Assessment of sound environment pleasantness by sound quality metrics in urban spaces

Purpose of this study is to generate Sound Quality Index (SQI) in order to estimate pleasantness of users with sound environment in urban spaces by employing sound quality metrics together such as loudness, sharpness and roughness, which are frequently stated in soundscape studies as it is directly related to human perception. For this purpose, binaural sound records have been conducted and quantitative data of loudness, sharpness and roughness of these metrics of the sound records has been calculated. 27 sound clips, containing different quantitative data of each of the three metrics, have been generated by picking them out of binaural sound records. Participants have listened to the sound clips at laboratory environment, and have been applied jury test. Correlations between pleasantness of users with sound environment and sound quality metrics have been determined by analyzing results from jury test and quantitative data of sound clips. SQI has been generated with a correlation model by using Regression Analysis method. In order to check the accuracy of the model, surveys have been conducted on users at the field and binaural sound records have been taken simultaneously to the surveys. Quantitative data obtained from sound records has been calculated by SQI, and pleasantness level of users with sound environment has been estimated. Results obtained from surveys conducted at the field and results estimated by SQI have been compared. Apart from quantitative data of sound records, effect of parameters that might affect pleasantness of users with sound environment in urban spaces has been determined.

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