HIGHWAY NOISE BARRIER PERCEIVED BENEFIT

A laboratory experiment was performed in which 82 subjects judged the benefit of a noise barrier by listening to tape recordings of before-barrier and after-barrier traffic noise. These perceived benefit judgements were related to regression analysis to the barrier attenuation, the before-barrier traffic sound level, and a music background level, all of which were varied over the course of the experiment. Prediction equations were developed for barrier benefit in terms of these sound levels, their purpose being to provide a model for barrier benefit that can be used in barrier site selection and design. An unexpected finding was that barrier benefit was highest when before-barrier sound levels were lowest: ie, subjects preferred a noise barrier that solved a moderate noise problem over an equally-attenuating barrier that only partially solved A more severe noise problem. (Author/TRRL)

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/0022460X
• Corporate Authors:

  Academic Press Incorporated

  24-28 Oval Road
  London NW1 7DX,   England 
• Authors:
  • MAY, D N
  • Osman, M M
• Publication Date: 1980-5-22

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 153-165
• Serial:
  • Journal of Sound and Vibration
  • Volume: 70
  • Issue Number: 2
  • Publisher: Elsevier
  • ISSN: 0022-460X
  • EISSN: 1095-8568
  • Serial URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/0022460X

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Before and after studies; Benefits; Design; Economic efficiency; Equations; Forecasting; Laboratory studies; Location; Mathematical models; Noise barriers; Regression analysis; Sound absorption; Sound level; Tests; Traffic noise
• Uncontrolled Terms: Attenuation; Efficiency; Selection
• ITRD Terms: 9148: Before and after study; 9011: Design (overall design); 5911: Efficiency; 132: Forecast; 6473: Mathematical model; 2886: Noise barrier; 9072: Selection; 6747: Sound level; 6255: Test
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Design; Economics; Environment; Highways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00324783
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Sep 16 1981 12:00AM