Work

Long-term evaluation of acoustic decay, drainage, and surface resistance in engineered asphalt pavements through integrated field and laboratory analysis

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: : Urban traffic noise remains a critical environmental issue, prompting the deployment of low-noise asphalt pavement solutions. However, most existing studies have examined only short-term acoustic or material properties of low-noise pavements, lacking integrated long-term evidence that connects acoustic decay, drainage performance, and surface resistance under real traffic and environmental conditions. To bridge this gap, this study conducts a comprehensive six-year field evaluation and laboratory correlation of three representative low-noise asphalt systems. This study presents a comprehensive six-year field evaluation of three asphalt surface types: Q-Pave (high-void porous asphalt), Duplex Pavement (double-layer system), and Medi-Temp Pavement (medium-temperature dense mix). Performance was assessed through close-proximity noise (CPX/Non-CPX), permeability (Bowler Test), skid resistance (British Pendulum Tester (BPT), Grip Tester), and durability (Tensile Strength Ratio (TSR), Hamburg Wheel Tracking (HWT), Cantabro). Q-Pave achieved the highest initial noise reduction (∼80.4 dB(A)) but showed moderate acoustic degradation (+1.2 dB/year) and declining surface functions. Duplex Pavement demonstrated strong acoustic stability (+1.35 dB/year) with consistent drainage and friction. Medi-Temp Pavement, despite a higher long-term CPX (∼72.9 dB(A)), retained excellent durability, minimal rutting, and 94% skid resistance retention. Notably, porosity showed strong correlation with both noise (R² = 0.97) and permeability (R² = 0.99). The findings emphasize the trade-offs between acoustic performance and long-term resilience, highlighting that while porous pavements provide early noise benefits, denser or layered systems better sustain safety and durability. These results offer valuable guidance for urban road planners seeking to balance environmental noise reduction with infrastructure longevity.

Source: KSCE Journal of Civil Engineering

DOI: 10.1016/j.kscej.2025.100497

Authors: Sang-Yum Lee, Tri Ho Minh Le

Institutions: Induk University, Trường ĐH Nguyễn Tất Thành

Language: English

Topic: Asphalt Pavement Performance Evaluation

Subfield: Civil and Structural Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Sustainable cities and communities, Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,800