Road and rail noise on new routes, particularly in urban areas, can be a significant environmental problem in conflict with community desires for a better amenity. To overcome road noise a program was commenced in 1986 by the then Road Construction Authority, now the Roads Corporation of Victoria to evaluate existing noise barrier systems and, if required, to develop an appropriate barrier system to deal with the noise spectrum emanating from road traffic. The program highlighted that the existing noise barrier systems were satisfactory in the reflective mode, but there were none available that could be considered satisfactory in the dispersive and absorption mode. The Roads Corporation, Corporation, with the assistance of private enterprise, developed a barrier system incorporating interchangeable reflective, dispersive and absorption modules to suit transport corridor applications (A).
Abstract