A study of the effect of innovatively textured Portland Cement Concrete roadway surfaces on tire-pavement noise

Tanya B Wulf, Purdue University

Abstract

In this investigation, studies were conducted to understand the effects of innovative textures imprinted into Portland Cement Concrete surfaces on tire-pavement noise generation at the tire-pavement interface. The textures created for this experiment were designed to broaden the scope of currently used Portland Cement Concrete textures on roadway surfaces. Maintaining texture characteristics that facilitated water drainage from the roadway was considered, but the feasibility of large-scale production of these textures was not considered. Each texture had unique characteristics to aid in determining the effects of those characteristics on tire-pavement noise. General patterns of behavior were observed with each texture and the textures compared to each other and to textures created for other tire-pavement noise generation studies. Some of the surfaces created for this study are generally quieter than typical Portland Cement Concrete roadway surfaces, but are not the quietest Portland Cement Concrete textures that have been studied. Nine textures were created for the study: uniform waffle, random waffle, simulated exposed aggregate, circle, diamond, spheres, tined, tined with burlap drag, and a blank sample. Each texture was tested with varying tire-speed combinations. The noise levels produced on a given pavement were dependent on both the tire and the speed. The uniform waffle, random waffle, and tined textures generally had the highest sound intensity levels for all speeds and all tires. The blank, spheres, and circle textures usually had the lowest sound intensity levels for all speeds and all tires. The diamond, tined with burlap drag, and simulated exposed aggregate textures had sound intensity levels that were in the mid-range of the textures tested. Both one-third octave band data and overall A-weighted sound intensity levels were examined in analyzing the sound data. For all tires, the spheres texture had the lowest sound intensity levels at speeds below 20 mph (32 kph) while the circle texture had the lowest sound intensity levels at speeds above 20 mph (32 kph). Many other trends in sound data are illustrated in this thesis.

Degree

M.S.M.E.

Advisors

Bernhard, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Civil engineering|Mechanical engineering

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