Effects of Road Components and Roadside Vegetation on Temperature Reduction in Seoul Considering Air, Wet-Bulb Globe, and Surface Temperatures

Hyejin Cho ()
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Hyejin Cho: Department of Highway and Transportation Research, Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology, 283, Goyangdae-Ro, Ilsanseo-Gu, Kyounggi-Do, Goyang-si 10223, Republic of Korea

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 24, 1-12

Abstract: Urbanization has resulted in high temperatures in cities, which are exacerbated by an increase in urban impervious surfaces (road space). This study investigated the effect of urban road characteristics on roadside temperature. Different temperature indices were measured at four sites in Seoul with different road designs by using weather measuring devices and infrared thermal cameras. The differences between air and roadside air temperatures decreased from site 1 (no vegetation) to site 4 (roadside trees and vegetated medians). The analysis results showed that roadside wet-bulb globe and surface thermal temperatures sensitively changed according to road characteristics, unlike air temperature. The lowest temperatures were consistently observed at site 4. This cooling tendency was the strongest in the afternoon, which indicates the effectiveness of vegetation for preventing the commonly observed temperature rise in the afternoon. That is, roadside trees and vegetation in the median strip can prevent temperature rise and contribute to urban temperature reduction. Therefore, more roadside trees and median planting, as well as taller trees and denser vegetation along roads, can be used to provide a greater reduction of roadside temperatures and to improve urban climates.

Keywords: urban road design; roadside air temperature; wet-bulb globe temperature; surface temperature; roadside vegetation; median planting (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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