Soundscape Assessment of Naghshe-Jahan Square in Isfahan via Analysis of Sound Source Frequency Domain

Subject Areas : Architecture and urbanism

abbas ghaffari ¹ , nasrin mohsen haghighi ² , Mohsen Dadkhah ³

1 - Assistant Professor, Faculty of Architecture and Urban Studies, Tabriz Islamic Art Univercity, Tabriz, Iran *(Corresponding Authors)
2 - Ph.D. Student, Urban Studies, Faculty of Architecture and Urban Studies, Tabriz Islamic Art University, Tabriz, Iran
3 - M.A., Urban Design, Faculy of Architecture and Urban Studies, Art University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran

Received: 2017-10-28 Accepted : 2018-09-18 Published : 2020-07-22

Keywords: phonic Quality, Urban space, Soundscape, Frequency Range,

Abstract :

Background and Objective: Soundscape as one of the non-visual aspects of urban landscape requires assessment and redesign that needs evaluation of soundscape and identification of problematic areas and then taking the action according to the precise assessments. Naghshe-Jahan square as an urban space that embraces people from different ages and social groups should be assessed in terms of soundscape quality. Method: The research aimed at assessment of the soundscape quality of Naghshe-Jahan square through frequency classification in octave band. St-8851 sound meter was used for field assessments. 429 points in grid mode was assessed and logarithmic sum of low, mid and high frequency bands was calculated and presented in the form of GIS maps with precise spatial coordinates. Findings: By examining the frequency spectrum of single noise sources, different audio domains in the field were determined based on high, mid and low frequency bands. Discussion and Conclusion: Results showed that in the low frequencies, the alignment map was almost homogeneous. At mid frequencies, the pass of horses around the central pool and the entrance of the Qaisariyye Bazar were of high levels, indicating the density of the mid-frequency sound sources, such as human sounds. In high frequencies only the vehicle and gharry paths and water bodies had high sound pressure levels due to the concentration of sound sources with friquencies higher than the 4000 Hz. Finally, strategies and policies were introduced based on the results.

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