Occupant Response Research Articles

An Investigation of Indoor Environment Quality on Occupants’ Thermal Responses, Health, and Productivity: A Study Based on Physiological Data in Occupied Office Space

This study explores the impact of Indoor Environment Quality (IEQ) on the health and productivity of office workers in an office building in Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan. Previous studies have shown that IEQ can affect the physiological responses of occupants, such as of skin temperature, heart rate, and metabolic rate, which are indicators of health and productivity. However, most studies took place in controlled laboratory environments, which may not accurately represent real-life experiences. The study collected subjective and objective data from actual occupied office space, including on perceptions of IEQ, health, and productivity, and measurements of IEQ parameters such as on the thermal environment, light environment, indoor air quality, and acoustics. The study used correlation and linear regression methods to examine the relationship between IEQ, physiological data, and subjective responses to health and productivity. The stable thermal environment and low physical intensity of office work may contribute to the weak correlation between physiological data, thermal responses, and health–productivity variables. The results of this study can provide insights into how IEQ affects the psychological responses, well-being, and performance of office workers in real-world settings.

Visual fatigue prediction using classification model based on physiological responses of occupants under office lightings

Appropriate management of visual fatigue is crucial for eye health as it significantly impacts life quality throughout an individual's life cycle. The shift to digital tasks in modern office environments has increased occupants' exposure to visual fatigue, leading to various social problems. This study aimed to develop visual fatigue prediction models based on physiological responses and classification algorithms. Experiments were conducted to collect physiological responses and subjective visual fatigue under various lighting environments. Collected data was refined and reorganized as predictor variables by different time windows and target variables by scales. Then, visual fatigue prediction models were developed using supervised machine learning algorithms (i.e., artificial neural network, support vector machine, gradient boosting machine, and random forest). And improved by feature selection and adding subject-label variables. The resulting two-scale and three-scale visual fatigue prediction models demonstrated an average performance of 93.73 % and 94.64 % respectively. This research can contribute to reducing societal costs and enhancing productivity by proposing visual fatigue prediction models that help manage eye health in office environments.

Responses of Vehicular Occupants During Emergency Braking and Aggressive Lane-Change Maneuvers.

To validate active human body models for investigating occupant safety in autonomous cars, it is crucial to comprehend the responses of vehicle occupants during evasive maneuvers. This study sought to quantify the behavior of midsize male and small female passenger seat occupants in both upright and reclined postures during three types of vehicle maneuvers. Volunteer tests were conducted using a minivan, where vehicle kinematics were measured with a DGPS sensor and occupant kinematics were captured with a stereo-vision motion capture system. Seatbelt loads, belt pull-out, and footrest reaction forces were also documented. The interior of the vehicle was 3D-scanned for modeling purposes. Results indicated that seatback angles significantly affected occupant kinematics, with small female volunteers displaying reduced head and torso movements, except during emergency braking with a upright posture seatback. Lane-change maneuvers revealed that maximum lateral head excursions varied depending on the maneuver's direction. The study concluded that seatback angles were crucial in determining the extent of occupant movement, with notable variations in head and torso excursions observed. The collected data assist in understanding occupant behavior during evasive maneuvers and contribute to the validation of human body models, offering essential insights for enhancing safety systems in autonomous vehicles.

Gender differences in the perception of the indoor environment: Findings from residential buildings in a nordic climate

Current research suggests gender (“sex assigned at birth”) differences with respect to indoor environmental conditions, indicating females are more critical and demanding towards satisfaction and preferences. The present paper analyzes the results of a subsample of a national survey completed in 375 representative dwellings in Sweden. The survey collected information on twelve comfort factors and satisfaction aspects concerning thermal comfort, indoor air quality, acoustic comfort, satisfaction with daylight, size, standard, layout, appearance, well-being, cost, and neighborhood. Advanced statistical analyses were used to investigate whether the responses of occupants experiencing similar indoor conditions (cohabitation) were different with respect to gender. The analysis did not observe any significant gender differences with respect to the ratings of indoor environments in dwellings. Males reported slightly higher satisfaction, while thermal and acoustic comfort exhibited the highest gender variability. Satisfaction aspects were generally very high, with the costs and acoustic comfort registering the highest levels of dissatisfaction. Additional analyses across various building characteristics and individual attributes (variables levels) confirmed no differences. Several hypotheses were put up to explain these results, including the extreme climatic conditions and the collaborative use of dwellings. The findings suggest that Swedish dwelling designs can provide some best practice guidance for stakeholders and practitioners elsewhere in similar climatic conditions. Future studies should confirm the present observations and the social and cultural aspects of the findings.

