Measurement of Highway-Related Noise

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
   1. Background
   2. Objective
2. Terminology
3. Instrumentation
   1. Acoustic Instrumentation
      1. Microphone System (Microphone and Preamplifier)
         1. Microphone Type
         2. Microphone Size
         3. Microphone Incidence
      2. Recording System
      3. Measurement System
         1. Graphic Level Recorder
         2. Sound Level Meter
         3. One-Third Octave-Band Analyzer
         4. Characteristics of the Measurement System
            1. Bandwidth
            2. Frequency Weighting
            3. Input Gain Control
            4. Exponential Time-Averaging
            5. Temperature and Humidity Effects
      4. Calibrator
      5. Microphone Simulator
      6. Pink Noise Generator
      7. Windscreen
   2. Meteorological Instrumentation
      1. Anemometer
      2. Thermometer, Hygrometer, and Psychrometer
   3. Vehicle-Speed Detection Unit
      1. Doppler-Radar Gun
      2. Stopwatch
      3. Light Sensor
      4. Pneumatic Line
   4. Traffic-Counting Device
      1. Video Camera
      2. Counting Board
      3. Pneumatic Line
   5. Special Purpose Instrumentation
      1. Tachometer
      2. Artificial Noise Source
      3. Noise Dosimeter
   6. Support Instrumentation
   7. Manufacturers and Vendors
      1. Acoustic Instrumentation
         1. Microphone System
         2. Recording System
         3. Measurement System
            1. Graphic Level Recorder
            2. Sound Level Meter
            3. One-Third Octave-Band Analyzer
         4. Calibrator
         5. Microphone Simulator
         6. Pink Noise Generator
         7. Windscreen
      2. Meteorological Instrumentation
      3. Vehicle-Speed Detection Unit
      4. Traffic-Counting Device
         1. Video Camera
      5. Special Purpose Instrumentation
         1. Tachometer
         2. Artificial Noise Source
         3. Noise Dosimeter
4. Existing-Noise Measurements in the Vicinity of Highways
   1. Site Selection
      1. Site Characteristics
         1. Overall Sound Level Measurements
         2. Change in Sound Level Measurements
      2. Microphone Location
         1. Reference Microphone
         2. Receiver
   2. Noise Descriptors
   3. Instrumentation
   4. Sampling Period
   5. Measurement Procedures
   6. Data Analysis
      1. Overall Sound Level Measurement Analysis
      2. Change in Sound Level Measurement Analysis
      3. Ambient Adjustments
5. Vehicle Noise Emission Level Measurements for Highway Noise Prediction Models
   1. Site Selection
      1. Site Characteristics
      2. Microphone Location
      3. Vehicle Types
   2. Noise Descriptors
   3. Instrumentation
   4. Sampling Period
      1. Event Quality
      2. Minimum Separation-Distance
      3. Recommended Number of Samples
   5. Measurement Procedures
   6. Data Analysis
      1. Development of Remel Regression Equations
6. Highway Barrier Insertion Loss Measurements
   1. Site Selection
      1. Site Characteristics
      2. Microphone Location
         1. Reference Microphone
         2. Receiver
   2. Noise Descriptors
   3. Instrumentation
   4. Sampling Periods
   5. Measurement Procedures
      1. Predicted Before Levels for the "Indirect Predicted" Method
   6. Data Analysis
      1. Ambient Adjustments
      2. Reflections and/or Edge-Diffraction Bias Adjustment
      3. Insertion Loss
   7. Parallel Noise Barriers
   8. Noise Barrier Sound Transmission Class
7. Construction Equipment Noise Measurements for Highway-Related Projects
   1. Site Selection
      1. Site Characteristics
      2. Microphone Location
   2. Noise Descriptors
   3. Instrumentation
   4. Sampling Period
   5. Measurement Procedure
   6. Data Analysis
      1. Ambient Adjustments
      2. Determination of the Equivalent Sound Level for Each Type of Construction Equipment
      3. Determination of the Total Equivalent Sound Level
8. Building Noise Reduction Measurements in the Vicinity of a Highway
   1. Site Selection
      1. Site Characteristics
         1. Interior Measurements
         2. Exterior Measurements
      2. Microphone Location
         1. Interior Measurements
         2. Exterior Measurements
      3. Artificial Noise Source Position
   2. Noise Descriptors
   3. Instrumentation
   4. Sampling Period
   5. Measurement Procedure
   6. Data Analysis
      1. Ambient Adjustments
9. Highway-Related Occupational Noise Exposure Measurements
   1. Site Selection
      1. Noise Dosimeter
      2. Sound Level Meter
   2. Noise Descriptors
   3. Instrumentation
   4. Sampling Period
   5. Measurement Procedures
   6. Data Analysis
      1. Determination of Noise Dose
      2. Determination of Noise Exposure
10. Report Documentation
    1. Site Sketches
       1. Plan View
       2. Elevation View
    2. Source Description
    3. Instrumentation Description
    4. Meteorological Data
    5. Ground Surface Characterization
    6. Barrier Characteristics
    7. Measurement Procedures
    8. Acoustical Data
    9. Incidental Observations and Conclusions

