In this paper, an investigation was conducted to evaluate the acoustic performance of low height noise barriers installed adjacent to rails; an easy-to-use approximation formula was suggested for the evaluation of insertion loss (IL), instead of using the boundary element method. At first, the acoustic performance of the low height noise barriers was measured in an anechoic chamber using a scaled down model; the overall IL according to the source location was analyzed with the equivalent IL contour line. Using the measurement results obtained from the scaled down model, an approximation formula was suggested for the IL of low height noise barriers having various shapes. Also, the prediction program was validated through a comparison between the actual measurement results in the anechoic chamber and the prediction results. Finally, using the prediction program, an approximation formula for IL was suggested for the low height noise absorption barriers. Considering the frequency characteristics of the noise sources of the train, the absorptive low height noise barriers have a 'ㄱ' type shape, a height of 1.0m, and a length of 0.5m when they are installed on the structure gauge for the train.

Research on low height noise barriers installed adjacent to railways to reduce the height of the noise barrier has actively progressed in many countries except Korea. The performance of low height noise barriers is evaluated to identify barrier acoustic characteristics using a scale model of the barrier in the present research. As shown in the experimental results, if it is considered the installation of 'ㄱ' type noise barrier, sound absorption material should be installed on both the top and the vertical surfaces of the barrier to improve insertion loss. Also, an analytical method such as the boundary element method, rather than a simple empirical equation, is required to evaluate the insertion loss of the barrier. In addition, noise level increase in passenger position is very small if a barrier with sound absorption material is installed. Finally, the two dimensional boundary element method is implemented to predict the acoustic characteristics of the low height barrier; the possibility of the application is confirmed from a comparison of the results of measurements and predictions.