Optimising indoor environmental quality: Development of a benchmarking tool for valuing performance in office buildings

A novel benchmarking tool, the Building Office Benchmark (BOB) tool, has been developed to evaluate the economic benefit of increased work performance by upgrading the indoor environmental quality (IEQ) in office buildings. Utilising post occupancy evaluations in Danish and Greenlandic office buildings (26 buildings in Denmark and 22 buildings in Greenland comprising a total of 153 offices), a database comprising registration of building properties, measurements of IEQ parameters and occupant responses has been established. This may be used not only to benchmark the indoor environment in office buildings but also to identify suboptimal conditions and, based on this, quantify the economic benefits of indoor environment upgrades.Informed by literature review findings, the tool's IEQ domains and weightings of different IEQ domains and parameters align with existing certification schemes. The tool may be used to outline the economic advantages of IEQ improvements, presented straightforwardly to building owners and tenants. Overall, the tool presents a framework for assessing and improving IEQ in office environments.

Study of the effects of shallow-buried charge parameters on the lower limb injuries of occupant in special vehicle body

In the process of military missions, special vehicles often encounter shallow buried charge threats that will greatly affect the safety of the occupants. To study the integrated effects of shallow buried charge detonation point, height-to-diameter ratio, burial inclination, weight, and other key parameters on the lower limb injuries of occupant, this study was based on the special body of a shallow buried explosive test and numerical calculation methods. The reliability of the numerical model and the load effect mechanism of the shallow burial charge were studied. Based on this, the lower limb injuries response law of occupant was analyzed with respect to each parameter. The results showed that the bottom charge load mainly came from two-stage ejection loading, in which the first stage was a strong load with short-duration local impact loading and the second stage was a weak load with long-duration extended range loading. By comparing the lower limb injury response of occupant under different charge parameters, we found that the weight of charge had the greatest effect on the extent of occupant injury, followed by the height-to-diameter ratio and burial inclination, while the detonation position had a relatively small effect on the injury magnitude. Finally, a comprehensive prediction model of the lower limb injuries of occupant was obtained by using the Latin hypercube sampling method and the least-squares method, and it was verified that the model had a good matching accuracy.

Simulated fire video collection for advancing understanding of human behavior in building fires.

The goal of the present research was to develop a video collection of simulated fires to investigate how people perceive growing building fires. In fire safety science, a critical factor to occupant responses to building fires is the pre-movement period, determined by how long it takes an individual to initiate taking protective action with an incipient fire. Key to studying the psychological processes that contribute to the duration of the pre-movement period is presenting human subjects with building fires. One approach used in previous research is to present videos of building fires to individuals via scenarios. The numerical simulations used to model fire dynamics can be used to render videos for these scenarios. However, such simulations have predominantly been used in fire protection engineering to design buildings and are relatively inaccessible to social scientists. The present study documents a collection of videos, based on numerical simulations, which can be used by researchers to study human behavior in fire. These videos display developing fires in different types of rooms, growing at different rates, different smoke thickness, among other characteristics. As part of a validation study, participants were presented with subsets of the video clips and were asked to rate the perceived risk posed by the simulated fire. We observed that ratings varied by the intensity and growth rate of the fires, smoke opacity, type of room, and where the viewpoint was located from the fire. These effects aligned with those observed in previous fire science research, providing evidence that the videos could elicit perceived risk using fire simulations. The present research indicates that future studies can utilize the video library of fire simulations to study human perceptions of developing building fires as situational factors are systematically manipulated.

The effect of age and bracing on vehicle occupant responses during sled-simulated evasive swerving

