Lecture 10: Noise Attenuation Provided by

Highway Noise Barriers

Noise Attenuation Provided by Highway Noise Barriers Email: K.Horoshenkov@bradford.ac.uk

1
Presentation Overview
n Definitions of barrier attenuation
n Performance of noise barriers
n Design considerations and materials
n Examples of noise barriers

Noise Attenuation Provided by Highway Noise Barriers Email: K.Horoshenkov@bradford.ac.uk 2

What is a noise barrier?
- Any form of solid obstacle between source and receiver can comprise a
noise barrier

- Unlike building insulation, noise barriers are designed to protect the

external as well as the internal environment at a dwelling

- The majority of barriers are installed in the vicinity of transportation

and industrial noise sources to shield nearby residential properties

- Noise barriers are cost effective only for the protection of large areas
including several buildings and are rarely used for the protection of
individual properties

- Noise barriers of usual height are generally ineffective in protecting the

upper levels of multistorey dwellings

Noise Attenuation Provided by Highway Noise Barriers Email: K.Horoshenkov@bradford.ac.uk 3

What these barriers look like?

Absorbing lining

Noise Attenuation Provided by Highway Noise Barriers Email: K.Horoshenkov@bradford.ac.uk 4

Are noise barriers subjectively effective?

9
Barrier No barrier
8

7
Average noisiness rating

0
54 64 74 84

A-weighted SPL (LAeq dBA)

Noise Attenuation Provided by Highway Noise Barriers Email: K.Horoshenkov@bradford.ac.uk 5

Objective Performance of
Noise Barriers

Noise Attenuation Provided by Highway Noise Barriers Email: K.Horoshenkov@bradford.ac.uk 6

Definition

sound pressure at a
receiver behind the barrier

 pb 2 
IL = − 10log10   , dB
 p 2
 0 
sound pressure at a
receiver in absence of the barrier

Noise Attenuation Provided by Highway Noise Barriers Email: K.Horoshenkov@bradford.ac.uk 7

 Basic Prediction Method

A common prediction method of noise barrier

performance is outlined in ISO 9613-2

  δ 
IL = 10log10  3 +  20  C3 K met  C3 = 1 single noise barrier
  λ  rs rr

insertion loss source r0

receiver

−1
  5λ  2
  1  5λ  2

C3 = 1 +    +   double diffraction term
  w    3  w   w
rs rr
receiver
source d r0

Noise Attenuation Provided by Highway Noise Barriers Email: K.Horoshenkov@bradford.ac.uk 8

Other Prediction Methods
Theoretical
n Keller J. B. J. Opt. Soc. Am., 1962
n Embleton T.F.W., J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 1980
n Hadden W.J. and Pierce A.D., J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 1981

Empirical
n Maekawa Z., Appl. Acoust. 1968
n Tatge R. B., J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 1973

Numerical
n Hothersall D.C. and Chandler-Wilde S. N., J. Sound Vib. 1991
n Duhamel D., J. Sound Vib. 1996

Noise Attenuation Provided by Highway Noise Barriers Email: K.Horoshenkov@bradford.ac.uk 9

Boundary Element Method
Requires the discretization of the boundary, Γ, with
the step ∆s < λ / 5

r0 r

Green's function acoustic surface admittance

Noise Attenuation Provided by Highway Noise Barriers Email: K.Horoshenkov@bradford.ac.uk 10

Nomograms: single barrier

Path difference, δ 1 = rs + rr − r0

practical limit

noise barrier
rs rr
H receiver
source
r0

Noise Attenuation Provided by Highway Noise Barriers Email: K.Horoshenkov@bradford.ac.uk 11

Nomograms: double or wide barrier

Path difference, δ 1 = rs + rr + w − r0

practical limit

w = 1.0m

rs rr
receiver
source rd
0

Noise Attenuation Provided by Highway Noise Barriers Email: K.Horoshenkov@bradford.ac.uk 12

Propagation effects

Noise Attenuation Provided by Highway Noise Barriers Email: K.Horoshenkov@bradford.ac.uk 13

Turbulence scattering effect
Maximum performance: 20 dB (single), 25dB
(double)

Noise Attenuation Provided by Highway Noise Barriers Email: K.Horoshenkov@bradford.ac.uk 14

 Atmospheric refraction effect
Refraction
wind direction wind speed

sound rays

height
NB
Receiver
source shadow zone

ground

Noise Attenuation Provided by Highway Noise Barriers Email: K.Horoshenkov@bradford.ac.uk 15

 Combined atmospheric effects: light wind

Measured and predicted excess attenuation at a receiver 18m from 2.44m wide, 2.55m high barrier showing the effect of atmospheric turbulence.
Source is 8m from barrier (by J. Forssen, Appl. Acoust. 2002)

Noise Attenuation Provided by Highway Noise Barriers Email: K.Horoshenkov@bradford.ac.uk 16

 Combined atmospheric effects: strong wind

Measured and predicted excess attenuation at a receiver 18m from 2.44m wide, 2.55m high barrier showing the effect of atmospheric turbulence.
Source is 8m from barrier (by J. Forssen, Appl. Acoust. 2002)

Noise Attenuation Provided by Highway Noise Barriers Email: K.Horoshenkov@bradford.ac.uk 17

Ground effect

Noise Attenuation Provided by Highway Noise Barriers Email: K.Horoshenkov@bradford.ac.uk 18

Ground effect

Noise Attenuation Provided by Highway Noise Barriers Email: K.Horoshenkov@bradford.ac.uk 19

Ground effect

∂p
= ikβp
∂n

rd' = ( xd' , yd' )

Noise Attenuation Provided by Highway Noise Barriers Email: K.Horoshenkov@bradford.ac.uk 20

Effect of foliage
Scattering by branches
Improved flow stability and reduced turbulence

Noise Attenuation Provided by Highway Noise Barriers Email: K.Horoshenkov@bradford.ac.uk 21

Noise Barrier Design

Noise Attenuation Provided by Highway Noise Barriers Email: K.Horoshenkov@bradford.ac.uk 22

Barrier Placement

Noise Attenuation Provided by Highway Noise Barriers Email: K.Horoshenkov@bradford.ac.uk 23

Barrier Length
The length of a noise barrier should considerably
exceed the barrier height.

