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Description
Noise barriers have been widely constructed as a common measure for mitigating road traffic noise. However, their effectiveness has often been evaluated primarily in terms of sound pressure level reduction, using LAeq,15 min. and the estimated reduction using simulated values, with less attention given to other acoustic characteristics or long-term performance. To address this gap, this study investigates the acoustic characteristics along a primary road before, during and after noise barrier construction over a six-month period at 20 measurement locations, including noise levels, noise events, and Artificial Intelligence estimated sound sources. The measurement locations were grouped according to their distance from the main road to assess the spatial effectiveness of the barriers. By comparing phased measurements across locations and periods, with additional analysis of temporal variations, specifically between daytime and nighttime and between workdays and non-workdays, this study identifies how the barrier influenced different dimensions of the acoustic environment beyond simple attenuation. The findings provide empirical support for traffic noise mitigation strategies and suggest that the effects of noise barriers can be more comprehensively understood by considering a multi-metric acoustic assessment in broader soundscape characteristics.