Objective Bracing can reduce adult occupants’ out-of-position postures, but it is unclear if this finding can be extended to child occupants. We investigated the effect of bracing, and age on the motion of vehicle occupants of different ages during sled-simulated pre-crash maneuvers. Methods Forty seatbelt restrained subjects (9–40 y.o.) experienced sled simulated evasive swerving maneuvers during a brace condition, where subjects actively brace before the maneuver onset, and an unbraced condition. A 3D motion capture system, electromyography (EMG), and seatbelt load cells captured head and trunk kinematics, muscle activation, and seat belt reaction forces, respectively. The effects of age and bracing on peak lateral head and trunk displacement were examined with Mixed Effects Model (p ≤ 0.05). Results In the braced condition, all subjects had reduced normalized peak head (0.09 ± 0.05) and trunk (0.11 ± 0.05) displacements compared to the unbraced condition (Head: 0.14 ± 0.06, Trunk: 0.17 ± 0.07) (p < 0.05). For the into-the-belt direction in the unbraced condition, children showed the smallest peak head and trunk displacement of all age groups (p < 0.01) while teens had the greatest peak head and trunk displacement compared to all other age groups (p < 0.02). Similar trends were found in the out-of-the-belt direction in the unbraced condition (p < 0.01). In the unbraced condition, all occupants showed greater shoulder seat belt reaction loads than the braced condition (unbraced 1.6–2.7 N/kg, braced 1.0–1.4 N/kg). Children also showed greater neck muscle activation (50–64% MVIC) compared to other muscles and older occupants regardless of the bracing condition or direction of motion. Conclusion Bracing reduced out-of-position postures across all ages. In the unbraced condition, children move less than teens and adults due to greater activation in the neck muscles. In the unbraced condition, teens showed the greatest motion, potentially due to their developing neuromotor control transitioning to a more mature stage. Across all age groups in the unbraced condition, occupants relied more heavily on the seat belt to maintain their position rather than their muscles to brace, suggesting the importance of good seatbelt-torso interaction in unbraced occupants.

Linking Occupant Behavior and Window Design through Post-Occupancy Evaluation: Enhancing Natural Ventilation and Indoor Air Quality

This study investigates how window design features, such as size, placement, and orientation, might impact occupants’ behavior related to natural ventilation in residential houses and how residents manage natural ventilation to affect indoor air quality (IAQ), comfort, and energy efficiency. By analyzing responses from a questionnaire distributed among 200 occupants, this article reveals that stuffy air, perceived outdoor pollutants, odors, and relative humidity, along with factors like inadequate ventilation, temperature fluctuations, and energy consumption concerns, emerge as primary issues affecting occupants’ comfort and well-being. This study proposes design recommendations for enhancing IAQ, including optimal window placement for cross-ventilation, window-to-wall ratio (WWR) considerations, and the integration of smart window technologies. This research recognizes that window design is not just a technical matter but involves understanding social and behavioral factors as well. By analyzing occupant responses, it aims to provide insights into the socio-technical parameters that should be considered in window design. The findings offer valuable strategies for architects, designers, and homeowners to optimize natural ventilation and underscore the importance of an occupant-centered approach in sustainable building design.

Simulation for fuselage section with dummies and seats under crash environment

Abstract A numerical model of a commercial fuselage section with dummies and seats under a crash environment was investigated to evaluate the dynamic responses of occupants. Firstly, the two dynamic tests about seats and occupants restraint system were performed to meet the requirements specified by CCAR-25, including the tension loads in straps and the head injury criterion, and gained a method for simulation on seats and occupants restraint system. Secondly, the detail fuselage FE model was built to compare different vertical velocities; the results showed that the greater the velocity is, the more violently the dummies moved, while the deformation of structures had no difference.

Effect of temperature step-changes and ramps on physiological and psychological responses of occupants in office buildings in summer

Thermal conditions with step changes and ramps in air temperature (Ta) are universal in buildings. However, a comprehensive understanding of the influences of these dynamic thermal factors on thermal comfort remains elusive. This study investigated the physiological and psychological responses 16 healthy college students, including thermal sensation vote (TSV), thermal pleasure (TP), positive and negative affect schedule (PANAS), skin temperature, blood pressure, wrist pulse, and electroencephalography (EEG). The experimental procedure included step-changes from an office room (26 °C) to a meeting room under five different Ta (22/24/26/28/30 °C) and subsequent ramping (down/up/cycles) back to 26 °C. After these different warm/cool thermal experiences, TSVs (−0.2 to 0.2) were insignificantly different and TPs (0.2–1.6) were significantly different (P = 0.006) at neutral condition of 26 °C. Specifically, TPs under neutral conditions were higher after a warmer thermal experience than after a cooler thermal experience. Under the same Ta, TSVs were significantly lower (P = 0.031) by approximately 0.5, when Ta ramping down compared to ramping up and stable warm conditions. The cheek temperature showed stronger correlations with TP and PANAS scores than with other body parts. The blood pressure was weakly correlated with TSV but exhibited a strong relationship with TP. Moreover, the TP and positive emotions exhibited strong negative correlations with wrist pulses and EEG at Theta (4–8 Hz). These findings offer insights into refining the prevailing thermal comfort models when considering dynamic thermal factors in shaping thermal perceptions.

