• Construction Noise
• Measurement
• Noise Barriers
  • Abatement
  • Acceptance Criteria
  • Design/Construction
  • Inventory
  • Research
• Noise Compatible Planning
• Regulation and Guidance
• Resources
• Tire Pavement Noise
• Traffic Noise Model
• Training

Noise Barrier Design Handbook

16. Tools to Assist

This section discusses available tools to assist the highway engineer, barrier designer, and community participant in barrier design. These tools should be used to supplement the information described in this Handbook.

16.1 Barrier Design Video and CD-ROM

This Handbook is accompanied by a complementary videotape and CD-ROM ^{ref.2 and ref.3}. The video highlights the important aspects of the Handbook using film footage and photographic examples of noise barrier designs. The CD-ROM contains the complete Handbook, the entire data base of photographs taken in support of this study (over 3000 total), State Transportation Agency (SHA) highway noise policies, as well as contact information. The photo-data base is directly linked to related sections, subsections, and photographs within the Handbook itself. Section 16.5 also lists SHA personnel, their addresses, and phone numbers.

16.2 FHWA Traffic Noise Model

FHWA Traffic Noise Model, Version 1.0 (FHWA TNM) is an entirely new, state-of-the-art computer program used for predicting noise impacts in the vicinity of highways ^{ref.4, ref.5, ref.6 and ref.7}. The FHWA TNM replaces the FHWA's prior prediction model and software, STAMINA 2.0/OPTIMA. ^{ref.29 and ref.73}. The FHWA TNM contains the following components:

• Modeling of five standard vehicle types, including automobiles, medium trucks, heavy trucks, buses, and motorcycles, as well as user-defined vehicles;
• Modeling of both constant-flow and interrupted-flow traffic using a 1994/1995 field-measured data base;
• Modeling of the effects of different pavement types, as well as the effects of graded roadways;
• Sound level computations based on a one-third octave-band data base and algorithms;
• Graphically-interactive noise barrier design and optimization;
• Attenuation over/through rows of buildings and dense vegetation;
• Multiple diffraction analysis;
• Parallel barrier analysis; and
• Contour analysis, including sound level contours, barrier insertion loss contours, and sound-level difference contours.

These components are supported by a scientifically-founded and experimentally-calibrated acoustic computation methodology, as well as an entirely new, and more flexible data base, as compared with that of its predecessor, STAMINA 2.0/OPTIMA. The Data Base is made up of over 6000 individual vehicle pass-by events measured at forty sites across the country. It is the primary building block around which the acoustic algorithms are structured.

Further information on TNM can be found on the McTrans Website (http://www-mctrans.ce.ufl.edu) or by contacting McTrans at:

McTrans Center
University of Florida
512 Weil Hall
P.O. Box 116585
Gainsville, FL 32611-6585
PHONE:(352) 392-0378
FAX:(352) 392-3224

16.3 AASHTO, ANSI, ASTM, CSA, IEC, ISO, NCHRP, NIST, and SAE Standards

This Handbook cites as references many national and international standards. These standards contain technical specifications, methodologies, or other criteria to be used to ensure consistency in definitions, practices, materials, products, etc. The following provides contact information for pertinent standards organizations:

• The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) is an advocate for multimodal and intermodal transportation providing technical services, information, and advice on transportation issues.

  American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
  444 North Capitol Street, NW, Suite 249
  Washington, DC 20001
  Telephone: (202) 624-5800
  Fax: (202) 624-5806
  http://www.aashto.org

• The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) was founded in 1918 to promote and facilitate voluntary consensus standards and conformity assessment systems.

  American National Standards Institute
  11 West 42nd Street
  New York, NY 10036
  Telephone: (212) 642-4900
  Fax: (212) 398-0023
  http://www.ansi.org

• The American Society For Testing and Materials (ASTM) develops and provides consensus standards, related technical information and services to promote public health and safety, and the reliability of materials, products, systems, and services to facilitate national, regional, and international commerce.

