Influence of using low-noise pavements on residents’ perception of road noise protection

Abstract

• Noise reduction directly improves the health and well-being of residents. • Use of low-noise pavements has a noticeable effect on the acoustic climate. • Noise reduction methods that do not alter the existing landscape are most desirable. • Increased resident satisfaction strongly depends on the noise reduction value. This paper presents an assessment of the effectiveness of low-noise road pavements, as well as impressions of the inhabitants concerning the influence of this solution on their comfort of life. Residents were surveyed before and after the new pavements were installed to determine their subjective opinion of the change in acoustic impact caused by traffic. Moreover, a high annoyance index was used to illustrate the impact of noise reduction on the health of people living in areas adjacent to the analysed road sections. The aim of this study is to compare the subjective perception of noise reduction by residents due to the use of low-noise pavements with the objective form of assessment, which is the analysis of the high annoyance index and the value of road noise reduction. The results obtained show a significant improvement in the subjective perception of the residents after the implementation of the new pavements.