Urban populations today are exposed to high levels of noise, which may cause discomfort and lead to health problems. Most of these noises are traffic-generated; therefore, this study focuses on evaluating the soundscapes of urban open spaces to determine its importance for the health of the citizen, since such spaces can function as noise attenuators. The methodology of this study involved a literature review, computer simulations and interviews with users of the aforementioned open spaces. The case study was conducted in an urban area in the city of Vitória, state of Espírito Santo, Brazil. The results indicate that, in the period of this study, traffic noise dissipated through open spaces but noise levels still exceeded the maximum allowable levels established by regulations. Nevertheless, the population proved to be largely unaware of the noise. It should be pointed out that the areas under study are used predominantly as recreational spaces for health and wellbeing activities. The findings of this study may serve to underpin urban planning policies that encourage the inclusion of open spaces, especially in areas of high urban density where the transport system consists of motor vehicles, in order to help control urban noise.
One of the most democratic ways in which urban space is used for health and well-being related activities in cities takes place in public areas. Such areas―in the form of squares or simply open spaces―have been used since ancient times for meetings and discussions of matters of interest to the community. Over time, their function has undergone modifications and their shapes have been adapted to reflect sociocultural evolution and economic relations. However, questions have been raised about whether these areas really fulfill the purpose for which they are intended, especially with regard to environmental quality, which can be a two-way street insofar as the health of their users is concerned. Wooded areas and public facilities, for example, can provide opportunities for recreation, but they are not necessarily accessible to all social groups. Agenda 21, a document that emerged from the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development-also known as the ECO-92, Earth Summit or Rio Summit which “recognized the need to adopt a balanced and integrated approach to issues related to the environment and development,” noted some action programs that address the issues of air pollution, water pollution, pesticide use, solid waste, noise, radiation, and others [
Despite the gradual changes in mindsets and technological conditions towards more evolved and less harmful ones, machinery from the industrial age is still widely used even in today’s so-called information age. One of the main legacies of the previous age, characterized by the use of fossil fuels, is represented by the most popular means of transportation-motor vehicles, which are an example of the problems arising from noise emissions.
High sound levels, associated with long periods of exposure and the long duration of the sound event, can cause health problems. These problems can manifest themselves in mild discomfort, irritability, headaches, and can affect the nervous system and cardiovascular system. For sound levels around 100 dB (A), hearing risks are imminent.
In this context, this study aimed to evaluate the overall behavior of sound in specific open spaces, and also to determine the extent to which public areas are exposed to high levels of traffic noise, and whether the population clearly perceives this phenomenon and the health risks to which they are exposed. Thus, selected areas of the city of Vitória, capital of the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil, were used as a case study. It was also assumed that such areas of urban voids can serve as spaces to attenuate traffic noise, underscoring their importance in the urban network.
Studies related to the theme are intrinsically linked to the concept of sound propagation [
Although Brazilian standards deal with noise-related issues in different situations, there is no specific quantification of comfortable or acceptable noise levels for public living spaces. However, the standard NBR 10151 [
Vitória, the capital of the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil, has a population of approximately 327,800 [
The local government is known to control urban noise based solely on an instrument of complaint called “dial direct noise complaints,” created in 1997. It should be noted that vehicle-related noise ranks as the third main reason of complaints filed by the agency between 2012 and 2016.
As can be seen in
One of the control mechanisms established by Law No. 10,257/2001, known as the City Statute [
Year | Vitória | |
---|---|---|
Vehicle Fleet | Growth (%) | |
2005 | 113,837 | 6.0 |
2006 | 121,347 | 6.6 |
2007 | 131,712 | 8.5 |
2008 | 142,819 | 8.4 |
2009 | 153,360 | 7.4 |
2010 | 162,194 | 5.8 |
2011 | 170,533 | 5.1 |
2012 | 178,463 | 4.7 |
2013 | 185,427 | 3.9 |
2014 | 191,413 | 3.2 |
2015 | 192,897 | 0.7 |
2016 | 193,091 | 0.1 |
a. Data from 2014 to 2016 (up to march) obtained from the national traffic department (http://www.denatran.gov.br/frota.htm on 9 Apr. 2016).
This study involved an analysis of noise levels in public spaces, including traffic-related noise, so it was spatially demarcated considering the following criteria: 1) the study area had to be located in the continental portion of the island of Vitoria; 2) close to or within an area defined as a Controlled Occupation Zone of mixed residential and non-residential use, with complete basic sanitation infrastructure, water supply, and sewage collection and treatment services; 3) it had to be a public place with free spaces, preferably destined for squares, parks and green areas, according to art.189 §4 of Law 6705/2006 [
The areas that meet these mentioned requirements are shown in
After these 10 points were selected, field data were collected for the simulations, such as digitized maps of the evaluated neighborhoods, demographic data, and vehicle counts and classification, to establish the volume of motor traffic. These data were grouped and input in the software program to perform the simulations, which were then validated by means of field measurements using specific devices, according to the Brazilian technical standard NBR 10151 [
The next step consisted of a subjective noise level assessment, i.e., the user’s perception of the problem. This perception was determined based on interviews with users in five of the ten aforementioned selected areas. A questionnaire was
then prepared and a pilot experiment was carried out to test this form of addressing the population, as well as the number and relevance of the questions and the time spent in conducting the interviews. Having defined the questions, the interviews were conducted.
