Unifying low and high-frequency noise mitigation: A novel dual noise barrier approach

Abstract

Road highways and urban areas often employ noise barriers to shield residential areas from excessive traffic noise. Despite continuous efforts, developing materials for noise barriers that can effectively mitigate noise across a wide frequency range is still a challenge. Specifically, creating a single material capable of attenuating both low and high-frequency noise has proven to be a daunting task. Current practices incorporate porous materials for absorbing low-frequency noise at specific locations. To address this limitation and offer a technique for traffic noise reduction, this research proposes a novel approach utilizing two hindrances: pores for low-frequency and bristles for high-frequency sound waves. An ANSYS Harmonic Acoustic module simulation was conducted to assess the proposed technique's effectiveness. The simulation encompassed geometry definition, material selection, boundary condition constraints, meshing, and analysis. The results indicate a significant reduction in noise at high frequencies (16 000 Hz) of approximately 30 dB, decreasing from 101.4 to 68.1 dB. This demonstration showcases the potential of a staggered arrangement of bristles and pores to handle a wide range of frequency content and effectively mitigate both low and high-frequency traffic noise. The novel dual noise barrier approach offers a promising solution to combat diverse traffic noise challenges, providing a more peaceful soundscape for urban residents.