Impacts of noise barriers on near-road air quality

Baldauf, Richard; Thoma, Eben D.; Khlystov, Andrey; Isakov, Vlad; Bowker, George E.; Long, Thomas; Snow, Richard

doi:10.1016/j.atmosenv.2008.05.051

Cited by 157 publications

(116 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…Sampling section Distance range (meters) Median reduction (percent) Mean reduction (percent) CO East 0e50 50 46 50e150 31 21 150e300 9 18 West 0e50 45 42 50e150 11 7 150e300 6 5 NO 2 East 0e50 37 37 50e150 41 39 150e300 33 28 West 0e50 34 34 50e150 20 17 150e300 19 11 BC East 0e50 53 43 50e150 63 49 150e300 26 18 West 0e50 57 48 50e150 55 30 150e300 37 24 UFP East 0e50 48 50 50e150 34 44 150e300 16 15 West 0e50 54 66 50e150 27 31 150e300 12 23 wind transport to the highway, which may have blocked upwind pollutant emissions at the barrier wall as reported by Baldauf et al (2008). In addition, emissions from traffic activity along the access road likely contributed to some increase in concentrations in the 0e50 m distance bin as previously described.…”

Section: Pollutantmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The earlier studies by Nokes and Benson (1984) and Lidman (1985) showed decreases immediately downwind of the barrier, with this reduction attributed to lofting of the traffic emission plume over the solid structure of the barrier. Later studies (Baldauf et al, 2008;Ning et al, 2010) showed that concentrations behind the barrier generally remained lower than concentrations at a clearing out to several hundred meters, with reductions as high as 50% behind the barrier. The study by Baldauf et al (2008) also showed that noise barriers can increase pollutant concentrations on the upwind side of the wall, and pollutants can meander around the edges of the barrier wall.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Later studies (Baldauf et al, 2008;Ning et al, 2010) showed that concentrations behind the barrier generally remained lower than concentrations at a clearing out to several hundred meters, with reductions as high as 50% behind the barrier. The study by Baldauf et al (2008) also showed that noise barriers can increase pollutant concentrations on the upwind side of the wall, and pollutants can meander around the edges of the barrier wall. Ning et al (2010) also measured higher pollutant concentrations further from the noise barrier compared to concentrations at a similar perpendicular distance with no barrier present.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Previous field measurement studies have examined the impacts of noise barriers on near-road air quality (Baldauf et al, 2008;Lidman, 1985;McNabola et al, 2008;Naser et al, 2009;Ning et al, 2010;Nokes and Benson, 1984). Generally, all of these studies have shown that downwind air pollution levels can decrease in the presence of a noise barrier.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Influence of solid noise barriers on near-road and on-road air quality

Baldauf

Isakov

Deshmukh

et al. 2016

Atmospheric Environment

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h i g h l i g h t sMobile monitoring measured near-road air quality impacts of a solid, noise barrier. Downwind concentration reductions of up to 50% occurred behind the barrier. Downwind reductions were highest within the first 50 m from the road. Reductions extended as far as 300 m from the road. On-road levels did not increase in front of barrier, contrary to model predictions. a r t i c l e i n f o Public health concerns regarding adverse health effects for populations spending significant amounts of time near high traffic roadways has increased substantially in recent years. Roadside features, including solid noise barriers, have been investigated as potential methods that can be implemented in a relatively short time period to reduce air pollution exposures from nearby traffic. A field study was conducted to determine the influence of noise barriers on both on-road and downwind pollutant concentrations near a large highway in Phoenix, Arizona, USA. Concentrations of nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, ultrafine particles, and black carbon were measured using a mobile platform and fixed sites along two limitedaccess stretches of highway that contained a section of noise barrier and a section with no noise barrier at-grade with the surrounding terrain. Results of the study showed that pollutant concentrations behind the roadside barriers were significantly lower relative to those measured in the absence of barriers. The reductions ranged from 50% within 50 m from the barrier to about 30% as far as 300 m from the barrier. Reductions in pollutant concentrations generally began within the first 50 m of the barrier edge; however, concentrations were highly variable due to vehicle activity behind the barrier and along nearby urban arterial roadways. The concentrations on the highway, upwind of the barrier, varied depending on wind direction. Overall, the on-road concentrations in front of the noise barrier were similar to those measured in the absence of the barrier, contradicting previous modeling results that suggested roadside barriers increase pollutant levels on the road. Thus, this study suggests that noise barriers do reduce potential pollutant exposures for populations downwind of the road, and do not likely increase exposures to traffic-related pollutants for vehicle passengers on the highway.Published by Elsevier Ltd.

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Section: Pollutantmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Influence of solid noise barriers on near-road and on-road air quality

Baldauf

Isakov

Deshmukh

et al. 2016

Atmospheric Environment

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Complex (QUIC) flow model coupled with a Lagrangian particle dispersion model to produce 1 concentration patterns that were roughly consistent with observations from Baldauf et al (2008). and dispersion effects induced by a barrier to avoid the computational burden of mechanistic 5 CFD models, which have their own set of parameterizations.…”

Section: Accepted Manuscriptmentioning

confidence: 99%