Road traffic noise

Road traffic – the main source of environmental noise

Road traffic is the largest contributor to environmental noise pollution. Noise emitted from a road is mainly correlated with the density and structure of traffic in different periods of the day, the average velocity of vehicles, the absorptive properties of the road surface, the type of driving, and  of the road slope. The surroundings play their part too, mainly the distance from the road axis, factors of topology (the geography, building patterns, noise barriers), noise reflection characteristics of the grounds, and meteorological factors. We can divide the core measures to limit road noise the following way:

  • measures to reduce noise emission at the source (transport means, infrastructure),
  • measures to reduce the spreading of noise to the environment (noise barriers),
  • measures to protect buildings (building alterations for sound protection where general measures are economically or physically not feasible).
Road noise barrier

Epi Spektrum Ltd. is a leading provider of expert groundwork for the planning of noise abatement measures for road traffic, moreover, it is also a leading planner of measures to mend protected spaces (measures on buildings).

 

References

  • Noise studies and groundworks for noise mitigation measures for more than 200 sections of highways, motorways, state and local roads in Slovenia (1998 – 2017)
  • Preparation of data for CBA analysis for noise barriers on  highway sections Unec – Postojna,  Malence – Šmarje Sap, Dramlje – Celje, Celje – Arja vas (2011)