Determining End Limits of Quieter Pavement Projects

Ongoing work in the area of tire pavement–acoustics has definitively determined that there can be a significant variation of noise levels between the loudest and quietest pavements. With the use of the onboard sound intensity (OBSI) measurement procedure, it has also been determined that tire–pavement noise is highly correlated to the overall traffic noise levels, especially when traffic is flowing at freeway speeds. OBSI presents road agencies with a potential new tool for lowering traffic noise levels by using quieter pavements. Changing from a loud or old and raveled pavement to a newer, smoother, lower noise pavement can yield acoustic benefits to roadside communities or “receivers.” The decrease in noise level depends on the difference between OBSI levels of the existing pavement and the selected quieter pavement, and the magnitude of this decrease may also be influenced by vehicle mix. After the decision to use a quieter pavement has been made, the end limits for the pavement must be determined. The problem is somewhat similar to deciding where to terminate a sound wall relative to the location of the roadside receivers. This analysis determined that the quiet pavement end limits were less sensitive to variation in typical roadway cross sections, somewhat sensitive to the distance between the receiver and the roadway and where the quiet pavement terminates, and very sensitive to the absolute differences between the noisier and quieter pavements.

• Record URL:
  https://doi.org/10.3141/2233-17
• Summary URL:
  http://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=Determining+End+Limits+of+Quieter+Pavement+Projects&author=B.+Rymer&author=P.+Donavan&publication_year=2011
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/166402.aspx
• Authors:
  • Rymer, Bruce
  • Donavan, Paul R
• Publication Date: 2011

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References;
• Pagination: pp 145-151
• Monograph Title: Environment 2011
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board
  • Issue Number: 2233
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Location; Pavement design; Sound level; Tire/pavement noise; Traffic noise
• Identifier Terms: On Board Sound Intensity
• Uncontrolled Terms: Quiet pavements
• Subject Areas: Design; Environment; Highways; Pavements; I15: Environment; I22: Design of Pavements, Railways and Guideways; I23: Properties of Road Surfaces;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01333857
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 9780309167499
• Report/Paper Numbers: 11-3737
• Files: PRP, TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Mar 22 2011 10:35AM