Numerical modelling of different airbag folding patterns and their influence on occupant responses in frontal vehicle impact

This paper presented a procedure for airbag folding for the application in occupant safety studies and analysed the influence of different airbag folding patterns on the occupant severity in frontal impact. Airbags were folded in two patterns: zig-zag and top-roll, using two folding techniques: Initial Metric Method and Explicit Folding. The explicit folding was found to be more expensive in terms of preparation time. However, this approach provided more control over the whole folding process. The Initial Metric Method was more robust, however, it’s hard to apply for complex folding patterns. Deployments of airbags were validated against experimental data of pendulum tests. Those airbag models were applied to 2006 Ford F250 pickup truck. This vehicle was used for simulations of frontal vehicle impact where the 50th male Hybrid III crash test dummy was an occupant. Results of this simulation were compared with an actual test with a similar vehicle, under the same impact conditions. Results showed the head and chest accelerations were lower for top-roll folded airbag cases, however neck normal forces were higher compared to zig-zag folded airbag. The internal pressure in the early stage of deployment was 33% higher for the top-roll folded airbags.

Impact of Indoor Air Quality and Multi-domain Factors on Human Productivity and Physiological Responses: A Comprehensive Review

Indoor environmental quality (IEQ) significantly impacts human health, well-being, and productivity. However, a comprehensive and in-depth review of the combined effects of IAQ and other multi-domain factors on human productivity is lacking. There has not been any prior review that encapsulates the impact of multi-domain factors on productivity and physiological responses of occupants. To address this gap, this review paper investigates and highlights the impact of IAQ and multi-domain factors (thermal, visual, and acoustic) on human productivity and occupant well-being in the built environment. The review explores various research methods, including evaluation of human productivity and creativity, data collection, and physiological signal analysis. We also examined the interactions between IAQ and multi-domain factors, as well as strategies for optimizing productivity through integrated building design and smart systems. The key findings from this review reveal that IAQ significantly impacts human productivity and occupant well-being, with interactions between IAQ and other IEQ factors further impacting these effects. Despite advances in the field, there are several limitations and gaps in the current research methods and study designs, including small sample sizes, limited and insufficient experimental design and control, reliance on laboratory or simulated environments, lack of follow-up and long-term data, and lack of robust performance metrics. The review proposes future research directions, including specific applications, and follow-up work to address these limitations and further advance the understanding of IAQ and multi-domain factors in the built environment. The implications of this review for policy and practice include the need for holistic and integrated approaches to IAQ and IEQ management, with a focus on creating healthy and productive indoor environments. This review emphasizes the importance of considering the complex interplay between IAQ and multi-domain factors, as well as the potentials of adopting smart control systems and sustainable design strategies to optimize productivity and occupant well-being in the built environment. By addressing these critical issues, we can enhance the overall quality of life for building occupants and contribute to a more sustainable future.

Protecting occupant in autonomous vehicle accident with rotating seat and belt airbag

In autonomous vehicle, since that occupants no long need to operate the vehicle, they will have time to relax and entertain or communicate with other people. In order to improve the collision safety of the occupants who move freely and have different seat orientation angles in autonomous vehicle, a protection strategy based on the cooperative control of the rotating seat and belt airbag to avoid occupant injuries is proposed: in the pre-crash phase, the occupant on a rotated seat is repositioned into a close-to-standard frontal facing position, while the belt airbag deploys; in the crash phase, the fully deployed belt airbag cushions and absorbs occupant impact with the support of the occupant’s legs to reduce injury. Firstly, the current prediction time for unavoidable collisions in self-driving cars is about 350 ms, therefore, the airbag can be inflated by enlarging the inflation duration to reduce its impact during deployment. Due to the fixed installation position of the dashboard airbag, which cannot accompany the deficiency of seat movement, a new type of belt airbag is designed; Then, the simulation models of ±45° and ±90° seat orientation were established to study the injury mechanism and kinematic response of occupants with different seat orientations in frontal crashes; Finally, the simulation models of active rotating seat with belt airbag were established to study the kinematic response and injury risk of occupants with rotating seat and belt airbag protection strategy. The belt airbag with a capacity of 65 L developed in this paper could effectively protect occupants in a frontal collision at an inflation time of 200 ms and a total inflation mass of 31.4 g; The occupant safety strategy based on rotating seat and belt airbag can effectively reduce the risk of collision injury of occupants with different seat orientations in autonomous vehicle.