1. Appendix A Relative Humidity Computation
2. Appendix B Sample Data Log Sheets
3. Appendix C Minimum Separation-Distance Criteria For Noise Emission Level Measurements
4. Appendix D Sample Report Documentation

References

List of Figures

1. Graphical Representation of L_AE and L_AFmx Noise Descriptors
2. Generic Measurement Instrumentation Setup
3. Recommended Microphone Position Relative To Support Device
4. Microphone Incidence
5. Components of a Sound Level Meter
6. Frequency Weighting
7. Exponential Time-Averaging
8. Site Geometry
9. Correction for Contaminating Vehicles
10. Vehicle Emissions Measurement Plan View
11. Graphical Form of the FHWA TNM Regression Equation
12. Reference Microphone-Position 1
13. Reference Microphone-Position 2
14. Receiver Positions
15. Microphone Positions for Construction Equipment Noise Measurements
16. Microphone Positions for Building Noise Reduction Measurements
17. Loudspeaker Position
18. Sample Plan View
19. Sample Elevation View
20. Minimum Separation Distance Between Two Similar Vehicles
21. Figure D1. Measurement site plan view.
22. Figure D2. Measurement site elevation view.

List of Tables

1. Frequency Weighting
2. B&K Model 0237 Windscreen Typical Response Corrections
3. Classes of Wind Conditions
4. Classes of Cloud Cover
5. Sampling Periods
6. Recommended Minimum Number of Samples
7. Guideline for Categorizing Parallel Barrier Sites Based on the Width-to-Height Ratio
8. Sample Instrumentation Log
9. Blank Instrumentation Log
10. Sample Site Data Log
11. Blank Site Data Log
12. Sample Meteorological Data Log
13. Blank Meteorological Data Log
14. Existing Noise Measurements Sample Acoustic Data Log
15. Existing Noise Measurements Blank Acoustic Data Log
16. Existing Noise Measurements Sample Vehicle Data Log
17. Existing Noise Measurements Blank Vehicle Data Log
18. Vehicle Emission Level Measurements Sample Acoustic Data Log
19. Vehicle Emission Level Measurements Blank Acoustic Data Log
20. Vehicle Emission Level Measurements Sample Vehicle Data Log
21. Vehicle Emission Level Measurements Blank Vehicle Data Log
22. Barrier Insertion Loss Measurements Sample Acoustic Data Log
23. Barrier Insertion Loss Measurements Blank Acoustic Data Log
24. Barrier Insertion Loss Measurements Sample Vehicle Data Log
25. Barrier Insertion Loss Measurements Blank Vehicle Data Log
26. Construction Equipment Noise Measurements Sample Acoustic Data Log
27. Construction Equipment Noise Measurements Blank Acoustic Data Log
28. Building Noise Reduction Measurements Sample Acoustic Data Log
29. Building Noise Reduction Measurements Blank Acoustic Data Log
30. Building Noise Reduction Measurements Sample Vehicle Data Log
31. Building Noise Reduction Measurements Blank Vehicle Data Log
32. Sample Occupational Noise Exposure Data Log
33. Blank Occupational Noise Exposure Data Log