The third step of this study was then carried out, which involved a statistical evaluation of the data collected in the interviews. Each item of the questionnaire was transformed into a variable and inserted into a database. These data, in turn, were inserted into a statistical analysis software program and subsequently evaluated.
In order to evaluate the effects of the built environment in terms of traffic noise emissions, simulations were made of the noise immission levels at the evaluation points, as shown in
The simulations were performed, with Brüel & Kjær’s Predictor version 8.11 software package, or Predictor-Lim A Software Suite Type 7810, which is based
Point | Identification | Neighborhood | Description |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Camburiseashore | Jardim da Penha | Public seafront area of mixed use containing multi-family residential buildings of up to 7 floorsand local stores |
2 | Philogomiro Lannes Square | Jardim da Penha | A square surrounded mostly by multi-family residential buildings of up to 7 floors and local stores |
3 | Regina Frigeri Furno Square | Jardim da Penha | A square surrounded mostly by multi-family residential buildings of up to 4 floors and local stores |
4 | Fernando Ferrari Avenue | Mata da Praia | This avenue passes along the edge of Pedra da Cebola Park andis of mixed use, with multi-family residential buildings of up to 10 floors and local stores |
5 | Des. Dermerval Lírio Avenue | Mata da Praia | This avenue passes along the edge of Pedra da Cebola Park and is of mixed use, with multi-family residential buildings of up to 3 floors, single family homes and local stores |
6 | Jacob Suaid Square | Mata da Praia | A square surrounded mostly by single family homes with up to 2 floors |
7 | Camburi seashore | Jardim Camburi | Public seafront area of mixed use containing multi-family residential buildings of up to 12 floors and local stores |
8 | Alcino Pereira Neto Street | Jardim Camburi | A square surrounded mostly by multi-family residential buildings of up to 4 floors and local stores |
9 | Issac Lopes Rubim Avenue | Jardim Camburi | This avenue of mixed use is characterized predominantly by multi-family residential buildings of up to 7 floors and local stores |
10 | Fazendinha Municipal Park | Jardim Camburi | This park along the highway is bordered by a scattering of multi-family residential buildings of up to 10 floors |
on the ISO 9613 standard [
The simulations required access to the city’s cartographic database, made available by the Vitória Municipal Administration, as well as the definition of the parameters of use of the software. The traffic flow attributes were obtained based on vehicle counts at the 10 points of the area under analysis. Vehicle counts were made between 5:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., characterizing the daytime period as determined by the Brazilian standard NBR 10151 [
The counting of the flow of vehicles was done for 15 minutes without interruptions, and the counts were extrapolated to one hour and inserted into the software. Predictor software works with the parameter “vehicles per hour”.
Vehicles were counted into two categories: light and heavy. For the reader’s clarification, in accordance with resolution No. 15 of 1985 of CONAMA-Na- tional Environment Council of Brazil, light vehicles are vehicles for the transport
Point | Description | Neighborhood | Simulated sound pressure level in dB (A) | Measured sound ressure level in dB (A) | Difference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Camburi seashore | Jardim da Penha | 75 - 80 | 78.0 | 0 |
2 | Philogomiro Lannes Square | Jardim da Penha | 65 - 70 | 68.2 | 0 |
3 | Regina Frigeri Furno Square | Jardim da Penha | 65 - 70 | 67.0 | 0 |
4 | Fernando Ferrari Ave. | Mata da Praia | 75 - 80 | 78.2 | 0 |
5 | Desembargador Dermerval Lírio Ave. | Mata da Praia | 70 - 75 | 69.2 | 0.8 |
6 | Jacob Suaid Square | Mata da Praia | 65 - 70 | 71.2 | 1.2 |
7 | Camburi seashore | Jardim Camburi | 75 - 80 | 72.2 | 0 |
8 | Alcino Pereira Street | Jardim Camburi | 70 - 75 | 69.2 | 0.8 |
9 | Isaac Lopes Rubim Ave. | Jardim Camburi | 65 - 70 | 64.5 | 0.5 |
10 | Fazendinha Municipal Park | Jardim Camburi | 65 - 70 | 72.8 | 2.8 |
of passengers or cargo or of mixed use, with mass less than 3856 kg, and heavy vehicles have with a mass above 3856 kg. The acoustic maps were calculated using a 10-by-10-meter grid, positioned four meters above ground level, as recommended by several studies published in the current literature on noise mapping [
To validate the simulated sound levels relative to the measured sound levels, the difference between these data was assumed to fall within the range of (±) 4.6 dB (A), as indicated by Licitra and Memoli [
second multiples of 10 dB. According to ISO 1996-2, the details and scale of the map depend on: 1) the size, structure and use of the area in question; 2) the purpose of planning (large scale decisions at sites for new sources and receivers, changes in land use, final decision for new receivers); and 3) the phase of the planning procedure. ISO 1996-2 indicates that a noise map can be established as an official map on a given scale, describing relevant details of buildings, traffic, industrial areas, vegetation and contour lines.
