The complexity of sound environment contributing to acoustic comfort in urban intermodal transit spaces

The urban intermodal transit spaces have mixed spatial forms, linking different transport modes and surrounding urban spaces in this area such as castles, public squares, commercial area, residential area, historic area, lanes and roads. The inside mixed functions are representative and commonly found in urban transit spaces, such as platforms, waiting area, café, bars, restaurants, shops, money changing center, information board, chemist, toilet/shower, etc. Meanwhile, it has attracted a wide range of passengers and citizens, this indicates that the building is likely to have a complex acoustic environment. Previous studies have focused on reduce people's exposure to excessive sound levels from transportation, more research is needed on people's appeasement and psychophysical well-being. This study is able to explore the complexity of sound environment contributing to health and better quality of sounds perception in urban intermodal transit spaces. On-site measurements were performed at a case study site in Vienna, and an acoustic comfort survey was simultaneously conducted. It was observed that in the interior spaces increases the complexity of the sound sources type, the subjective loudness are increased, meanwhile the sound comfort level decreases. Regarding the effect of different zones on the sound environment and acoustic perception, people's influence on the acoustic environment and acoustic perception in different areas is subjectively, depends on the types of the sound sources.