Scoping review of post occupancy evaluation of office buildings with focus on indoor environmental quality and productivity

Post occupancy evaluation (POE) is used widely to evaluate if a building performs as envisioned during the design phase, and more importantly, if the occupants feel healthy and well. The aim of the present study was to review the practices of post occupancy evaluation in office buildings and assess how they evaluated indoor environmental quality (IEQ) and productivity/performance. This was done using a systematic literature search process. A total of 136 papers summarising the findings of 116 studies were included. The studies were analysed according to study type, country, number of buildings, study purpose and objective, applied methods, indoor environmental quality parameters, occupant responses, and productivity/performance assessment. The findings suggest that there is no overall “one-size-fits-all” post occupancy evaluation protocol dominating the assessment of office buildings. The methods and practices varied between studies but questionnaires to the occupants were used consistently; many of the questionnaires were inspired by existing survey schemes. The assessed indoor environmental quality parameters also varied between studies and depended on the purpose of the specific study. Productivity or performance was evaluated in approximately 1/3 of the studies, primarily by self-reported assessment via the questionnaire. Major shortcomings identified were the uncertainties associated with the performance assessment, how to put the findings into practice, and how to assess the cost-benefit of the findings.

Lumbar and neck injuries of occupants in different reclining postures

PurposeWith the increasing level of automation in automobiles, the advent of autonomous vehicles has reduced the tendency of drivers and passengers to focus on the task of driving. The increasing automation in automobiles reduced the drivers' and passengers' focus on driving, which allowed occupants to choose a more relaxed and comfortable sitting position. Meanwhile, the occupant's sitting position went from a frontal, upright position to a more relaxed and reclined one, which resulted in the existing restraint systems cannot to keep occupants safe and secure. This study aimed to determine the effects of different reclining states on occupants' lumbar and neck injuries. MethodsThis is an original research on the field of automotive safety engineering. Occupants in different initial sitting positions (25°, 35°, 45°, and 55°) were adapted to changes in seat back angle and restraint systems and placed in the same frontal impact environment. Neck injury indexes, lumbar axial compression force and acceleration, as well as occupant dynamic response during the impact, were compared in different sitting positions. The injury response and kinematic characteristics of occupants in different reclining positions were analyzed by the control variable method. ResultsAs the sitting angle increased, the occupant's head acceleration decreased, and the forward-lean angle decreased. Occupants in the standard sitting position had the greatest neck injury, with an Nij of 0.95, and were susceptible to abbreviated injury scale 2+ cervical medullary injuries. As the seatback angle increased, the geometric position of the lumbar spine tended to be horizontal, and the impact load transmitted greater forces to the lumbar spine. The occupant's lumbar injury was greatest in the lying position, with a peak axial compression force on the lumbar region of 5.5 KN, which was 2.3 KN greater than in the standard sitting position. ConclusionThe study of occupant lumbar and neck injuries based on different recline states can provide a theoretical basis for optimizing lumbar evaluation indexes, which is conducive to the understanding of the lumbar injury mechanism and the comprehensive consideration of occupant safety protection.

Small Female Occupant Response in Reclined and Upright Seated Postures in Frontal Impacts.

The objective of this study was to compare the kinematics of the head-neck, torso, pelvis, and lower extremities and document injuries and their patterns to small female occupants in frontal impacts with upright and reclined postures using an experimental model. Six postmortem human surrogates (PMHS) with a mean stature of 154 ± 9.0 cm and mass of 49 ± 12 kg were equally divided between upright and reclined groups (seatback: 25 deg and 45 deg), restrained by a three-point integrated belt, positioned on a semirigid seat, and exposed to low and moderate crash velocities (15 km/h and 32 km/h respectively). The response between the upright and reclined postures was similar in magnitude and curve morphology. While none of the differences were statistically significant, the thoracic spine demonstrated increased downward (+Z) displacement, and the head demonstrated an increased horizontal (+X) displacement for the reclined occupants. In contrast, the upright occupants showed a slightly increased downward (+Z) displacement at the head, but the torso displaced primarily along the +X direction. The posture angles between the two groups were similar at the pelvis and different at the thorax and head. At 32 km/h, both cohorts exhibited multiple rib failure, with upright specimens having a greater number of severe fractures. Although MAIS was the same in both groups, the upright specimens had more bi-cortical rib fractures, suggesting the potential for pneumothorax. This preliminary study may be useful in validating physical (ATDs) and computational (HBMs) surrogates.

