Strait of Messina crossing by submerged floating tunnels: Underwater sound analysis in marine environment

This paper summarized the methodology and the techniques adopted during the environmental assessment of the impact caused by noise emission into the sea expected after the implementation of the proposed submerged floating tunnels across the Strait of Messina. Scope of this analysis has been to analysed the existing underwater sound level in the area of concern and to predict the future underwater noise level. The former has been performed by means of a field survey including the measuring of existing levels at different location of the effected area; the latter has required the use of mathematical models on the basis of measurements and assumptions. The purpose of the assessment is to predict the disturbance on the marine environment resultant on the difference between the present and predicted future underwater noise levels.