Did you know that the age of a road surface plays a significant role in traffic noise? The older the surface, the more noise it makes.
Road noise is influenced by several factors, including the surface type, condition, and age. In Denmark, surfaces are often compared to a reference type, SMA 11. While noise-reducing surfaces are quieter than standard surfaces, their effectiveness diminishes as they age. Older surfaces, regardless of type, tend to produce higher noise levels.
For comparison, listen to the noise levels of three different surfaces: a brand-new surface, a 7-year-old surface, and a 17-year-old reference surface (SMA 11).
Instructions
- Connect your headset to your computer and ensure the left and right channels are correctly configured.
- Press the black boxes to start playback. You can switch between options during playback to compare the noise levels.
- Avoid adjusting the volume to maintain the system's calibrated settings.
How to listen to auralisations
You can adjust the sound level of your playback system (PC, tablet, or smartphone) using the sound file for adjustment of volume on this page.
Adjust the level to the point where it sounds like a person speaking at normal volume one meter in front of you. You can compare it to a real person speaking at a meter’s distance. You may have to adjust the level a couple of times before you’re confident the level is right.
Get the most out of auralisations
In order to get the most out of the auralisations, you should do the following:
- Read the prerequisites below. You get the full information on the different situations (traffic flow, type of road etc.) in the grey tabs below.
- Adjust the “playback level” as described to get the correct volume in your headset.
- Listen to the auralisations by clicking the appropriate text in the box. When the sound files are loaded into your browser you can instantly switch between different sound files – which makes differences appear immediately.
