Urban Noise Effects

Urban Noise Effects

""Urban Noise Effects"" presents a groundbreaking exploration of how modern city soundscapes impact human health and society, revealing that today's urban dwellers routinely experience sound levels that would have been extraordinary in historical contexts. This comprehensive analysis weaves together findings from epidemiology, neuroscience, and environmental psychology to demonstrate how urban noise affects everything from individual mental health to community-wide social behavior. The book progresses through three distinct sections, examining first how various urban sounds influence cognitive and emotional processes, then investigating noise impacts on urban wildlife, and finally exploring the effects on community interaction. Drawing from extensive research across global cities, it presents compelling evidence linking chronic noise exposure to specific health outcomes, including stress disorders and cognitive impairment. Particularly fascinating are the longitudinal studies from European and Asian cities that demonstrate clear correlations between noise levels and mental health outcomes. What sets this work apart is its interdisciplinary approach and practical focus, combining rigorous academic research with accessible explanations and actionable solutions. Rather than simply highlighting problems, the book offers evidence-based strategies for creating healthier urban soundscapes, making it valuable for both professionals and concerned citizens. The incorporation of novel acoustic mapping technologies and citizen science data provides readers with a unique understanding of how urban noise shapes our modern living environments, while offering concrete frameworks for noise assessment and mitigation.

Environmental Urban Noise

The phenomenon of unwanted sound affects many people living in developed countries. Providing coverage of this important topic, this volume features contributions from some experienced specialists working in the field. It reviews the physical assessment of urban noise, ratings, descriptors and criteria, transportation noise, effects of noise on health, community response, urban noise prediction and urban noise control, and is designed to be used at postgraduate and research level.

Transportation noise (rail and other). Urban noise problems and social behavior