Highway Traffic Noise Barriers

Abstract

Highway Traffic Noise Barrier is a solid obstruction that is built between the highway and the houses that lie along the highway. The major support for Highway Traffic Noise Barrier came with the Caltran's Noise Abatement Policy. They are essentially constructed using either earth mounds or berms, high raised vertical walls, or through the use of both; that is the combination of walls and earth berms or mounds. Effective noise barriers usually reduce the noise levels by 5 to 10 dB (decibels). Noise barriers are basically required to break the line of sight of the noise receivers or the houses through their height and with that breakage, 1.5 decibels of additional noise is reduced per meter of the additional barrier height. Highway noise barriers are required to be in alignment with its surroundings. Construction costs are lower for barriers in rural areas as compared to that of urban barriers, due to infrastructure. The intended performance that is required to be delivered by the noise barrier in terms of its acoustical as well as functional performance is required to be weighed against the cost inlay, and the overall life-cycle cost so as to intercept if the benefits would outweigh the cost, prior to its cnstruction.

Keywords: Highway Traffic Noise Barriers, negative proximity effects, construction cost, environmental well-being, construction material.

Highway Traffic Noise Barriers

Introduction

Highway traffic noise barriers are an important source in the presence of today's critical environmental backdrop aimed to introduce significant reduction in the existing noise pollution. Public's sensitivity towards the noise that is generated through highway triggered the need to consider the creation of noise abatement facilities, wherever feasible and reasonable. Highway Traffic Noise has remained a problem of immense concern for not only local but state as well as federal departments, particularly since before the erection of first ever noise barrier in the year 1963.

Discussion

The construction of Highway Traffic Noise Barriers comes associated with significant factors that are to be considered with due diligence so as to justify the amount of time, efforts and cost that has been put into the construction of the facility, through its proper and effective operations. Highway noise barrier is required to be so designed that it is in alignment with the surroundings of the location where the facility has been created. The designs, materials, applicability of the common concepts in addition to the minor details as the installation techniques by professional highway engineer or noise barrier designer are important to be analyzed with acute attention to detail, as they not only impact performamce but also feasibility.

Defining a Highway Traffic Noise Barrier, it primarily is a solid obstruction that is built between the highway and the houses that lie along the highway. They are not designed to completely minimize the noise rather they block the noise so as to minimize the overall noise levels. It has been seen that the effective noise barriers usually reduce the noise levels by 5 to 10 dB (decibels) which is facilitated through cutting the ...