Double-layer porous asphalt concrete (DPAC) surfaces are generally considered to be the acoustically most effective low noise road surfaces ready for implementation. While DPAC used on highways in warm climates may have an average life of around 8 years, in Scandinavia with severe winter climate DPAC usually survive only about 3 years; partly due to wear of studded tyres. An ongoing project in Sweden, applying DPAC and single-layer...

In 2010 a double-layer porous asphalt concrete (DPAC) pavement was constructed on the E4 motorway through the Swedish city Huskvarna. Earlier experience in Sweden indicated that it was feasible to obtain a high initial noise reduction but due to the widespread use of studded tires in winter, clogging and ravelling created losses of around 2 dB per year, with an expected acoustical lifetime of only 3 years. However, the improved...

In 2010 a double-layer porous asphalt concrete (DPAC) pavement was constructed in various versions on the E4 motorway through the Swedish city Huskvarna. As a result of a court decision the Swedish Transport Administration had to reduce noise emission by applying a low noise road surface that would reduce A-weighted noise levels by 5 dB, as an average. Earlier experience in Sweden indicated that it was possible to obtain a high...

Road surface should be constructed in a way that ensures safe and comfortable traffic conditions, not only when it is newly paved but also during its entire lifetime. An important factor in the asphalt mixture design process is also the expected pavement durability and stability of pavement properties over time. In many countries, road surface starts to play a significant role in traffic noise reduction actions. Selecting a particular...

Noise is one of the most important environmental problems related to road traffic. During the last decades, the noise emitted by the engines and powertrains of vehicles was greatly reduced and tires became a clearly dominant noise source. The article describes the concept of low noise poroelastic road surfaces that are composed of mineral and rubber aggregate bound by polyurethane resin. Those surfaces have a porous structure and...