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Tire-Pavement Noise Home Page

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  1. FHWA Policy and Activities
    1. FHWA Office of Pavement Technology
    2. FHWA Highway Traffic Noise
    3. FHWA Tire/Pavement Noise 101 Workshops
    4. FHWA Tire-Pavement Noise Strategic Planning Workshops
    5. FHWA/AASHTO International Technology Scan - Quiet Pavement Systems

      FHWA/AASHTO sponsored U.S. delegates to visit European nations to investigate and document state-of-the-practice in design, construction, maintenance, and monitoring of quiet pavement systems and to identify new and innovative practices

    6. FHWA Expert Task Group

      The FHWA Expert Task Group (ETG) was a recommendation that came out of the 2004 FHWA Tire-Pavement Noise Strategic Planning Workshop. The purpose of the ETG is to establish and help guide tire/pavement noise measurements in the U.S. The primary purpose of the measurement guidance is to identify goal-based measurement methodologies and encourage consistency of the application of each type of methodology throughout the U.S.

      The ETG has been charged with the following tasks:

      1. Develop provisional standards for consideration by AASHTO for measurement of tire/pavement noise. This may include the possible writing of a provisional standard, adapting an existing standard, or the adoption of an existing standard for tire/pavement noise for:
        • Source Measurement Methodologies: On-board Sound Intensity (OBSI) and/or Close Proximity (CPX) methodologies
        • Wayside Measurement Methodologies: time-averaged and/or statistical pass-by methodologies
        • Pavement Noise Absorption Measurement Methodologies: impedance tube testing, impulse response measurement - extended surface and /or ground impedance using effective flow resistivity methodologies

          Although provisional standards are being developed, at this time FHWA is not endorsing any particular methodology for measuring tire/pavement noise.

      2. Coordinate with international groups and various practitioners in the U.S. to advance measurement methods and establish the correlation between various types of measurements.
      3. Promote implementation of provisional standards by practitioners.
      4. Evaluate and refine the provisional standards to facilitate adoption as full standards

        Although AASHTO provisional standards will be developed for several measurement methodologies, the ETG decided to look at the OBSI methodology first. As of June 2006, the first version of a draft AASHTO provisional standard for the OBSI methodology has since gone through several revisions based on input from ETG members, TRB ADC40 members, and others. The standard is currently divided into two parts: equipment specification and standard practice. The ETG will review the latest drafts once they are distributed.

  2. Transportation Pooled Fund Project (TPF):

    TPF-5(135): Tire/Pavement Noise Research Consortium

    This TPF is the result of the April 2006 FHWA Tire-Pavement Noise Strategic Planning Workshop and be being hosted by the Washington State DOT. The objectives of this research are to provide a forum for states to discuss tire/pavement noise issues and develop a proposed research plan and to pool resources and efforts of multiple state agencies and industry to perform tire/pavement noise research in a similar manner (avoiding duplication) and sharing of data.

  3. State DOT Policy and Activities:
    1. Arizona DOT Noise Homepage
      Arizona DOT Quiet Pavement Pilot Program
    2. Caltrans Noise and Vibration Studies
      Pavement Standards Program
      Quieter Pavement
    3. Colorado DOT Noise Assessment and Abatement Program
      Colorado DOT Tire/Pavement Noise Study, 2004 (2004-5)
      Colorado DOT Tire/Pavement and Environmental Traffic Noise Research Study, 2008 (PDF - 13.81Mb)
    4. Florida DOT Pavement Noise Research: Modeling of Quieter Pavements in Florida
    5. Kansas DOT US-69 Surface Texture and Noise Study Summary Report (KS-05-3)
    6. Ohio DOT

      Effectiveness of Tire/Road Noise Abatement Through Surface Retexturing by Diamond Grinding for Project SUM-76-15.40, June 2005 (Topic 9)

      Effects of Pavement Type on Traffic Noise Levels, March 2000 (Topic 2)

    7. Minnesota DOT Mn/ROAD Reconstruction/TERRA Activities
    8. Washington State DOT Noise Homepage
      Quieter Pavements Homepage
  4. National Cooperative Highway Research Program

