THE ROLE OF VEGETATION IN THE MECHANISMS OF ABSORPTION AND ACOUSTIC ISOLATION

The article explores the possibility of reducing the negative effects of anthropic noise pollution, originating from human activities in the area, acting on a target, which can be placed either outdoor (courtyard, private garden) or indoor (interiors of a building). In this regard, the technical literature – especially the one specializing in Environmental Design – recommends creating “green barriers”, ie consisting of plants capable of reducing sound pressure on users: the presence of foliage would oppose the propagation of the mechanical wave generated by the source, consequently reducing the acoustic impact. In other words, the strategic choice of placing plants, the selection of tree species according to their height and the geometry of branches and leaves, allows reducing the acoustic load on the target, with obvious positive effects on user comfort. However, it is difficult to find an estimate of the reduction obtained by introducing green into a project: the proposed work focuses precisely on the quantitative data, trying to establish the real impact on the project. The acoustic signal reduction will be evaluated using the procedures described in ISO 9623-2: 1996, in order to numerically quantify the effects of the analyzed design solutions.