Multidimensional psychoacoustic grading method for road traffic noise

Road traffic noise is well accepted to be one of the significant sources of environmental noise. The traditional norms of noise evaluation are mainly focused on the noise level and the loudness sensation of occupants. However, researchers found that human perceptions of sounds are multidimensional psychological processes in the perceptual dimensions about the human general judgment (Evaluation, E), sensitivity to the magnitude (Potency, P), and sensation of the temporal and spectral compositions (Activity, A) of noise. After that, a valid, reliable, and applicable psychometric tool called Psychoacoustics Perception Scale (PPS) is designed to assess the multidimensional perceptual responses of occupants in the environment. This study aimed to investigate the performance of the psychoacoustic metrics and the PPS in evaluating the objective characterizes and the subjective perceptual influence of road traffic noise on occupants, respectively. The results of the study showed that the gradings of the noise obtained from the PPS were associated with changes of the objective characterizes of the road traffic noise. These findings provided knowledge on the development of multidimensional psychoacoustic grading method for road traffic noise in future.