Acoustic monitoring of low noise road pavements

Low noise road pavements can be considered as attractive means for road traffic noise reduction. An overview of the current low noise pavements used in France is presented in this paper. Their acoustic performances and the strategies of use are discussed. In parallel to the development of low noise pavements, measurement methods were developed in order to quantify their acoustic performance. This performance can be introduced in noise predicting models, or can give relevant information to support strategic decisions of road authorities. The pass-by noise measurement method is traditionally used for this evaluation, but due to many restrictions of application, dynamic close proximity measurement devices (CPX) are currently developed all around the world. The CPX method recently standardized in France is described in the paper. Then the use of these methods for the acoustic monitoring of road networks is illustrated through two applications: the effect of ageing and the effect of pavement discontinuities on acoustic performances.