The Characteristics of Traffic Noise and Its Effects on Inhabitants' Life at an Apartment Area in Taejon City

대전 신도시 일부 아파트지역 교통소음의 특성과 주민생활에 미치는 영향

To estimate the effects of environmental noise on inhabitants' life in an apartment area at Taejon, noise levels and traffic volume of major roads were measured. 203 housewives were surveyed by questionaires including general factors, noise related factors and three items of life effects: subjective evaluations on the general environment, annoyance, and life disturbance due to environmental noise. At the boundary adjacent to the road with more traffic volume, noise level was higher; according to the time, the amount of noise level was in the morning, in the evening, at noon, and at night in order. Most of boundary noise levels were higher than those of recommended standard environmental noise levels in a residential area. The boundary noise level showed a very significant linear relationship with traffic volume of near roads. Noise level difference in the apartments adjacent to three roads was ranged 2.4~6.7dB between in windows open and close state. The apartments adjacent to 9 lane or 6 lane-road, which were protected by noise prevention wall and 20m or more distance from the roads, showed higher noise level at middle floors and high floors than those of low floors; but the buildings adjacent to 4 lane-road, with no protection, showed higher noise level at low and middle floors than those of high floors. Among 203 housewives, 120(59.1%) participated in this study, and 86(73.2%) of them answered that the most serious environmental noise was traffic noise from near roads. Comparing traffic noise levels with those of before-migration, 67.0% participants found the environmental noise became louder. Fifty eight(49.5%) of the participants wanted noise protection wall and 15(25.9%) of them were willing to charge the fee. Less perception on the present noise comparing to those before-migration, less traffic volume, and lower noise levels in the apartments were related to higher scores of self-evaluation on the environment. Higher susceptibility on the present noise, areas with more traffic volume, higher boundary noise levels, and higher noise levels showed higher scores of annoyance on environmental noise and life disturbance. Considering above all things, it was suggested that traffic noise in this area was the major problem of environmental noise, and its' effect was so serious that inhabitants needed some preventive measures for better life quality.