Understanding the perception of floor impact sounds in apartment buildings



Park, Sang Hee ORCID: 0000-0002-1476-2378
Understanding the perception of floor impact sounds in apartment buildings. Master of Philosophy thesis, University of Liverpool.

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Abstract

This thesis considered the perception of floor impact sounds in apartment buildings and focused on relationships between non-acoustic factors and annoyance caused by floor impact sounds. Firstly, a qualitative study was conducted to investigate exposure to floor impact sounds. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 residents in apartments in South Korea using a grounded theory methodology. These data were analysed using three coding phases; several key themes were identified and grouped into five categories. Two major noise sources (heavy-weight and light-weight impact source) were grouped together with retaliatory noise under the category of ‘noise exposure’. Different ways to manage noise exposure or cope with negative noise perceptions were categorised under ‘coping’. Health issues and concerns were grouped together under ‘health effects’. ‘Intervening conditions’ were identified and non-acoustic variables in this category included attitudes to authorities and neighbours, noise sensitivity, past experience, and dwelling satisfaction. A conceptual model was proposed to give an overview of how residents perceive and react to floor impact sounds. Secondly, a quantitative study was performed to empirically test the findings of the qualitative study. Survey questions were developed based on a literature review of studies on environmental noise and the findings from the qualitative study. A conceptual model was hypothesised and tested using structural equation modelling. Relationships between non-acoustic factors (noise sensitivity, disturbance, health complaints, coping, negative attitudes to authorities, and closeness with neighbours) and annoyance caused by floor impact sounds were tested using path analysis. The impacts of moderators on the perceptions and reactions to floor impact sounds were examined using two different tests. Noise from footsteps increased the direct impact size of noise sensitivity on perceived disturbance. Empathy, past experience, and dwelling satisfaction were also found to have moderation effects on the relationship between negative attitudes to authorities and coping. A positive relationship was found between annoyance and avoidant coping which was influenced by the moderators of negative attitudes to authorities and neighbours. Findings from path analysis and moderation tests supported and extended the previous findings of environmental noise studies and the qualitative study.

Item Type: Thesis (Master of Philosophy)
Additional Information: Date: 2015-07-27 (completed)
Depositing User: Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited: 14 Jan 2016 16:26
Last Modified: 17 Dec 2022 01:54
DOI: 10.17638/02025863
URI: https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/2025863