| Popis: |
The distinction between noise and sound is mainly based on the discomfort of the latter, the noise being perceived as a negative sensation, while sounds are generally perceived as being pleasant. Noise and noise pollution are practically identical terms. Noise pollution is the exposure of humans and / or animals to sounds whose frequencies and intensities are harmful, affecting the auditory system, inducing stress or other instant or long term effects on the physical and mental health. For too recently, it has been recognized that noise can really have a dangerous effect on health. Urban noise is directly related to the types of human activities, being strongly influenced by population density, but also depends on urban architecture, i.e. the distribution of buildings and road network. One should keep in mind that traffic is an important noise source. Another such source is given by construction works which, even if discontinuous, when they are active, they induce serious sound discomfort and even worse. On the other side, the distribution of open and green spaces also influences the propagation of sounds, their reflection and absorption, factors that are too little analyzed in small and mediumsized developing cities. Such a combination of noise pollution factors and aspects that allow the dispersion of sounds is analyzed in this study in the case of Galati, a mediumsized city in Romania. Measurements of the sound intensity level were performed on several days and at different times, in areas with different urban architecture and noise sources, analyzing the connection between them as also related to the rhythm of human activities. |
