HOW ASPHALT PAVEMENTS MITIGATE TIRE-PAVEMENT NOISE

This article examines how asphalt surfaces can be a cost-effective method for reducing traffic noise. The basics of noise control are first discussed, including how a logarithmic scale is used to represent sound levels in decibels, with the notation dB(A) used to represent the noise level preceived by the human ear. Distance and barriers are two common methods for reducing noise levels, but both have their advantages and disadvantages. European counteris have taken a very proactive stance towards using pavement surface type as a noise mitigation strategy. A chart gives an overview of the various studies that have been conducted by state agencies, indicating which surface types were evaluated, and the general conclusions that were reached. The article also includes references to recent success stories of field research projects investigating the use of pavement surface type as a noise mitigation strategy. The most common surface types that have been studied include: dense-graded hot-mix asphalt (HMA), open- graded asphalt friction course (OGFC), portland cement concrete (PCC) and stome matrix asphalt (SMA).