Low-noise road surfaces – semi-dense asphalt (SDA)
Over 10 years of experience in planning, implementation & maintenance
Road traffic is the most significant source of noise in Switzerland, affecting the health of over a million people. Noise-reducing surfaces, especially semi-dense asphalts (SDA), are one of the most effective measures to reduce noise directly at the source – comprehensively and protractedly.
The use of quiet road surfaces in the form of SDA has proven to be an effective and economical noise protection measure over at least the past decade. SDA surfaces can significantly reduce noise emissions.
The present knowledge platform Quiet Roads, summarizes for the first time the experiences based on > 1,300 SDA installations throughout Switzerland. It is aimed at professionals, decision-makers as well as interested parties from all areas dealing with the planning, construction, maintenance, or evaluation of noise-reducing road surfaces.
The platform Quiet Roads has emerged from a collaboration between the Road Noise Office of the Canton of Aargau and G+P Engineers AG. The editorial team is always happy to receive additions and suggestions via email: leise-strassen@proton.me
This platform is not static, but grows with new experiences and practical examples. It is not and does not claim to be comprehensive of all aspects.
Areas of application
Overview of low-noise pavements
On heavily trafficked roads, where there are often significant exceedances of noise limit values,...
Expected acoustic effect and lifespan
The following table shows the three most commonly used low-noise surfaces (LAB) in Switzerland al...
Selection of pavement based on environmental conditions
When significant noise impacts are needed, the use of an SDA 4 surface is generally recommended. ...
Selection of pavement depending on altitude
The use of SDA 4 is not equally sensible and sustainable at every altitude. The acoustic effectiv...
Web app for selecting low-noise road pavements
QuietPaveCheck is a data-driven web application that supports cantons, cities, and municipalities...
Noise reduction
Traffic noise overview
Road noise consists of three noise components: Drive noise – Sounds from the engine, transmiss...
Tire-road noise (rolling noise)
Tire-road noise is understood as the interaction between the tire and the road surface. This tire...
Functionality of SDA pavement
A good noise-reducing surface has a fine surface texture and easily accessible surface pores. A f...
Expected acoustic effects
For a surface to be considered low-noise in Switzerland, it must achieve a noise reduction of at ...
Measured acoustic effects
Acoustic Effects CH BAFU CPX Measurements of Road Surfaces Report On behalf of the Federal ...
Technological Fundamentals and Standards
Definition and subtypes of SDA
VSS 40436 SDA surfaces are divided into several subtypes based on their void content and maximum...
Development and Standardization in Switzerland
More than five decades of research have led to a continuous development of low-noise road surface...
International low-noise surfaces similar to SDA
International is only a part of the noise-reducing pavements that follow a similar concept to the...
Acoustic optimization through mix design
Empirical data from practical experiences with SDA can be used to optimize the parameters of semi...
Production and placement
Maintenance
Economic efficiency and environmental aspects
Life cycle costs
The so-called life cycle costs (LCC) ideally encompass the entire life cycle of a structure, with...
Ecological balance
In a life cycle assessment (Life Cycle Assessment, LCA), the individual processes of a product sy...
Recycling
The adjustment of the regulation on the avoidance and disposal of waste (VVEA; SR 814.600, 2015) ...
SDA with a cooling effect
With the progressing climate change, heat stress and the number of tropical nights in cities and ...
Rolling resistance
By reducing the rolling resistance of the vehicle, fuel consumption and pollutant emissions can b...
Quality control
The success control is a central component of quality assurance in the realization and operation ...
Building materials
The quality of the building materials lays the foundation for a quality SDA surface. Even before ...
Asphalt mixture
The mixture forms the technical interface between the tested individual materials and the install...
Constructed pavement
After installation, the finished layer will be checked for its density, layer thickness, and comp...
Surface properties
The surface of an SDA pavement affects driving comfort, safety, and noise development. Therefore,...
Grip
Grip is a safety-relevant success parameter and is measured during acceptance and periodic contro...
Acoustical evaluation
Acoustical evaluation forms the core of the performance monitoring of low-noise SDA surfaces. It ...
Success factors & limitations
The use of low-noise semi-dense asphalt (SDA) leads to a significant reduction in road noise emis...
Pavement type transitions
The acoustical emission differences between low-noise and conventional surfaces can be up to 10 d...
Concrete elements on the roadway
Due to the high mechanical loads from braking and accelerating buses or from centrifugal forces i...
Markings
Another disturbance potential arises from road markings, distinguishing between structural markin...
Traffic light systems with detectors
If detectors for traffic light systems are embedded in the roadway and no level differences occur...
Tram tracks
When crossing tram tracks in a transverse direction, impulse noises may occur. However, crossing ...
Slope
In general, it should be noted that low-noise surfaces lose effectiveness on steeper gradients (>...
Limitations
This wiki aims to make current knowledge about quiet roads and particularly noise-reducing road s...
Further literature, videos, and links
Literature Acoustics of Road Surfaces - Basics, Experiences, and Practice in the Canton of Aarga...