United States Department of Transportation
i
Green Noise Wall Construction and Evaluation [final report]
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2011-09-01
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[PDF-11.67 MB]
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NTL Classification:NTL-ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT-Environment Impacts
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Abstract:This report details the research performed under Phase I of a research study titled “Green Noise Wall Construction and Evaluation” that looks into the feasibility of using green noise barriers as a noise mitigation option in Ohio. This phase included a thorough review of available green noise barriers to assess their advantages and disadvantages. In addition, it included a questionnaire that was sent out to more than three hundred national and international experts in traffic noise analysis and abatement to document their experience with this type of barriers. Based on the outcome of the literature review and responses to the questionnaire, the Deltalok product was determined to be the most likely product to succeed in Ohio. A prototype Deltalok wall, measuring 15 ft in length, 9 ft in width, and 12 ft in height, was constructed in Covington, Ohio (north of Dayton) to evaluate its structural stability and ability to retain moisture. The prototype wall was equipped with various sensors and devices to monitor its earth pressure and deformation characteristics and examine the moisture and temperature distributions within the barrier. The prototype wall was monitored for a period of two months. The data collected from these sensors and the visual inspections allowed for making several recommendations regarding the construction of the Deltalok system and its use as a green noise barrier. Phase I also included a laboratory plant study that allowed for making recommendations regarding the vegetation selection, soil modification, and watering needs of the Deltalok system. It was not possible in this phase to evaluate plant establishment and long-term survival in a natural highway environment since this requires constructing a full scale barrier and actually planting it, as planned in the second phase. Finally, Phase I estimated the anticipated noise reduction from the proposed full scale green noise barrier using the Federal Highway Administration?s (FHWA) Traffic Noise Model Version 2.5. The predicted noise reduction at the proposed barrier site was found to exceed ODOT?s noise barrier design criteria.
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