Effects of apartment building facade and balcony design on the reduction of exterior noise

The effects of building facade and balcony design on the reduction of exterior noise were investigated by measuring the noise from traffic at an apartment complex located by a road side as well as the sound field characteristics of an area surrounded by four apartment buildings. The efficiency of different balcony forms for reducing exterior noise was determined using a 1:50 scale model and a single spark source. It was found that parapets were more effective in reducing exterior noise than lintels. Based on the measurements of the parapet used for this study and the absorptive materials in the scale model, a maximum noise reduction of 23 dB was obtained. Lastly, a computer simulation was conducted in order to predict the noise reduction level of lintels and parapets. The results of the simulation were compared to the results of the scale model test. Our results indicate that this method of exterior noise reduction can be useful in high-rise buildings where tall barriers cannot be built. (C) 2006 Published by Elsevier Ltd.