Author: Lloyd Allen Herman

Publisher:

Published: 2000

Total Pages: 212

ISBN-13:

Traffic noise mitigation strategies are developed by considering the source, path, and receiver of the noise. Within the United States, strategies involving the path of traffic noise have dominated noise abatement efforts on Federal and State levels. As a result, many miles of barriers have been constructed to shield affected receivers from traffic noise. Strategies aimed at reducing the source of traffic noise are appealing in light of the potential for reducing these abatement costs. Vehicle noise has been divided into six noise-producing components: engine, fan, intake, exhaust, drive train, and tires. Due to market forces, vehicle manufacturers have been motivated in recent years to reduce the noise generated by these components. As progress has been made by manufacturers to reduce the noise emitted by the various sub-sources within motor vehicles, tire/road noise has emerged as the dominant component of traffic noise for speeds greater than 35-40 mph. Recent European studies have concluded that tire/road noise levels vary substantially according to pavement type [Herman and Bowlby 1993].