Austrian experience with the backing board method for statistical pass‐by measurements

Abstract

Traffic noise is one of the major environmental concerns within the countries of the European Union. 80 to 90% of the traffic noise pollution is generated by road traffic. The major part of the noise emitted by vehicles on roads in the mid‐ to high‐speed range is nowadays due to tyre/road noise. It is generated by the interaction between tyre and road surface, and therefore the measurement of the typical noise emission is essential for the classification of pavements with regard to noise. The SPB method (Statistical Pass‐By, ISO 11819‐1) is nowadays the most widely used method to characterise road surfaces, but it is difficult to apply especially in the presence of roadside noise barriers. The backing board method, further developed within the EU Project SILENCE in the past years, offers a possibility to measure and to characterise surfaces also close to reflective objects and in urban environments. This paper describes the first Austrian experimental experience with the application of this variant of the SPB method.