Eolization: A project on spatial auralisation of wind turbine noise

The increase of onshore wind farm projects in Europe has heightened concerns regarding the noise emitted by wind turbines and the potential nuisance to nearby residents. To address this issue, advanced tools are required for accurately assessing and predicting the noise levels and perceived annoyance from wind turbines. Physics-based auralization emerges as a promising approach for recreating with fidelity wind turbine noise in controlled environments. To enhance the immersive experience, this study proposes to extend the current methodologies with the spatial representation of wind turbine noise using ambisonics. In this work, the sound emitted by each turbine is computed using an extended source model. The propagation is simulated with a parabolic equation method accounting for the flow surrounding the wind turbines. Finally, the signal is auralized and spatialized using spherical harmonic decomposition. This methodology provides a complete framework for predicting and reproducing the three-dimensional time-varying sound field around the listener. Overall, these improvements offer valuable insights into the spatial characteristics of wind turbine noise.