Methods for Selecting Design Alternatives through Integrated Analysis of Energy Performance of Buildings and the Physiological Responses of Occupants

We propose a technique that allows designers to develop energy-efficient buildings focused on occupants from the early design stage. The technique integrates the physiological responses of occupants and the energy performance of buildings. Among the architectural design elements, we considered the aspect ratio, ceiling height, and window-to-wall ratio as design variables and created 30 design alternatives for a single-occupancy room in a postpartum care center. These design alternatives were recreated in virtual reality, allowing 33 female participants to immerse themselves in the designed rooms. During the experiment, we collected electroencephalography (EEG) data from the participants. Furthermore, we used DesignBuilder to simulate 30 design alternatives and calculated the primary energy consumption per unit area for each alternative. By integrating the EEG data and energy performance analysis, we identified the design alternative among the 30 options that positively influenced the physiological responses of occupants while also being energy efficient. The selected alternative was designed with an aspect ratio of 1:1.6, a ceiling height of 2.3 m, and a window-to-wall ratio of 60%. This research represents a creative exploration that demonstrates how studies combining human physiological responses and architecture can evolve through integration with other subjects. Our findings provide a robust framework to explore the relationship between physiological responses and energy optimization for detailed architectural design elements.

Predicting occupant head displacements in evasive maneuvers; tuning and comparison of a rotational based and a translational based neck muscle controller.

Objective: Real-life car crashes are often preceded by an evasive maneuver, which can alter the occupant posture and muscle state. To simulate the occupant response in such maneuvers, human body models (HBMs) with active muscles have been developed. The aim of this study was to implement an omni-directional rotational head-neck muscle controller in the SAFER HBM and compare the bio-fidelity of the HBM with a rotational controller to the HBM with a translational controller, in simulations of evasive maneuvers. Methods: The rotational controller was developed using an axis-angle representation of head rotations, with x, y, and z components in the axis. Muscle load sharing was based on rotational direction in the simulation and muscle activity recorded in three volunteer experiments in these directions. The gains of the rotational and translational controller were tuned to minimize differences between translational and rotational head displacements of the HBM and volunteers in braking and lane change maneuvers using multi-objective optimizations. Bio-fidelity of the model with tuned controllers was evaluated objectively using CORrelation and Analysis (CORA). Results: The results indicated comparable performance for both controllers after tuning, with somewhat higher bio-fidelity for rotational kinematics with the translational controller. After tuning, good or excellent bio-fidelity was indicated for both controllers in the loading direction (forward in braking, and lateral in lane change), with CORA scores of 0.86-0.99 and 0.93-0.98 for the rotational and translational controllers, respectively. For rotational displacements, and translational displacements in the other directions, bio-fidelity ranged from poor to excellent, with slightly higher average CORA scores for the HBM with the translational controller in both braking and lane changing. Time-averaged muscle activity was within one standard deviation of time-averaged muscle activity from volunteers. Conclusion: Overall, the results show that when tuned, both the translational and rotational controllers can be used to predict the occupant response to an evasive maneuver, allowing for the inclusion of evasive maneuvers prior to a crash in evaluation of vehicle safety. The rotational controller shows potential in controlling omni-directional head displacements, but the translational controller outperformed the rotational controller. Thus, for now, the recommendation is to use the translational controller with tuned gains.

Multidimensional psychoacoustic grading method for road traffic noise

Road traffic noise is well accepted to be one of the significant sources of environmental noise. The traditional norms of noise evaluation are mainly focused on the noise level and the loudness sensation of occupants. However, researchers found that human perceptions of sounds are multidimensional psychological processes in the perceptual dimensions about the human general judgment (Evaluation, E), sensitivity to the magnitude (Potency, P), and sensation of the temporal and spectral compositions (Activity, A) of noise. After that, a valid, reliable, and applicable psychometric tool called Psychoacoustics Perception Scale (PPS) is designed to assess the multidimensional perceptual responses of occupants in the environment. This study aimed to investigate the performance of the psychoacoustic metrics and the PPS in evaluating the objective characterizes and the subjective perceptual influence of road traffic noise on occupants, respectively. The results of the study showed that the gradings of the noise obtained from the PPS were associated with changes of the objective characterizes of the road traffic noise. These findings provided knowledge on the development of multidimensional psychoacoustic grading method for road traffic noise in future.