Representative Exposure-Annoyance Relationships Due to Transportation Noises in Japan.

Shigenori Yokoshima,Sohei Tsujimura,Koji Shimoyama,Takashi Morihara,Makoto Morinaga

doi:10.3390/ijerph182010935

Abstract

This paper focuses on clarifying the relationship between noise exposure and the prevalence of highly annoyed people due to transportation noise in Japan. The authors accumulated 34 datasets, which were provided by Socio-Acoustic Survey Data Archive and derived from the other surveys conducted in Japan. All the datasets include the following micro-data: demographic factors, exposure, and annoyance data associated with specific noise sources. We performed secondary analyses using micro-data and established the relationships between noise exposure (Lden) and the percentage of highly annoyed people (%HA) for the following noise source: road traffic, conventional railway, Shinkansen railway, civil aircraft, and military aircraft noises. Among the five transportation noises, %HA for the military aircraft noise is the highest, followed by civil aircraft noise and Shinkansen railway noise. The %HA for conventional railway noise was higher than that for road traffic noise. To validate the representativeness of the exposure–response curves, we have discussed factors affecting the difference in annoyance. In addition, comparing the Japanese relationship with that shown in the “Environmental Noise Guidelines for the European Region,” we revealed that Japanese annoyance is higher than the WHO-reported annoyance.

Highlights

Published: 18 October 2021The “Environmental Noise Guidelines for the European Region” (Guidelines) [1]published in 2018 shows the guideline exposure levels (Lden ) for each noise source
This paper aims to establish the representative relationship between noise exposure and the prevalence of highly annoyed people due to transportation noise in Japan
We accumulated thirty-four datasets, which were provided by Socio-Acoustic Survey Data Archive (SASDA) and derived from the other surveys conducted in Japan

Summary

Introduction

The “Environmental Noise Guidelines for the European Region” (Guidelines) [1]. Published in 2018 shows the guideline exposure levels (Lden ) for each noise source. A meta-analysis of surveys conducted since 2000 was performed. Based on the exposure–annoyance relationship obtained by the meta-analysis, the Guideline. Development Group set the guideline exposure level (Lden ) for daily average noise exposure. The guideline exposure levels for road traffic, railway and aircraft noises are determined to be 53 dB, 54 dB, and 45 dB, respectively. Moving on to standards for environmental noises in Japan, the Environmental Quality. The following three EQSs are legislated: noise (general residential areas and areas facing roads), aircraft noise, and Shinkansen super-express railway noise

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