Performance of a motorway noise barrier at Heston

Abstract

This paper reports on the performance and costs of a 300 m long experimental noise barrier erected alongside an elevated section of the M4 motorway to protect existing two-storey housing which is as close as 20 m to the motorway. Measured reductions in L 10 values, at the façades of these dwellings, were around 8 dB(A) at first floor windows and around 4 dB(A) at ground floor windows. These measured reductions were based on the levels with no barrier but with some screening due to the elevation of the road. A wooden fence in the barrier position at the start of the experiment gave reductions of about 3 dB(A) at the façades of the nearby houses. The subjective impressions of the occupants showed a markedly favourable overall reaction to the change from the wooden fence to the experimental noise barrier. A reduction in the variability of the received noise levels from the partially screened situation without a barrier to the screened situation was found. There was no significant increase in noise levels for positions on the opposite side of the motorway.