  American Society For Testing and Materials
  ASTM, 100 Barr Harbor Drive
  West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959
  Telephone: (610) 832-9585
  Fax: (610) 832-9555
  http://www.astm.org

• The Canadian Standards Association (CSA) was chartered in 1919 as a non-profit association and has developed over 2000 standards covering the life sciences, environment, electrical and electronic products, communications systems, building construction, energy, transportation/distribution, materials technology, and quality business management.

  CSA International
  178 Rexdale Boulevard
  Etobicoke (Toronto), Ontario M9W 1R3
  Telephone: (800) 463-6727
  Fax: (416) 747-4149
  http://www.csa-international.org

• The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) was founded in 1906 as a result of a resolution passed at the International Electrical Congress held in St. Louis (USA) in 1904. IEC prepares and publishes international standards for all electrical, electronic, and related technologies.

  International Electrotechnical Commission
  3, rue de Varembé
  P.O. Box 131
  CH - 1211 Genève 20
  Switzerland
  Telephone: 41-22-919-02-11
  Fax: 41-22-919-03-00
  http://www.iec.ch

• The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is a non-governmental organization established in 1947 to promote the development of standardization and related activities in the world with a view to facilitating the international exchange of goods and services, and to developing cooperation in the spheres of intellectual, scientific, technological, and economic activity. ISO's work results in international agreements which are published as International Standards.

  International Organization for Standardization
  1, rue de Varembé
  Case postale 56
  CH-1211 Genève 20
  Switzerland
  Telephone 41-22-749-01-11
  Fax 41-22-733-34-30
  http://www.iso.ch/iso/en/ISOOnline.openerpage

• The National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) was created in 1962 as a means to conduct research in acute problem areas that affect highway planning, design, construction, operation, and maintenance nationwide. NCHRP is Administered by the Transportation Research Board (TRB) and sponsored by the member departments (i.e., individual state departments of transportation) of AASHTO, in cooperation with the FHWA.

  National Cooperative Highway Research Program
  Transportation Research Board
  2101 Constitution Avenue NW
  Washington, DC 20418
  Telephone: (202) 334-2379
  Fax: (202) 334-2006
  http://www4.nationalacademies.org/trb/crp.nsf/reference%5Cappendices/NCHRP+Overview

• The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) was established by Congress as an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce's Technology Administration to assist industry in the development of technology needed to improve product quality, to modernize manufacturing processes, to ensure product reliability, and to work with industry to develop and apply technology, measurements, and standards.

  National Institute of Standards and Technology
  100 Bureau Drive
  Gaithersburg, MD 20899-0001
  Telephone: (301) 975-NIST (6478)
  http://www.nist.gov

• The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) is a resource for technical information and expertise used in designing, building, maintaining, and operating self-propelled vehicles for use on land, sea, air, or space. The SAE publishes many new, revised, and reaffirmed standards each year in three categories: Ground Vehicle Standards (J-Reports); Aerospace Standards; and Aerospace Material Specifications (AMS).

  SAE World Headquarters
  400 Commonwealth Drive
  Warrendale, PA 15096-0001
  Telephone: (724) 776-4841
  Fax: (724) 776-5760
  http://www.sae.org

16.4 Technical Documents

The Reference section of this report cites many technical documents and field studies used in the development of this Handbook. The majority of those documents can be obtained either from the appropriate State Departments of Transportation (see Section 16.5) or from the National Technical Information Service (NTIS). NTIS is the federal government's central source for the sale of scientific, technical, engineering, and related business information produced by or for the U.S. government. NTIS also maintains complementary material from international sources.

National Technical Information Service
Technology Administration
U.S. Department of Commerce
Springfield, VA 22161
Telephone: 1-800-553-NTIS (6847) or (703) 605-6000
Fax: (703) 605-6900
http://www.ntis.gov

16.5 State Departments of Transportation

The following is a list of State Department of Transportation contacts for highway noise:

16.6 Training Courses

There are several training courses provided on the basics of highway traffic noise, including a special focus on highway traffic noise prediction and barrier design (from the acoustic standpoint). For more information on available training courses, contact Robert Armstrong at:

Federal Highway Administration, HEPN
400 Seventh Street
Washington, DC 20590
(202) 366-2073
(202) 366-3409
Robert.E.Armstrong@FHWA.DOT.GOV