into sustainable railway operation and urban planning.