24-hour continuous sound-level measurements conducted in Spanish urban areas

Environmental sound measurements have been carried out during recent years in different cities and locations in Spain. The sound levels have been continuously sampled over 24-hour periods using a noise level analyzer. The data presented in this paper have been obtained from a total of 12 000 hours of measurement. All the information collected has been used to investigate the time patterns of the hourly sound levels under a wide range of conditions and to evaluate the relationships between several noise descriptors in urban areas. (C) 1998 Institute of Noise Control Engineering.