Title: DETERMINATION OF TRAFFIC NOISE BARRIER EFFECTIVENESS. FINAL REPORT
Abstract: The noise abatement efforts used on I-440 were studied to evaluate their effectiveness. The results of tests confirmed that the FHWA abatement criterion for land use Category B receivers had not been exceeded at any of forty representative sites. The Tennessee Department of Transportation criterion for substantial increase in levels at receivers due to new highway sources, was exceeded by only two of forty sites. Noise level reductions as much as 9.5 dB at the receiver locations were attributed to depressing the roadways (cut) with the average being 2.8 dB. Of the forty sites tested, 75% realized at least a 5 dB reduction due to barriers alone (in addition to effect of cut, if any). The results of 24-hour measurement periods show that insertion losses vary throughout the day. Comparison tests of absorptive and reflective barriers at two sites indicated that benefits were realized by the use of absorptive barriers on fill sections where barriers were installed close to shoulders. An evaluation of the FHWA STAMINA 2.0 model for highway traffic noise concluded that the model tended to predict levels higher than those actually measured. Insertion loss results were obtained utilizing the ANSI S12.8 Indirect Predicted Method of insertion loss determination. This method's dependence on the accuracy of the prediction model was seen as a limitation to its usefulness.
Publication Year: 1991
Publication Date: 1991-11-01
Language: en
Type: article
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