Predictive Model of Annoyance Induced by Combined Transportation Noise

Abstract

A series of studies on the subjective response to aircraft, railway, and road traffic noise has previously been carried out. However few studies have examined the optimal physical parameters for this type of measurement and evaluation. To date, several physical parameters, such as the equivalent sound level (L eq ), day-night average sound level (L dn ), and day-evening-night average sound level (L den ), have been used to evaluate various types of transportation noise. However, physical parameters that are universally applicable to all types of transportation noise have not been developed. The present study was designed to analyze the relationship between transportation noise and the subjective response. The study is currently in the preliminary stages of developing a physical parameter that can evaluate both individual and combined transportation noises. In conclusion, the regression model, which includes a set of variables that describe sound levels for single and mixed source noise, predicts annoyance levels with an accuracy of >95%, as measured by the determination coefficient.