Roadway Construction Noise Model Version 2.0 Data Collection Program

Roadway Construction Noise Model Version 2.0 Data Collection Program First generation of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Roadway Construction Noise Model (RCNM) provided a simplistic tool for users to perform construction noise analyses on FHWA, state and municipal projects. In current practice, users are faced with limited applicability due to RCNM shortcomings. In order to provide a more comprehensive method of predicting construction-related noise levels, an updated data set was developed to support the advanced model platform of FHWA's Traffic Noise Model Version 3.0 (TNM3.0). A detailed data collection program was developed to obtain common highway construction equipment source data representing 'work' from over 133 construction sites. Equipment was separated into stationary, mobile and cyclical construction equipment categories in order to develop specific monitoring methodologies. Measurements represented 'clean' source data which included A-weighted and octave band measurements. A data analysis tool was developed to process the noise source data and catalog all relative information. The tool then normalized the data in order to provide equipment source data in the format necessary for modifications to the TNM3.0 acoustic source code.