Evaluating effects of vegetation on the acoustical environment by physical scale-modeling

Abstract

It is generally assumed that vegetation is beneficial acoustically, as well as esthetically, in that it may act as a shield to reduce highway noise impact on a community as in a sound absorber to reduce reverberant noise levels in city streets. Contradictory evidence exists, however, that noise may be increased because of vegetation. We performed field studies and laboratory scale-model experiments to study interaction between sound-scattering by trees and shadowing by barriers. The studies indicate that, while barrier effectiveness may be reduced by addition of trees, propagation through a stand of trees may provide small noise reductions.

Parent Publication

• Proceedings of the conference on metropolitan physical environment

Citation

Lyon, Richard H.; Blair, Cristopher N.; DeJong, Richard G. 1977. Evaluating effects of vegetation on the acoustical environment by physical scale-modeling. In: Heisler, Gordon M.; Herrington, Lee P., eds. Proceedings of the conference on metropolitan physical environment; Gen. Tech. Rep. NE-25. Upper Darby, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Forest Experiment Station. 218-225