Communication noise is classified as one of the pollutions for the current environment. Experimental techniques to measure tire-pavement noise generation from asphalt pavements in the laboratory have been limited. A series of experiments were conducted on six different asphalt mixtures to determine if Purdue University’s Tire-Pavement Test Apparatus (TPTA) could be used to overcome these limitations. The procedure produced samples with low tire-pavement noise; however, the air void contents of the samples were higher than designed. Despite these difficulties, the sample preparation technique and the TPTA testing protocol were shown to offer an effective approach for quick laboratory assessment of tire-pavement noise characteristics of hot mix asphalt pavements at a substantially reduced cost compared to field testing.

Sound absorption measurements have been used as a simple, cost-effective way of assessing pavement noise properties in the laboratory. However, tire–pavement noise (TPN) is emitted close to the pavement at shallow angles of incidence between the tire and a roadside receiver. Absorption properties can be used to predict oblique incidence noise properties, provided that certain assumptions are met. Near-grazing-incidence predictions of noise vary widely, and the assumptions involved may not be applicable to porous asphalt pavements. A method of directly measuring near-grazing-incidence noise reduction of hot-mix asphalt pavements was designed. It was found that the results of the proposed test could not be predicted from absorption data alone except for dense-graded pavement. For porous or thin, gap-graded pavements, the near-grazing-incidence test gave additional useful information about the acoustic performance of the pavement samples. The test can be used to supplement absorption and other laboratory tests for more accurate predictions of TPN.

In this investigation, studies have been done to understand the effects of various grinding and grooving parameters to investigate their effect on noise generation at the tire-pavement interface. Grinding uses diamond-infused blades that are closely-spaced such that the fins between the blade tracks break off exposing an entirely new surface. For grooving, the blades are more widely spaced such that the fins do not break off and the surface texture remains largely unchanged except for grooves that are used for moisture control. Both procedures, used independently or in combination, have an effect on the noise produced by the tire-pavement interaction. Variation of grinding parameters was shown to have as much as a 3 dB effect on noise generation. Variation in grooving parameters has a secondary effect, which allows grooves to be added to texture without overall effect on overall noise. This paper will illustrate the effects on noise of the different parameters, such as grinding depth, blade width, and blade spacing, for grinding and grooving.

Tire-pavement noise is the result of a complex system of noise generation mechanisms and is affected by several different pavement and atmospheric parameters. Accurately predicting tire-pavement noise from given a set of parameters has proven difficult for researchers. The purpose of this research was to explore a wealth of pavement, atmospheric and noise data taken at the MnROAD pavement test facility and to develop a model to predict tire-pavement noise on asphalt pavements. Using a series of sub-models, variables significant to noise generation were identified. Finally, two variations of a model of noise generation were developed, each capable of predicting one-third octave band on-board sound intensity (OBSI) spectra. The model was developed using a hybrid statistical-experimental approach and was able to predict overall OBSI levels to within 1.5 dB for 80-90% of the pavements tested.

Interacting flows are found in a range of aviation-relevant technologies, including flow control devices, engine combustors and augmentors, and aerodynamic control surfaces. The