ACOUSTIC PERFORMANCE OF AN INTERFERENCE-TYPE NOISE-BARRIER PROFILE

Abstract Full-scale tests of the acoustical performance are reported on a sound-interference-type barrier profile which has been added to an existing noise barrier used for screening traffic noise. The device was modelled mathematically using the boundary element method approach and comparisons are made between predicted and measured insertion losses. It is concluded that when the additional height of the barrier is taken into account the device provides an estimated gain in average screening performance of 1.9 dB(A) of which 0.7 dB(A) is considered to be due to an interference effect. The remainder is due to the diffraction occurring at the two edges of the device.