• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.19-33
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• 1998

The primary objective of this research was to develop optimal models for masking the road traffic noise with the sound of a waterfall at urban small green spaces. Noise levels were measured at 8 roadside green spaces in SEOUL and questionnaires were randomly distributed to 40 users for evaluating the noise at each site at the same time. College students participated in the experiment for the development of masking models and the developed models were tested by users at 2 green spaces. The major results are as follows ; 1. Traffic noises ranged from 65dBto 70 dB. Users' satisfaction with the noise became considerably low on the basis of 60 dB and it was highly related to noise level. 2. Noise was a main factor to depreciate the amenity of green spaces where its level was more than 60 dB and so it neds to be excluded or reduced the traffic noise at the process of design. 3. Masking effects kept constant independent of the spatial location of masker on condition that masker levels were equal. It was effective when masker was 5-10dB greater than noise level which was masked. 4. As noise level went up, satisfaction ratings about the masked noise became low but masking effects increased in proportion to its level. 5. It was proved that the models were valid through the field experiment.