Cost effectiveness of construction noise abatement

Abstract

The U. S. Army Corps of Engineers Construction Engineering Research Laboratory has sponsored research to determine the cost benefit relationships for Army housing construction noise abatement. Before these cost benefit relationships could be obtained, realistic analytical models of construction site noise emissions were developed. The models were compared with noise measurements of construction activity at Fort Hood, Texas. Data comparing the construction noise model with noise measurements for different phases of construction are presented and discussed. The construction noise models are used together with proposed acceptability criteria to quantify the degree of noise abatement required at Fort Hood, Texas. Data were obtained and are presented for the costs of various construction equipment and site noise abatement methods required to achieve property-line or noise-sensitive land-use criteria sound levels. Preliminary noise-abatement cost benefit relationships are presented.