Article,
Traffic noise annoyance near light controlled intersections
Applied Acoustics, (1981)
Abstract
Four hundred noise samples were taken at varying distances from three
light-controlled intersections, from which the increments in percentile
level above those predicted for the equivalent free flow case were
derived. No factors other than those included in the prediction method
could be discerned, and linear regression of the whole sample was
used to establish the relationship between the increment, ΔLn, and
distance, x(m), from the intersection, e.g. ΔL10 = 3·21 − 0·01x.
A postal social survey with 12 environmental questions was sent to
30 subjects at each of six free and six interrupted flow sites, where
18-h noise measurements were made. A 69 per cent response was obtained.
The slope of the regression line between question scores and L10
was found to differ between free and interrupted flow, but those
against L50 were similar. The ‘dissatisfaction’ score and a composite
’annoyance’ score correlated well, 0·76, but ‘dissatisfaction’ gave
a slightly higher score for free flow than interrupted, and ‘annoyance’
the reverse. This suggests that L50 is a useful indicator of subjective
response if both free and interrupted flows are involved. However
the data also supports the use of the logarithm of percentage of
heavy vehicles as an indicator of dissatisfaction in the interrupted
flow case.
