Assessment of street-level noise in three different urban settings in Tripoli

Abstract

Recent research shows that street-level noise represents one of the main noise sources in urban spaces. The noise source includes various transportation modes, human activities and environmental sounds, such as the wind and rain. Continuous exposure to high-level noise may lead to health and psychological problems that directly threaten public health and well-being. This paper is an experimental study that aims to analyse street-level noise in three different urban settings in Tripoli, Lebanon, characterized by two categories: type of main activities and historical/new areas in the city of Tripoli. The data collection process is through sound and GPS data loggers aggregated into GIS maps. The results are compared to the spatial configuration analysis of the urban fabric, using space syntax theory and methods. The sound mapping could be the onset of wider research for obtaining a full soundscape of the city of Tripoli, with the potential of being applied in other cities.