Perception of urban park soundscape

A number of studies have been initiated to explore how to improve the soundscape quality in urban parks. However, good soundscape quality in parks cannot be provided without a thorough understanding of the complex relationships among sound, environment, and individuals. As acoustic comfort is considered to be an important outcome of soundscape quality, this study investigates the relative impacts of the factors influencing acoustic comfort evaluation by formulating a multivariate ordered logit model. This study also explores the inter-relationships among acoustic comfort evaluation, acceptability of the environment, and preference to stay in a park using a path model. A total of 595 valid responses were obtained from interview surveys administered in four parks in Hong Kong while objective sound measurements were carried out at the survey spots concurrently. The findings unveil that acoustic comfort evaluation, besides visual comfort evaluation of landscape, also plays an important role on users’ acceptability of the urban park environment. Compared with all the studied acoustic related factors, acoustic comfort evaluation serves as a better proxy for park users’ preference to stay in urban parks. Hearing the breeze will significantly increase the likelihood of individuals in giving high acoustic comfort evaluation. Conversely, hearing the sounds from heavy vehicles or sounds from bikes will significantly reduce the likelihood in giving a high acoustic evaluation.Department of Building Services EngineeringDepartment of Mechanical Engineerin

Perception of urban park soundscape

A number of studies have been initiated to explore how to improve the soundscape quality in urban parks. However, good soundscape quality in parks cannot be provided without a thorough understanding of the complex relationships among sound, environment, and individuals. As acoustic comfort is considered to be an important outcome of soundscape quality, this study investigates the relative impacts of the factors influencing acoustic comfort evaluation by formulating a multivariate ordered logit model. This study also explores the inter-relationships among acoustic comfort evaluation, acceptability of the environment, and preference to stay in a park using a path model. A total of 595 valid responses were obtained from interview surveys administered in four parks in Hong Kong while objective sound measurements were carried out at the survey spots concurrently. The findings unveil that acoustic comfort evaluation, besides visual comfort evaluation of landscape, also plays an important role on users' acceptability of the urban park environment. Compared with all the studied acoustic related factors, acoustic comfort evaluation serves as a better proxy for park users' preference to stay in urban parks. Hearing the breeze will significantly increase the likelihood of individuals in giving high acoustic comfort evaluation. Conversely, hearing the sounds from heavy vehicles or sounds from bikes will significantly reduce the likelihood in giving a high acoustic evaluation

Composite panels for reducing noise in air conditioning and ventilation systems

The plate silencer [1] that consists of an expansion chamber with two side-branch cavities covered by a light panel can achieve a desirable noise reduction in broadband theoretically. The concept is similar to drum silencer [Choy YS, Huang L. Experimental studies of drum-like silencer. J Acoust Soc Am 2002;112:2026-35]. To attain optimal noise reduction, either the membrane of the silencer should be of minimal weight while retaining very high tensile strength or the panel should be kept at very high bending stiffness that is dependent on its geometry and mechanical properties. To achieve such goal, various kinds of composite system such as carbon fibres or aluminum were mounted on light core foam to build a noise reflection panel. A design of composite panels which can provide a reduction in panel weight as well as enhance the bending stiffness, is introduced in this paper. Predictions of the new model are to be compared with the normal foam plate in the aspects of noise reflection capability and performance of noise abatement apart from the material properties