    Measuring Tire-Pavement Noise at the Source (01-44)

    Truck Noise Source Mapping (08-56)

    Texturing of Concrete Pavements (10-67)

  5. Additional Resources:
    1. Academia:

      Auburn University: National Center for Asphalt Technology

      Iowa State University: National Concrete Pavement Technology Center

      Pennsylvania State University: Pennsylvania Transportation Institute

      Purdue University: North Central Superpave Center

    2. Organizations (Noise):

      Acoustical Society of America (ASA)

      Institute of Noise Control Engineering of the USA (INCE-USA)

      International Institute of Noise Control Engineering (I-INCE)

      Transportation Research Board

      Committee on Transportation-Related Noise and Vibration (ADC40)

    3. Organizations (Pavement):

      American Concrete Pavement Association (ACPA)

      Asphalt Institute

      Asphalt Pavement Alliance (APA)

      International Grooving & Grinding Association (IGGA)

      International Society for Concrete Pavements (ISCP)

      Nation Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA)

      Rubber Pavements Association (RPA)

      Transportation Research Board

      Committee on Pavement Management Systems (AFD10)

      Committee on Rigid Pavement Design (AFD50)

      Committee on Flexible Pavement Design (AFD60)

      Committee on Surface Properties - Vehicle Interaction (AFD90)

      Committee on Portland Cement Concrete Pavement Construction (AFH50)

      Committee on Characteristics of Bituminous-Aggregate Combinations to Meet Surface Requirements (AFK40)

    4. International:

      Dutch road traffic noise calculator Web-based traffic noise calculator that accounts for various pavement types

      European Commission and COWI: Workshop report and outcome

      EU Noise Policy: The European Union's environmental policy on noise

      Imagine and Harmonoise: European-based project developing harmonized methods for noise-mapping in all European Union Member States

      IPG: Dutch Noise Innovation Program consisting of research projects to investigate the reduction of noise from motorways and railways at the source

      Silence: An EU research project to develop an integrated methodology for improved control of surface transport noise in urban areas

      The Calm Network: EU supported noise information site: coordination of European research for advanced transport noise mitigation

      The Tyre/Road Noise Reference Book: Comprehensive overview off all aspects of tire/road noise

      Silent Roads: Netherlands-based website for the dissemination of knowledge about road traffic noise reduction

    5. Standards:

      American National Standards Institute

      International Organization for Standardization

      Acoustics -- Measurement of noise emitted by accelerating road vehicles -- Engineering method (ISO 362:1998)

      Acoustics -- Measurement of noise inside motor vehicles (ISO 5128:1980)

      Acoustics -- Measurement of noise emitted by stationary road vehicles -- Survey method (ISO 5130:1982)

      Acoustics -- Measurement of noise emitted by passenger cars under conditions representative of urban driving (ISO 7188:1994)

      Acoustics -- Measurement of noise emitted by two-wheeled mopeds in motion -- Engineering method (ISO 9645:1990)

      Acoustics -- Specification of test tracks for the purpose of measuring noise emitted by road vehicles (ISO 10844:1994)

      Acoustics -- Measurement of the influence of road surfaces on traffic noise -- Part 1: Statistical Pass-By method (ISO 11819-1:1997)

      Acoustics -- Measurement of sound absorption properties of road surfaces in situ -- Part 1: Extended surface method (ISO 13472-1:2002)

      *DRAFT* Acoustics -- Measurement of the influence of road surfaces on traffic noise -- Part 2: Close-proximity method (ISO/CD 11819-2:2000)

      Tyres -- Coast-by methods for measurement of tyre-to-road sound emission (ISO 13325:2003)

      Characterization of pavement texture by use of surface profiles - - Part 1: Determination of Mean Profile Depth (ISO 13472-2:2002)

      Characterization of pavement texture by use of surface profiles - - Part 2: Terminology and basic requirements related to pavement texture profile analysis (ISO 13473-1:1997)

      Characterization of pavement texture by use of surface profiles - - Part 3: Specification and classification of profilometers (ISO 13473-3:2002)

To provide Feedback, Suggestions or Comments for this page contact Mark Ferroni at Mark.Ferroni@dot.gov.


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