ACOUSTIC PERFORMANCE OF NEW DESIGNS OF TRAFFIC NOISE BARRIERS: FULL SCALE TESTS

Full scale tests of acoustical performance are reported on a range of promising traffic noise barrier shapes which had previously been identified by mathematical and scale modelling work. The designs chosen for testing were T-shaped, multiple edge barriers and double barriers. A test facility was established at the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) in order to examine effectiveness under full scale conditions. This consisted of a 20 m length of noise barrier with interchangeable barrier panels, a large flat asphalt surface and a transportable speaker system capable of sufficient output to represent typical traffic noise. Screening performance was measured up to 80 m behind the barriers over a flat grassland area and at heights above the ground of 1.5 and 4.5 m. It was concluded that the average increase in acoustic screening of 2 m high T-shaped, multiple edge and double barriers compared with a simple plane reflecting barrier of identical overall height ranged from 1.4 to 3.6 dB(A) depending on detailed design. It was suggested that a full scale test of a promising design should be carried out at a suitable highway location in order to validate fully these test results. (a)

• 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:
  • WATTS, G R
  • CROMBIE, D H
  • HOTHERSALL, D C
• Publication Date: 1994-10-27

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: p. 289-305
• Serial:
  • Journal of Sound and Vibration
  • Volume: 177
  • Issue Number: 3
  • Publisher: Elsevier
  • ISSN: 0022-460X
  • EISSN: 1095-8568
  • Serial URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/0022460X

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Design; Mathematical models; Noise; Noise barriers; Performance
• Uncontrolled Terms: Decreases
• Subject Areas: Design; Environment; Highways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00670086
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: TRL
• Files: ITRD
• Created Date: Dec 23 1994 12:00AM