Truck Noise-Source Mapping

Heavy trucks are significant contributors to overall traffic noise levels, and transportation agencies must better understand the location and relative levels of the principal noise sources (e.g., exhaust, mechanical, tire/pavement, and aerodynamic) on heavy vehicles in order to more successfully mitigate traffic noise impacts. Typical measures used to mitigate highway traffic noise include noise barriers, land use planning, and insulation of structures. Some transportation agencies are investigating additional measures, such as quiet pavements. Newer acoustical measurement and mapping techniques such as beamforming show promise for isolating the location and extent of the primary noise sources emanating from heavy trucks. Some studies suggest that near-field acoustical holography is a good complement to beamforming for measurement and mapping of low-frequency sounds. Data obtained in this project could directly support a number of ongoing quiet pavement research studies, including the FHWA Quiet Pavement Pilot Project. The data will also yield information that could greatly enhance computer analysis of traffic noise impacts that are a part of environmental impact reports. Information from this project will guide decisions made at both a management level and a project design level. The objective of this study is to use acoustic measurement and noise-source mapping techniques to accurately identify, locate, and quantify the noise sources on typical commercial truck and tractor-semitrailer combinations operating in the U.S. roadway environment.

• Record URL:
  http://www.trb.org/TRBNet/ProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=932

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Completed
• Funding: $496889.00
• Contract Numbers:

  Project 8-56

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590

  American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)

  444 North Capitol Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001

  National Cooperative Highway Research Program

  Transportation Research Board
  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Project Managers:

  Hedges, Christopher

• Performing Organizations:

  Wyle Laboratories

  El Segundo, CA  United States 
• Principal Investigators:

  Plotkin, Ken

• Start Date: 20050825
• Expected Completion Date: 0
• Actual Completion Date: 20081231
• Source Data: RiP Project 10558

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Commercial vehicles; Highway traffic; Land use planning; Mapping; Noise barriers; Noise sources; Research projects; Tractor trailer combinations; Traffic noise; Trucks
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Motor Carriers; Vehicles and Equipment; I15: Environment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01463083
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: National Cooperative Highway Research Program
• Contract Numbers: Project 8-56
• Files: RIP, USDOT
• Created Date: Jan 3 2013 2:16PM