A Green Soundscape Index (GSI): The potential of assessing the perceived balance between natural sound and traffic noise.

Urban soundscapes are dynamic and complex multivariable environmental systems. Soundscapes can be organized into three main entities containing the multiple variables: Experienced Environment (EE), Acoustic Environment (AE), and Extra-Acoustic Environment (XE). This work applies a multidimensional and synchronic data-collecting methodology at eight urban environments in the city of Córdoba, Argentina.

A comprehensive methodology for the multidimensional and synchronic data collecting in soundscape.

The soundscape paradigm is comprised of complex living systems where individuals interact moment-by-moment among one another and with the physical environment. The real environments provide promising conditions to reveal deep soundscape behavior, including the multiple components involved and their interrelations as a whole. However, measuring and analyzing the numerous simultaneous variables of soundscape represents a challenge that is not completely understood.

Potential problems with environmental sound barriers when used in mitigating surface transportation noise.

The public, increasingly well-informed about the problem of excessive noise, is taking actions for the development of new transport infrastructure projects and improvement of existing infrastructure. In addition, many countries have implemented mandatory Environmental Impact Assessment procedures. As a result, the construction of sound barriers has become a common measure, which can be used by an agency to mitigate potentially significant noise impacts.