Quiet concrete pavement surfaces.

Abstract

For the last 5 years, a comprehensive evaluation has been conducted on hundreds of concrete pavement surfaces throughout the US, Canada, andEurope. These data have been synthesized in a manner that allows the highway industry to make important decisions about how best to design and construct concrete pavements to reduce tire‐pavement noise levels without compromising other important aspects such as durability, safety, and cost. While a significant amount of variability is present in the data, clear trends have been identified. Some surfaces, such as diamond grinding, appear to be among the best alternatives available today for reducing tire‐pavement noise. Meanwhile, recent trials of more unconventional surfaces have yielded mixed results. In the end, the techniques for concrete pavement surfacing today include a vast array of choices. The selection of the best surface for the particular job can now be made more confidently given this improved understanding of the potential impacts due to tire‐pavement noise.