A questionnaire was applied at the study site as the main instrument to collect data about the users’ perceptions of noise levels exceeding those considered healthy. The questions were based on the studies of Zannin et al. [
The questionnaires were applied to respondents at five of the 10 (ten) points under study to facilitate the logistics of the interviews. The points were selected by drawing lots, considering the largest urban park, Pedra da Cebola Park, as the control area. The points selected for interviews were points 01, 02, 03 and 09, plus the control area, which are described in
The respondents’ answers to the questionnaire were transformed into variables that were inserted into a database, which was then inserted into the SPSS software for statistical treatment of the data, using the Chi-square test at a 5% level of significance.
An evaluation of each of the simulated areas where the interviews took place revealed the incidence of vehicle-related noise sources and the sound levels reaching passersby.
In this scenario, all the simulated points can be considered valid, since the degree of uncertainty, or acceptable error, in this research was considered to be ± 4.6 and/or (±)5 dB (A), as recommended by current literature on noise mapping [
The only age-related restriction to answer the questionnaire was that the respondents be more than 18 years old. Most of them were between 21 and 30 years old. As for the respondents’ ages in relation to the interview sites, the aforementioned age bracket was observed mostly among the respondents interviewed along the seashore. In the squares, the majority age group ranged from 31 to 40 years old, while the respondents in the parks were mostly more than 61 years old. As for gender, the interviewees showed a certain equilibrium, but in absolute numbers, most of the interviewees declared they were males.
In terms of schooling, most of the respondents described themselves as high school graduates, and most of them stated that they lived in the neighborhood where they were interviewed.
The variables indicate some characteristics of the respondents’ relationship with the location. For example, most of them stated that they make daily visits to the areas where the interviews were carried out, and that they frequent these areas for one to two hours, during which time they are exposed to the local traffic noise.
The respondents were asked to indicate if and how intensely they heard a series of sounds and noises emitted by people, animals and equipment (including vehicle traffic noise). Most of them stated they could distinguish these different types of noise in the surveyed areas, and traffic noise was one of the most frequently cited noise sources, followed by aircraft, children playing, conversations between people, and people talking on cell phones. They were then asked to quantify the degree of annoyance these perceived noises can cause. The overall results indicate that most of the respondents, when asked about each of the noise sources cited in the survey, stated they were not bothersome. However, traffic noise ranked among the sources that cause the most discomfort, followed by aircraft, and these responses were about equal to the number of negative responses. As for the surveyed areas, the respondents stated that the environmental noise does not exceed the expected level, that it is in harmony with the landscape, and that they are not bothered by the ambient sounds.
The statistical analysis revealed an association between some of the variables, e.g., the length of time spent in the public area relative to its location. As for mechanical noise, it should also be noted, that some show an association when related to the annoyance they cause, these being traffic and airplane-related noise sources.
This survey confirmed the importance of public spaces in lowering urban traffic noise. The simulations indicated that traffic-related noise is dissipated in open spaces and decreases in intensity with increasing distance. They also showed that noise is blocked when it reaches built masses and penetrates through free space between buildings and adjacent streets in the urban network.
In addition, the simulations and field measurements indicated that vehicle traffic noise can be considered high for the areas under study, despite the presence of other types of urban noise in the environment which may affect the users’ comfort and health, such as other mechanical, natural, or human sounds.
The results of this study led to the conclusion that the areas can be classified as acoustically polluted, and that most of the respondents perceive the existence of noise but do not seem to be bothered by it and have adapted to the resulting discomfort. This conclusion is worrisome, given that constant noise actually poses a public health risk which the affected population is often unaware of. The findings of this research will hopefully serve to underpin public policies for the management of public space, aiming at the wide dissemination of the acoustic reality of cities as measures to raise the population’s awareness, as is the case in several countries, especially in Europe. Moreover, since Vitória is not one of Brazil’s largest capitals, we believe this problem occurs in numerous other larger cities, which underscores the need to publicize these findings. Urban noise measurements were also performed, in Brazil, in cities larger than Vitória, such as Curitiba [
Other possible measures to mitigate urban noise include planning vehicle flows, reducing vehicle traffic speed, improving street pavement conditions, inspecting vehicles to determine their noise emissions, and establishing permits for heavy vehicles to circulate in the vicinity of leisure areas at preset times. In addition, interventions could be carried out to favor pedestrians, such as the construction of acoustic barriers at strategic locations, and the zoning of squares and parks, to render these public environments healthier.
The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support of CNPq, Brazil’s National Council for Scientific and Technological Development, which paid for the software used in this study.
Paneto, G.G., de Alvarez, C.E. and Zannin, P.H.T. (2017) Relationship between Urban Noise and the Health of Users of Public Spaces―A Case Study in Vitoria, ES, Brazil. Journal of Buil- ding Construction and Planning Research, 5, 45-57. https://doi.org/10.4236/jbcpr.2017.52004