This paper examines the effectiveness of water features in masking noise and improving the soundscape, when used over road traffic noise. The work focused on identifying how appropriate sound pressure levels can be achieved from a variety of water sounds generated by small to medium sized features (waterfalls, fountains, jets, a cascade and a natural stream). Sound pressure levels were calculated using standard propagation models and sound maps were developed for a 20 m × 20 m grid representative of a garden/park area. Maps displaying three acoustic zones were also created (‘water sound dominant’, ‘optimum’ and ‘road traffic noise dominant’ zones) for a wide range of road traffic noise levels (‘optimum’ = water sounds similar or not less than 3 dB below the road traffic noise level). Results showed that most small to medium sized water features (individual or combined features) could be used in environments where road traffic noise levels are equal or lower than 65 dBA, with larger optimum zones typically achieved for lower road traffic noise levels, and with a linear decrease of the optimum zone’s width with road traffic noise level. Fountains with multiple upward jets, cascades and waterfalls with an edge made of small holes, tended to be most effective in improving the soundscape over road traffic noise levels ranging 40–65 dBA. Natural shallow streams, which tend to be very highly rated for relaxation, were only effective for road traffic noise levels of 40–55 dBA. Furthermore, waterfalls with plain and sawtooth edges and single narrow jets masked a wider range of road traffic noise levels (40–70 dBA), but previous research has shown that these tend not to be preferred compared to other water generated sounds.

中文翻译：

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水景声音映射设计用于道路交通噪音以改善声景

本文研究了水景在用于掩盖道路交通噪音时掩盖噪音和改善声景的有效性。这项工作的重点是确定如何从中小型特征（瀑布、喷泉、喷射、瀑布和自然溪流）产生的各种水声中获得适当的声压级。使用标准传播模型计算声压级，并为代表花园/公园区域的 20 m × 20 m 网格开发声音图。还创建了显示三个声学区域的地图（“水声主导”、“最佳”和“道路交通噪声主导”区域），以适应各种道路交通噪声水平（“最佳”=水声相似或不低于 3 dB）低于道路交通噪声水平）。结果表明，大多数中小型水景（单个或组合水景）可用于道路交通噪声水平等于或低于 65 dBA 的环境，通常可以实现较大的最佳区域以降低道路交通噪声水平，并且具有最佳区域宽度随道路交通噪声水平线性减小。具有多个向上喷流、瀑布和边缘由小孔制成的瀑布的喷泉往往能够最有效地改善 40-65 dBA 的道路交通噪音水平的声景。天然浅溪往往非常适合放松，但仅对 40-55 dBA 的道路交通噪音水平有效。此外，具有平坦和锯齿边缘的瀑布以及单个狭窄的喷流掩盖了更广泛的道路交通噪音水平（40-70 dBA），但之前的研究表明，与其他水产生的声音相比，这些往往不是首选。