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Description
In outdoor sound propagation simulations, geometric modeling often focuses on large-scale features, while small roadside structures are neglected or simplified. For vehicle noise sources located close to the ground, roadside structures of similar height can modify the sound field and become perceptually relevant. Therefore, it can be important to consider in auralization, as it allows for listening to simulated scenarios by filtering an audio source signal through sound propagation effects. This contribution investigates the effects, different curb shapes introduce to the sound field emitted by road vehicles. The results show that curb geometry can have perceptual relevance for the auralization filters, which is discussed based on the psychoacoustic metrics loudness and sharpness. The effect size depends not only on curb shape but also on source–receiver configuration. Curb modeling may therefore improve perceptual realism for low-height traffic noise sources.