Development of a Trailer to Measure the Noise Generated at the Interface between Tire and Pavement Surface

Abstract

Abstract Noise pollution is another environmental pollutant to be formally recognized as an actual threat to human health and the quality of life. The growth in noise pollution is unsustainable because it involves direct and cumulative adverse health effects. Pavement characteristics are one of the important factors affecting noise generation and propagation. The selection of an appropriate pavement mixture or texture with the proper maintenance efforts is the best method to control the main cause of pavement noise. Therefore, the major objective of this research study was to develop a methodology to evaluate tire-pavement noise. Other objectives were investigating the effect of the pavement surface characteristics on the generation and propagation of the noise of asphalt concrete (AC) and portland cement concrete (PCC) at varying traffic speeds, and finally the development of a statistical model for prediction tire-pavement noise at varying traffic speeds. Field noise measurements were performed using a noise trailer developed in this study and attached to the parent vehicle. Overall, PCC sections with higher skid resistance and lower average texture depth produced the highest noise levels compared with the conventional AC sections; PCC type had an average difference of about 1 dB(A) compared with the AC pavement. The presence of surface distress led to increasing the tire-pavement noise level by 7 dB(A). There were increments of about 1 dB(A) and 7 dB(A) to change vehicle speed from 20 to 40 km/h and from 40 to 60 km/h, respectively. Regarding the measurement period effect on the tire-pavement noise level, tire-pavement noise had an increment of about 7 dB(A) during daytime compared with night.