Effects of Indoor Water Sounds on Floor Impact Noise Perception and Overall Environmental Comfort

Abstract

Water sounds have been known as the most preferred natural sounds and in soundscape studies it has been found that water sounds could improve traffic noise perception. However, studies regarding indoor water sounds are at an early stage. In this study, effects of water sounds on floor impact noise perception were investigated. A factorial ANOVA was used for the five independent variables: water sound type (Foam-jet, Mushroom), water sound level (35, 40, 45, 50 dBA), floor impact noise type (MR: Man Running, ChS: Chair Scraping), floor impact noise level (40, 45 dBA), room temperature (18, 24, 30°C). A total of 54 participants in their twenties volunteered three experimental sessions in an indoor environmental chamber. They heard the recorded water sounds and floor impact noise at the same time, and assessed pleasantness, annoyance, and acoustic comfort of the floor impact noise, and indoor environmental comfort of the chamber. The recorded water sounds did not affect the floor impact noise perception as well and indoor environmental comfort with statistical significance. However, only at 30°C, pleasantness tended to increase and annoyance tended to decrease when the recorded water sounds were presented. Potential effects of water sounds on floor impact noise perception were not only due to acoustic factors but also by indoor environmental factors such as room temperature.