Comparison of Road Traffic Noise Characteristics Before and After Low-noise Pavement Application in an Underpass

키워드

확장요약문

Road traffic noise is a primary source of noise pollution in urban areas, where continuous vehicle flow significantly deteriorates the living environment of local residents. As a countermeasure to mitigate this issue, low-noise pavement has been widely implemented. This study aimed to quantitatively evaluate the variations in noise levels before and after the application of low-noise pavement in an underpass, specifically one characterized by a box-shaped structure and sloped entrance and exit sections.

This study was conducted at an underpass (307 m in length) located in Seoul, South Korea, where a thin-layer SMP (Silent Microphalt) pavement was applied over the existing rigid pavement (LMC). Noise measurement data collected before pavement application (May–July 2025) and after pavement application (June 29–30, 2026) were used for the analysis.Noise measurements were conducted in accordance with the Road Traffic Noise Measurement Method (ES 03304.1d). At residential and educational facilities, microphones were installed 0.5–1.0 m outside the windows facing the road for continuous noise monitoring. Changes in noise levels were analyzed using the one-hour A-weighted equivalent continuous sound level (LAeq,1h), separately for daytime (06:00–22:00) and nighttime (22:00–06:00).

Following the application of low-noise pavement, noise levels decreased at all residential and educational measurement sites near the underpass, with reductions of 3–4 dB(A) during daytime and 3–5 dB(A) during nighttime. In particular, nighttime noise levels at residential sites decreased by 4–5 dB(A), indicating an improvement in the nighttime noise environment. These findings suggest that low-noise pavement may contribute to reducing road traffic noise in areas surrounding underpasses. However, differences in traffic volume and vehicle speed before and after pavement application were not accounted for. Therefore, the observed noise reductions cannot be attributed solely to the low-noise pavement. Further measurements accounting for traffic conditions are needed to evaluate the noise reduction effectiveness of low-noise pavement more accurately.