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On heavily trafficked roads, where there are often significant exceedances of noise limit values, noise protection poses a particular challenge. Low-noise pavements (LNP) offer an effective way to reduce traffic noise directly at the source. According to Guide...

The following table shows the three most commonly used low-noise surfaces (LAB) in Switzerland along with their expected acoustic initial and final effects. Most commonly used LAB in Switzerland with their acoustic initial and final effects (for mixed traffic ...

When a significant noise impact must be achieved, the use of an SDA 4 surface is generally recommended. Particularly due to its advantageous noise-reducing properties towards the end of its service life. Therefore, even with high traffic volumes and larger pro...

The use of SDA 4 is not equally sensible and sustainable at every altitude. The acoustic effectiveness and lifespan of SDA 4 behave differently over time depending on the height and age at different rates. The main causes of accelerated aging of SDA 4 at high ...

QuietPaveCheck is a data-driven web application that supports cantons, cities, and municipalities in selecting noise-optimized road surfaces. The goal is to enable informed decisions regarding noise reduction and the lifespan of various types of surfaces. Exte...

Road noise consists of three noise components: Drive noise – Sounds from the engine, transmission, and exhaust Rolling noise - Sound generated by the interaction between tires and road surface Wind turbulence noise – Sound created by air turbulence around the...

Tire-road noise is understood as the interaction between the tire and the road surface. This tire-road interaction contributes in various ways to the generation of road noise. Accordingly, the composition of the effect is complex. The mechanisms of generation ...

A good noise-reducing surface has a fine surface texture and easily accessible surface pores. A fine surface texture minimizes vibration noise while surface pores reduce air flow noise. Accessible cavities in the surface also act as sound absorbers, leading to...

For a surface to be considered low-noise in Switzerland, it must achieve a noise reduction of at least -1 dB(A) over its entire lifespan and an initial noise reduction of -3 dB(A) according to VSS 40 425 Noise-Reducing Pavements - Fundamentals1. To be regarded...

Acoustic Effects CH Project CPX Measurements Road Surfaces Report BAFU On behalf of the Federal Office for the Environment (BAFU), the acoustic effect of various road surfaces in Switzerland is being investigated to close knowledge gaps regarding aging behav...

VSS 40436 SDA surfaces are divided into several subtypes based on their void content and maximum grain size. 1 Type Maximum grain size in mm Application area SDA 4 4 urban areas SDA 8 8 urban areas with high mechanical stress, rural areas, national r...

More than five decades of research have led to a continuous development of low-noise road surfaces in Switzerland. While open-porous asphalts laid the foundation for noise-reducing pavement technologies, the development of semi-dense asphalts (SDA) marked a si...

International is only a part of the noise-reducing pavements that follow a similar concept to the Swiss SDA that are actually classified as "semi-dense." The requirements in international standards partially overlap with those of the Swiss SDA pavement. The ce...

Extensive practical experiences were used to optimize the installation parameters of semi-dense asphalts (SDA surfaces) and improve their acoustic effectiveness. 1 The evaluation showed that the variety of mixtures approved in the standard VSS 40 436:2019 / S...

The production of SDA mixtures in the asphalt mixing plant (see figure) differs from conventional asphalt mixtures, particularly due to the higher requirements for maintaining the grain distribution to ensure the desired void content. Typically, polymer-modifi...

Studies show that the failure to achieve the required noise reduction with SDA pavements is often due to the quality of the mix. In some cases, however, the installation process also plays a crucial role. Practical experiences demonstrate that favorable weathe...

Winter service When clearing snow, care must be taken not to damage the surface layers. For example, snow plows should be operated with great caution. Preventively, especially with SDA surfaces that have a high void content, preventive salting using a sole ca...

With a well-coordinated surface recipe and appropriate maintenance measures, the lifespan of SDA surfaces can be extended. Possible maintenance measures for prolonging lifespan include cleaning and grinding (milling or sanding) of the top surface layer. The op...

The so-called life cycle costs (LCC) ideally encompass the entire life cycle of a structure, with the boundaries of consideration and the system needing to be clearly defined. They represent an integral evaluation tool that includes all relevant types of costs...

In a life cycle assessment (Life Cycle Assessment, LCA), the individual processes of a product system are analyzed in detail regarding their environmental impacts. All relevant resource consumption and emissions throughout the entire life cycle – including all...