L
≥4
R
L
θ ≥ 80o R
NB

Noise Attenuation Provided by Highway Noise Barriers Email: K.Horoshenkov@bradford.ac.uk 24

Transmission of Sound through Barrier
Noise contribution transmitted through the barrier
material should be insignificant in comparison with
the diffracted sound, i.e.
Ld − Lt ≥ 10 dB
According to the ISO 9613-2
ρ s > 10 kg/m 2

Range of materials from 4.5 kg/m2 to 244 kg/m2

Noise Attenuation Provided by Highway Noise Barriers Email: K.Horoshenkov@bradford.ac.uk 25

Categories for airborne sound insulation
(EN 1793-3:1997)

Category DLR , dB

B0 Not determined

B1 < 15

B2 15 to 24

B3 > 25

Noise Attenuation Provided by Highway Noise Barriers Email: K.Horoshenkov@bradford.ac.uk 26

Material Absorption

Noise Attenuation Provided by Highway Noise Barriers Email: K.Horoshenkov@bradford.ac.uk 27

Categories of absorptive performance defined
in EN 1793-1
Category DLa , dB

A0 Not determined

A1 <4

A2 4 to 7

A3 8 – 11

A4 > 11

It is generally accepted that noise barriers with high surface absorption offer
superior performance only when the distance between a noise barrier and the
source is less or comparable to the barrier height.
Noise Attenuation Provided by Highway Noise Barriers Email: K.Horoshenkov@bradford.ac.uk 28
 Effect of barrier shape

Noise Attenuation Provided by Highway Noise Barriers Email: K.Horoshenkov@bradford.ac.uk 29

Modification to barrier top edge

Noise Attenuation Provided by Highway Noise Barriers Email: K.Horoshenkov@bradford.ac.uk 30

Ishizuka and Fujiwara, Appl. Acoust. 2004

∆L (dB) is given here relative to a 3m high plane screen NB31

Noise Attenuation Provided by Highway Noise Barriers Email: K.Horoshenkov@bradford.ac.uk
Modification to Barrier Profile

Noise Attenuation Provided by Highway Noise Barriers Email: K.Horoshenkov@bradford.ac.uk 32

Noise barrier materials

Noise Attenuation Provided by Highway Noise Barriers Email: K.Horoshenkov@bradford.ac.uk 33

Concrete noise barriers

Concrete wall with transparent elements

Solid concrete wall

Concrete barrier blended with plants

Noise Attenuation Provided by Highway Noise Barriers Email: K.Horoshenkov@bradford.ac.uk 34
Timber noise barriers

Noise Attenuation Provided by Highway Noise Barriers Email: K.Horoshenkov@bradford.ac.uk 35

Transparent noise barriers
glass panes

composite barrier

acrylic panes
Noise Attenuation Provided by Highway Noise Barriers Email: K.Horoshenkov@bradford.ac.uk 36
Transparent noise barriers

Barrier with absorbing lining

Transparent barrier

Noise Attenuation Provided by Highway Noise Barriers Email: K.Horoshenkov@bradford.ac.uk 37

Metal sheet noise barriers
Metal barrier with aesthetic
structural elements

Perforated absorbing panels

Noise Attenuation Provided by Highway Noise Barriers Email: K.Horoshenkov@bradford.ac.uk 38
Other types of noise barriers

Noise Attenuation Provided by Highway Noise Barriers Email: K.Horoshenkov@bradford.ac.uk 39

Earth berms

Noise Attenuation Provided by Highway Noise Barriers Email: K.Horoshenkov@bradford.ac.uk 40

Earth berms vs Noise barriers

Noise Attenuation Provided by Highway Noise Barriers Email: K.Horoshenkov@bradford.ac.uk 41

Eco-designs

Based on the combination of a structural frame,

earth wall and living plants

Height limited to 4-6m

Fit well into urban, sub-urban or rural areas

Most of bio-barriers require irrigation and general

maintenance

Noise Attenuation Provided by Highway Noise Barriers Email: K.Horoshenkov@bradford.ac.uk 42

Eco-designs

Noise Attenuation Provided by Highway Noise Barriers Email: K.Horoshenkov@bradford.ac.uk 43

Eco-designs - Examples

Planting over concrete pipes

Wooven-willow
Planting in coated steel pockets
Noise Attenuation Provided by Highway Noise Barriers Email: K.Horoshenkov@bradford.ac.uk 44
Eco-designs – Wooven-willow

Noise Attenuation Provided by Highway Noise Barriers Email: K.Horoshenkov@bradford.ac.uk 45

How barriers are installed
Earth work
Concrete work

Noise Attenuation Provided by Highway Noise Barriers Email: K.Horoshenkov@bradford.ac.uk 46

Good reference

Kotzen, B. and English C., (1999)

Environmental Noise Barriers – A Guide to their Acoustic
and Visual Design, E&Fn Spon, London and New York.

Noise Attenuation Provided by Highway Noise Barriers Email: K.Horoshenkov@bradford.ac.uk 47

 Any Questions

Noise Attenuation Provided by Highway Noise Barriers Email: K.Horoshenkov@bradford.ac.uk 48