Research
Centers
Center for Sustainable & Resilient Infrastructure
Virginia Quiet Pavement Implementation Program
The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and Virginia Transportation Research Council (VTRC) are working on a quiet pavement implementation program. In the first year of the program (2011), five demonstration projects were carried out on four-lane, divided, high-speed roads with good underlying pavement structures. These demonstrations will help VDOT determine the performances of new pavements under climate conditions unique to Virginia. Various new types of pavement technologies are being studied with the goal of reducing highway noise at the source.
On-Board Sound Intensity (OBSI) tire-pavement noise measurements
OBSI testing at the Virginia Smart Roads
Open-graded asphalt concrete, a type of small-textured porous asphalt mix
Negative-textured longitudinal grind and groove concrete, known as a next-generation concrete surface
The Center for Sustainable & Resilient Infrastructure at VTTI is responsible for of measuring the tire-pavement noise at the source using OBSI methodology.
OBSI
OBSI measurements provide an efficient, standardized way to measure the noise-reduction benefits of the alternative materials and processes. These measurements are also used to evaluate changes in tire-pavement noise over time. Since tire-pavement interaction is the primary source of traffic noise at highway speeds, measuring tire-pavement noise at its source is the most direct way to quantify the benefits of quieter surfaces.
Testing Locations
